The presidential elections in Kenya on December 27, 2007 were followed by outbreaks of violence and unrest, and claimed the lives of several thousand Kenyans. Volunteers from Johanniter Germany, as well as Johanniter's sister organisation St. John Ambulance Kenya, are onsite providing assistance at several reception camps.

Berlin - According to local reports, there have always been underlying differences between the various ethnic groups in Kenya. It was the alleged election fraud by President Kibaki however, that triggered a wave of violence. "Opposition leader Raila Odinga was heavily favoured to win the election, and nobody anticipated a different outcome", recounts Johanniter volunteer Roland Zuehlke who was on vacation in Kenya during the elections.

The unexpected outbreak of violence in western Kenya came as a great shock. Residents who had lived together peacefully suddenly turned on each other with machetes, arrows, and axes. Approximately, one thousand Kenyans were killed, and over ten thousand houses, businesses, and schools were destroyed in the process. More than 300,000 Kenyans were expelled from their homes; some found shelter with relatives in other parts of the country, others continue to live in reception camps, churches, schools, or police stations.

Up to 600 Patients per Day

St. John Ambulance Kenya, a sister organisation of Johanniter, has been providing medical care since the beginning of the unrest, travelling to the affected regions, administering initial care, and providing transportation to hospitals. "At times, close to 150 volunteers treat 300 patients daily," reports Eva Mwai, a coordinator for Johanniter in Kenya.

Johanniter member Roland Zuehlke worked alongside our Kenyan colleagues for several days. As a trained paramedic it was only natural that he offer to help. "On January 3, I offered my help to Eva Mwai, and two hours later I sat in her car en route to a refugee camp in Nairobi."

"In the beginning we treated 600 patients a day suffering from smoke inhalation, colds, or minor wounds. When the violence did not subside, we began to dispense HIV medication, sanitary products, and blankets." St. John Ambulance Kenya received financial support from Germany's Department of Foreign Affairs and Johanniter Germany.

The Next Three Months are Crucial

Aside from caring for patients, Mwai spends a significant amount of time contemplating the future. She believes that the hatred and mistrust among ethnic groups is too entrenched to be resolved within the next few months.

This negatively affects the 200,000 displaced persons living in reception camps. It remains impossible for many to return to their villages. "We cannot return. There is too much hatred among neighbours, and too much has happened," one woman explains. However, most refugees do not have the necessary resources to start a new life, but they cannot remain at the reception camps for ever. According to Mwai, "the rainy season begins in March, which will make it extremely difficult to maintain a proper level of hygiene in the camps." The ground on which people sleep will turn into mud, everything will be damp and cold - perfect conditions for diseases.