What on earth is going on in Kenya?

(photo credit: Ben Curtis,AP)

This thought has been running through the minds of many around the world for the last month as we look on in horror at what is happening in Kenya.

Would I sound naive if I said I was truly shocked? Others who are unremittingly cynical about every country on the African continent may not be, but I really thought Kenya was different.

Compared to many (most?) other African countries...heck not even by those standards of comparison, just on its own - Kenya always seemed so...normal. Rather corrupt yes but democracy worked there, the diverse people seemed to be living together in peace and it functioned.

All of this ethnic bitterness that seems to have been brought to the surface by the (extremely dodgy) results of the election is a shock to me. It's like 'oh no...not this again...and not in Kenya'.

What is scaring me is that it does not seem to be stopping. The 'president' Mwai Kibaki is refusing to back down from his stance that he was duly elected even though this is clearly the most farcical of claims. The 'Opposition leader' Raila Odinga is not doing anything to calm his supporters, but instead is whipping it up through his rhetoric.

They are both acting like... well like the stereotype of an 'African strongman'. I groan in dismay at it all.

And I keep thinking that it must stop soon. I mean, this is Kenya after all - they're not like that.

Right?