Westgate Mall

The Westgate Mall siege was terrible to see unfold. I have been (still am) quite speechless about it, confused and wondering what will eventually emerge as a way of making sense of it all, grateful that everyone in Nairobi that I know has checked in and is fine, sad for those who have lost people in the attack. It has been quite impossible to say anything. If the point of terrorism is to acquaint one with fear, this was an effective undertaking. 

There's a lot of pressure these days to be instantly knowledgeable about an incident before the smoke has even cleared the air, especially if you work in social media. But I find that so dangerous, the need to offer clarity and certainty when there isn't enough to go around. Already the grapevine has been offering up the most interesting interpretations of the incident, which I can't even begin to share here because it's the kind of speculation that leads to unforseen diplomatic fiascos. The age of instant information, the slow death of knowledge?

Here's what happens sometimes when you have to speak too soon about a thing to people: behold Bill Clinton explain the situation to David Letterman and cringe a little bit every time you hear Al-Shahab. Amongst other cringey moments... like the drone thing. And then read this.