Peaceful hustle and bustle belie a horrific recent past

There is an unnerving sense of normalcy in the hustle and bustle of Nairobi’s downtown. Despite the terrifying violence following the elections in December last year, which killed, injured and displaced thousands of people, the Nairobi city center seems unsettlingly familiar.

While working in Brcko, a city in northern Bosnia that was brutally “ethnically cleansed” in the early 1990s, I often had a similar feeling. My mind found it difficult to comprehend simultaneously the veneer of ordinary life – open shops, full cafes, sidewalks humming with people – with the knowledge that Brcko’s streets had hosted scenes of such horror only a few years before.

While not a superstitious person, I felt I began to understand the origins of the mythology of places being haunted. When I walked by the police station, a hotel, the docks, I would remember accounts of the terrible things that had occurred there, and an unpleasant chill would run up my spine. Normalcy was thin and strained – memory still demanded that truth be told and justice be done.

I feel the same as I wander around Nairobi doing chores and preparing for our extended stay in East Africa. Everyday, mundane occurrences can suddenly take on new meaning.

The mural on the city market wall urging vigilance against corruption at polling stations has taken on a new, sobering significance. Driving down Mombasa Road from the airport or passing the main park opposite Parliament, I recall press reports about the clashes that occurred there. When my cell phone disappeared after a cab ride this morning, I am reminded of the impunity that has contributed to the violence.

I first visited Kenya in 2000, as a summer volunteer with the WorldService Corps. I was struck by the level of political tension, as an autocratic regime entered its twilight years. Visiting last year, I was struck by how much things seemed to have improved. Nairobi seemed cleaner, more relaxed and less desperate. I felt hopeful about this country.

The election violence before and after December 2007 thus came as a surprise. However, as I thought more about it, I realized I had overlooked things that should have served as a warning. Kenya has had a recent history of troubled elections. I remember dismissing and ignoring news covering the tensions during the election campaigns. I should have been more vigilant.

This week I have felt encouraged that Nairobi has bounced back and, to a large extent, “business as usual” seems to have returned. However, I have also felt cautious about being optimistic. The newspapers are filled with reports of vigilante violence, corruption and political disputes. Kenya needs much political reform, social healing and economic change before it will finally banish the spectres of the election violence.