Following clashes between the Borana and Burji around Moyale and Turbo last month, the Kenya-Ethiopia border was closed for several days and then reopened. I thought the trouble had blown over, at least as far as foreign travellers were concerned (which is not to dismiss the ongoing inter-ethnic violence in the region). I've just caught up with last week's Kenyan news, however, and it seems a French tourist was shot in the arm last Wednesday (27 May 2011) during a spate of roadside robberies near Laisamis (half way between Archer's Post and Marsabit). He was driving north, on his own, but was part of a convoy. The same gang also stopped and robbed three goods lorries in the same convoy, and an hour later a Kenya Telcom vehicle.
The story made p.34 of the Nation, last Friday. Not exactly headlines in Kenyan terms, sadly.
There are probably more important things going on in Kenya, to report on.
ReplyDeleteFrom their standpoint, the tourist wasn't killed. It is usually pretty risky to travel on that route and robberies are common and a person alone in a vehicle is an ideal target. I imagine that this incident is not linked with the cross border violence though.
I live in Kenya and wouldn't travel by road to that area.
Yes, I don't disagree with you about other stories, there's always lots going on. My "sadly" was referring to the incident rather than media priorities, although the Nation does seem to be particularly selective in what it chooses to cover.
ReplyDelete