Violence hurts pride of Kenyans
January 14, 2008
Craig and Marc Kielburger

From: http://www.thestar.com/printArticle/293690

The images of violence that have rocked Kenya since its disputed Dec. 27 election may have caught the world's attention, but nowhere have they been more shocking than in Kenya itself.

With upwards of 500 people dead and 250,000 displaced, international media reports quickly began comparing the violence in Kenya to the genocide in Rwanda. This has stunned Kenyans, who are taken aback by the light in which their unrest has been portrayed.

They, too, are frustrated by the clashes and are eager for Kenya to return to the bastion of regional stability it has long been – the place international aid agencies, refugees from other countries, and even the office of the UN's Environment Program call home.

"No words can express the absence of pride the entire country feels over the scale of violence that has been witnessed," says Peter Ruhiu, a friend of ours in Nairobi. "What the world is seeing is repressed anger by a minority of frustrated citizens who, having felt let down by a flawed electoral process, have turned their anger on perceived enemies."

The national media has led the way in speaking out against the current crisis. A week into the clashes, newspapers across the country took the unprecedented step of publishing front-page editorials calling for an immediate return to calm, all under the headline "Save Our Beloved Country." Radio and television stations read their editorials on air.

"No grievance and no cause is worth the innocent blood of Kenyan children," wrote Nairobi's Business Daily newspaper. "It is unbelievable foolishness for Kenyans to destroy their economy, their homes and their entire way of life in the name of politics."

Kenya's Daily Nation newspaper is full of messages from readers at home and abroad who are outraged by the violence: "I am very bitter and at the same time very disappointed by what is happening in my country," reads one message. The grievances now playing out in the media are ones that go beyond tribal animosity. Kenya is largely made up of a young, impoverished population that lacks the opportunities for a decent life. Despite the country's economic prosperity, the streets of Nairobi and other cities are full of young men without jobs or money.

Many Kenyans blame the rampant corruption of leaders like former president Daniel arap Moi for their plight. When current president Mwai Kibaki came to power he represented the possibility of change for Kenya's 15 million poor.

That hope never materialized, as most citizens have yet to benefit from the country's steady economic growth under Kibaki. So for some, the idea of another rigged election is just too much to bear.

Everyone is losing in this situation. Kenya's poor are being manipulated by politicians who make promises they cannot keep, while the entire population sees their country descend into violence.

But Kenya is not facing genocide. These protests show that Kenyans will no longer tolerate corruption, and that they now see democracy as their right. Talk of "peace" and "reconciliation" must be accompanied by real improvement in the lives of the poor. Rural economic development, education, foreign aid and the international community's support are what's needed to bring hope back to a country that desperately needs it.


Craig and Marc Kielburger are children's rights activists and co-founded Free The Children, which is active in the developing world. Online: Craig and Marc Kielburger discuss global issues every Monday in the World & Comment section. Take part in the discussion online at thestar.com/globalvoices.