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Broken heart amid the flames

When his restaurant was burned down by opposition protesters after Kenya's disputed election, Frank Ndungu thought things could get no worse.

  • Reuters
  • Published: 23:09 January 4, 2008
  • Gulf News

Kisumu, Kenya: When his restaurant was burned down by opposition protesters after Kenya's disputed election, Frank Ndungu thought things could get no worse.

Then his girlfriend dumped him because he was from the wrong tribe.

"This is double jeopardy," the anguished 23-year-old said in Kisumu, a western town in the opposition heartland where he is now sleeping rough outside a police station.

"I have lost my business as well as my sweetheart. Even love has not been spared here."

Ndungu is from the same Kikuyu ethnic group as President Mwai Kibaki, whose controversial victory has triggered riots and tribal violence in which more than 300 people have been killed.

Nancy, the long-term girlfriend he had planned to marry after she finished her university studies, is a Kalenjin.

Some of the worst clashes of five days of turmoil have included Kikuyus and Kalenjins.

But Ndungu was not expecting the SMS text message he received from Nancy two days after his place was torched.

"Because of the resentment, hate of my family, clan and tribesmen to the Kikuyu I am afraid you can never be welcomed here. We have to call it quits because we have no future," said the message.

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