solstice

Two people were killed and 41 injured in an explosion next to a Kampala-bound bus in downtown Nairobi on Monday night. The blast occurred at 7.40pm as passengers were boarding a Kampala Coach bus in the River Road area.

Most of the people on the bus were Ugandans on their way home for Christmas. Earlier in the day, warnings were issued by Ugandan Police about terrorist attacks during the holiday season. This is the second grenade attack in Nairobi in December. Two grenades were detonated in suburbs near the city earlier this month. Police think today's explosion was from the same type of Russian made grenade.

Today I feel nervous. When I hear about this type of violence in a place where I have been (and will soon return to) my stomach tightens and my heart beats a little too fast.

My plan is to return to Uganda in January and then leave in mid-February during the election. I will take a bus from Jinja to Nairobi and then on to Mombasa. I will relax at the beach until the election results are confirmed and life returns to normal.

Today's news puts a dent in my confidence. And then there's Ivory Coast. I should probably also mention the January 9th referendum in South Sudan.

I can't control what will happen. For now I'll go with my motto: "plan for nothing, prepare for everything" but frankly, I'm a little frightened. I want to overcome this fear. I don't want to live in fear. I don't even want to live with fear. I want to feel confident and secure.