We recently received this letter and share it with our readers.  I have chosen to omit any information that might identify the writer.

 It has been a most trying time for our country after the elections. The parliamentary ballot was good but the presidential vote was massively and openly rigged by the incumbent who, after a hastily arranged closed door swearing in ceremony, ordered a media blackout, banned all forms of gatherings and unleashed heavy contingents of the crack Para-military police into the streets of all towns in Kenya. The declaration of the incumbent as winner sparked massive riots across the country; 90 people have been killed as of this evening in Nairobi, Kisumu and Eldoret while Kibera and Mathare slums are literally in flames. Property has been destroyed in all cities including Nakuru. Nairobi city centre is a no go zone for civilians and is ringed by the police. Public transport has been paralyzed and tension remains high all over the country. Food is fast running out and businesses remain closed. We hope the political leaders get some sense and realize that Kenya is far more important than any one of them and that the interest of this beautiful country should come first. There is currently a standoff and we don’t know what the end game will be. Four electoral commissioners have just owned up to the mess and called for an independent inquiry into the presidential results as a way forward. The opposition has called for mass action starting this Thursday to force the president to step down. The situation doesn’t look very promising but we only hope and pray that life goes back to normal as soon as possible.