Rainy, fiery Wednesday update

It was pouring down rain when I woke up this morning.

In Nairobi, it rained heavily for most of the monring. There was rain in Mombasa too.

And although the rain slowed the planned protests, it did not stop them. ODM-supporters across the country exercised their right to assemble, despite a government ban on public meetings.

In Kisumu, crowds of protestors demonstrated peacefully and without looting, until police tried to disperse them in the afternoon.

Protestors came out in Mombasa once the rain cleared. They were chased off the streets and three people who claiming to be human rights activists were arrested for their participation.

Some of the worst fighting was in Mathare and Kibera, two Nairobi slums where the majority of residents are ODM-supporters.

By eight this morning, George said there were police roadblocks in Kibera. He said people were leaving the settlement for Uhuru Park, but only one-by-one. Later in the day, as groups of people tried to head into town, the police used teargas and live rounds to keep them in Kibera. According to press reports, one man was killed and three other were shot.

Kenyan press are reporting that in Mathare police also used gunshots and teargas to keep people from leaving the settlement. They also reportedly fired teargas at apartment buildings in an attempt to "smoke out criminals."

Raila Odinga, the opposition leader, and ODM members of parliament tried to get to Uhuru Park today, but they were also driven away by police.

Yesterday, Julianna told me that she was sending her three children to school today, "to make a statement" about wanting life to go back to normal. But she stayed home with her kids instead.

I am beginning to wonder what will happen when children do return to school.

On Monday I heard stories of people stoning buses full of children on their way to school. Another person told me a story of a young woman who was stabbed in the arm by a young man who was a classmate and a neighbour. They were from different tribes. Perhaps unsurprisingly, the young man's family was forcefully evicted from their home that night.

Tonight Julianna says, although she wants life to go back to normal, she is not sure when or how it will happen.