Scared shoppers, and the 'uprising' of Kenya's Ray Ban class

Last evening I went shopping around 11pm at Nakumatt Ukay in Westlands, Nairobi (we night owls are eternally thankful to Nakumatt for starting 24-hour service, it saved our skins).

Well, the place was full, it was crazy. There were even no shopping baskets or trolleys, and the shelves that carry food had been cleared. It was obvious what had happened — with the referendum vote on the following day, many people were afraid that the horrific violence that followed the December 2007 was a real possibility. They were stocking up, just in case they had to stay cooped inside their homes for several days.

That is one result of the fact that hardly anyone has been punished for their role in the post-election mayhem so most regular folks sense that impunity has set in. That since nothing happened to discourage the merchants of violence in 2008, they are likely to be in action again.

Ironically, that might be one reason that the referendum records a high turn out. Many people who believed the argument by the “Yes” side that voting for the Proposed Constitution would end impunity could be motivated to turn out in large numbers.

I drove around the Gigiri, Runda, and Kiambu Road areas this morning, and I noticed a few distinct differences with December 2007. First, the people are not tense. There is quite a relaxed air about the voters, and the places looked like they might on a good Sunday morning.

Secondly, I noticed a lot more of the middle class types, and the Kenyan bourgeoisie with their straw hats and Ray Ban sunglasses, out voting. These are the kind of people who stay away from the voter centres during elections, because there is often a lot of tension.

My own sense is that that is good news for President Mwai Kibaki. The middle classes have most to benefit from this constitution. It is their children who are already studying abroad, for example, who will enjoy dual citizenship.

If there is a large middle class turnout, then breakfast for Kibaki tomorrow will be a celebration of victory.