Peace in Our Hearts

In the middle of last year, I wrote an article for the Big Issue bemoaning the desperate levels of inequality present throughout Kenyan society. I wondered aloud some of the questions I’ve always had about such inequality: How can some people earn 100 times or more what others earn? Does this mean some people are worth 100 times more than others? The latter question, surely, is the bottom line in this discussion.

For several weeks, we often heard about the deaths of “more than 600 people,” without ever being given a clue how many more than 600. Then, suddenly, in the space of a few days, two newly elected MPs were brutally murdered and it was headline news for several days. All of these murders (and, yes, all these deaths were murders, whether carried out by armed gangs, so-called militia groups or the police/paramilitary apparatus of the state) are surely equally tragic.

In the same week that MPs Were and Too were murdered, it seemed to me that many of their colleagues suddenly woke up from a month-long slumber: there were images of MPs pleading with their constituents to maintain peace and co-existence; cross-party teams were formed to promote peace; and the mediation teams started their work in earnest. Commendable though these actions were, it must sadly be pointed out that all this seems more than just a coincidence. My guess is that, after these two murders, most, if not all, MPs started to seriously fear for their own lives, wondering if they would be the next to go. After a month of warmongering and horrendous consequences on the ground, it was these two acts that made the country’s political leaders start to realize the seriousness of the situation. Put another way, and very simply, by a colleague who has been overwhelmed with peace-building work, “Nothing will happen until the middle class is affected by this.”

Remember how news reports were busy equating loss of property with loss of life, as if the two can ever be compared? Remember the “shocking” reports at the loss of multi-millions of shillings in every industry throughout the country? Remember comments about “collateral damage” and “something that happened” to describe the terrible loss of life experienced by so many Kenyans? And, then, it takes two murders of ‘prominent’ people to force the politicians into serious action? Don’t misunderstand my sentiments: I believe every life is precious and the damage to the Kenyan economy will have far-reaching impacts on so many of these precious lives. But questions do arise.

Now that we have a new cabinet and coalition government, there seems to be progress of sorts. However, if we look a little deeper, the infighting and bickering that we experienced in the build-up to the cabinet announcement shows that we have not actually moved very far. Someone pointed out that 10 extra ministries would cost the taxpayer approximately 30 billion shillings – coincidentally, the same amount that Kibaki and Raila were requesting from foreign donors to support the reconstruction and resettlement of victims of the recent violence (otherwise known as IDPs). Further, the ongoing negotiations are apparently reaching a crucial stage where they are supposed to examine “underlying issues” such as land and inequality. Is it just a coincidence that there is virtually no progress on these issues? It would seem that most politicians are now happy with their “share” but to look any deeper would be to deal with very uncomfortable, often personal, issues.

We constantly have to look deeper, look beyond the obvious and immediate, and look into root causes. At a time when media freedom, freedom of speech and other freedoms have been under serious threat, it is time to remind ourselves that all is not as it seems. Maybe it is time for each of us, whether politician or handcart pusher, to consider Mahatma Gandhi’s words:

“Whenever you are in doubt, or when the self become too much with you, apply the following test. Recall the face of the poorest and weakest person you may have seen, and ask yourself whether the step you are going to take is going to be of any use to them. Will s/he gain anything by it? Will it restore him/her to a control over his/her own life and destiny? Then you will find your doubt and yourself melting away.”

We definitely need some Gandhi-like figures in our society – and urgently. How many of us would fast until death to protect another group other than our own, as Gandhi did on several occasions to protect Muslims from his fellow Hindus in India? Ultimately, he was murdered by extremist Hindus who considered him a “traitor” to their cause. This is very familiar language today, as we have recently witnessed death threats to both human-rights campaigners and journalists in their pursuit of truth.

Let me finish with a wonderful truth that I hope will inspire and give strength and courage to those reading this who feel helpless in this situation, as we have all felt at some point. I have in recent weeks met several “Gandhis” – for example, a Luo man in Kisumu who, in the first flurry of violence, organized safe passage to a local police station for many, many Kikuyu and Kisii people, probably saving many lives in the process; and a group of youth in Dandora from all communities who, in late January, started a peace and reconciliation process that is progressing week by week and bringing real peace to the lives of severely affected people. All of these selfless people, and many others, have risked their lives and security for others.

Surely it is time that we realized that every life is of equal value; that the pain that was felt by the two MPs’ loved ones is no different than that felt by the loved ones of those “more than” 1,000 who have lost their lives since the election. For everyone in this beautiful country, we will have little choice for a long time to come but to continue to stand up and be counted whilst contributing towards genuine peace in our families, communities and, above all, in our hearts.