Her story is one that reminds Kenyans of the previous regime where violence and torture where the status quo for any form of opposition. As the Nation reported, Ms. Tera had just alighted from the bus when approached by a group of strange men who she did not recognize but knew her by her family name. Within seconds, she was pinned down beaten, burnt and human excrement shoved down her throat.

According to Ms. Tera this was no ordinary act of inhumane theft, for she begged the assailants to take her money and belongings to which they replied that they were not interested in cash – it was her they were after.

Having being left for near death, the thugs confidently stuck around in the distance, watching her neighbors and family lift her to safety. She is currently in Nairobi Women’s Hospital recovering. Despite the atrocity and possible psychological damage, Ms. Tera remains mentally strong and undeterred where she told a Nation reporter, “No retreat, No surrender!”

The tragedy is that such stories are all too familiar in the Kenyan political arena but may often go largely unnoticed as candidates from rural Kenya fight for change. Meanwhile, civil society groups, public institutions, and the media world of Kenya are preparing to launch a media campaign to support free and fair elections for all by providing a platform for disseminating information and monitoring the media. It is hoped that incidents like this will be prevented through the campaign rather than simply reported after the incident.



Dipesh Pabari is a Kenyan writer and freelance education and communications consultant.