closing the sukuma kenya chapter

It's taken me a few months to think this through and now its thought...

It's time for Sukuma Kenya to lay to rest. I believe it has done more than what it was originally set out to do when we started this almost two years ago. It began one not-so-fine day in december...when... ah shit...we seen and heard it all too many times...

Anyways, like all things driven by sense and a desire for change, it evolved and we joined the march to tell the politicians to stop feeding themselves and start feeding the people. So much for that...



But there are those that never tire and never give up no matter how unreachable it seems to be...MARS Group, Philo Ikonya, Bunge La Mwananchi are amongst a handful of movements that Sukuma Kenya has been fortunate enough to learn from.

Unfortunately, the struggle goes on but the noise in the tangled matrix of the internet has grown loud enough to show us all that it might just have a lot more use than telling all our friends what colour underwear we are wearing today.

Or maybe not...

And life goes on...just the way we like it...



As for Sukuma Kenya...clearly there ain't much more to say...the book is incomplete but it's the end anyways...

Pamoja...

Grassroots calling for Resource Persons

From Bunge La Mwananchi

Dear Kenyans and friends of Kenya,

We are looking for patriotic Kenyans who are thoroughly informed on how to link community localised issues to the national policies; are dynamic on national agendas, and are available to volunteer their time to serve as Resource Persons during the upcoming Kibera Wananchi Congress, (herein referred to as the congress). The congress will bring together 1,600 grassroots leaders (drawn all wards in Langata constituency, the 13 villages that form Kibera slums, the diverse ethnic groups, the churches and mosques, active CBOs and NGOs, soccer groups, women and youth groups etc) is scheduled to take place at St. Jude’s Catholic Church near Katwekera area on 23rd and 24th November 2009. The congress dialogues are designed to allow the participants to articulate their understanding on the topic of discussion and their suggestion for wayforward. The moderator/Resource person helps focus the participants and concretize resolutions. We are looking for Resource Person to facilitate tent/group discussions on the following thematic areas:

1. Education and Training

2. National agendas, Governance challenges and Citizens responsibility

3. Impoverishment, Food Security and Opportunity for Wealth creation

4. Land problem, housing and slum upgrading

5. Politics, Conflicts and Peace Building

6. Health, Sanitation and

7. Insecurity and Community Policing

8. Alcoholism and Substance Abuse

9. Sports, Sports opportunities and Sports Infrastructure

10. Gender based challenges

The congress is aimed at empowering and strengthening the capacities of Kibera Citizens in rights awareness, policy analysis, advocacy and networking through a 2-day dialogue activity. At the end of the congress, the grassroots leaders shall outline and adopt resolutions from their dialogues. The resolutions shall be compiled into Kibera People’s Manifesto for change. Similar people’s congress are scheduled to be held in identified constituencies in Central, Coast, Nyanza, Rift Valley and Western regions and then culminate with a National People’s Congress.

If you are available to serve as Resource Person on the said dates, please contact us before 19th November 2009 on this email: grnyongesa@yahoo.com or tel: 0720 451 235.

Mo Faya - they call it a slum, we call it home

DJ Lwanda’s voice rings out daily on local radio, leading and inspiring the Nairobi community of Kwa Maji. But Anna Mali, an avaricious real estate diva, craves the land beneath their slum. She seduces the fiery young DJ away with a job at a top nationwide station, and organizes a violent campaign to terrorize the people of Kwa Maji. When the government and media turn a blind eye to the decapitated bodies in the streets, DJ Lwanda must return home to expose the truth. But at what cost?

"The runaway smash hit of the 2009 New York Musical Theatre Festival"

A Rainmaker production in partnership with Safaricom

A Kenyan musical written and composed by Eric Wainaina
Directed by John Sibi-Okumu
Starring: Eric Wainaina, Valerie Kimani, Atemi Oyungu and Mũmbi Kaigwa

The GoDown Arts Centre - Dunga Rd, off Lusaka Rd

Tickets available at Silverbird Cinemas (Village Market, Junction and Westgate) and selected Uchumi outlets

Contact Info:

Mo Faya 0720 492540

Email: iddimagina@gmail.com

URL: http://www.mofayathemusical.com

November 11th to December 20th:
Wednesdays (1 ticket for 2) - 7.30pm - Sh300 adults, Sh300 students (13-18yrs)
Thursdays and Fridays - 7.30pm - Sh600 adults, Sh400 students (13-18yrs)
Saturdays - 2.30pm & 7.30pm - Sh800 adults, Sh400 students (13-18yrs)
Sundays - 2.30pm - Sh800 adults, Sh400 students (13-18yrs)

Why Kibaki and Raila are top candidates for The Hague

By George Nyongesa

Bunge La Mwananchi

It is foregone that ICC prosecutor Mr. Ocampo shall on 3rd of November be a guest of the people of Kenya. The ICC prosecutor will be in the country to shop around for the fastest ship or airplane services that will shortly route the masterminds of the 2007 post election murders, rape and plunders to The Hague. Mr. Ocampo's excursion seems a basket of mixed reactions for 2012 presidential hopefuls as for all Kenyans.

For Uhuru Kenyatta and William Ruto, Ocampo's mission to Kenya is a living nightmare they wish was just a bad dream. The duo is already sleep deprived and experiencing serious weightloss. For Mr. Kalonzo Musyoka alias 'miracle-man' this a divine tsunami that will drown competitors especially if Raila Odinga is part of Waki envelop. Is it any wonder that Kalonzo is on new found mission to unite Kenyans? Ask yourself where he has been over the last 2 years. For Raila Odinga, Ocampo's visit heralds good tidings for fixing the Ruto problem in the Orange Democratic Movement. On the other hand, Daniel Moi and Mwai Kibaki are also suffering a migraine from a likelihood of second miscarriage of project Uhuru.

However, Ocampo's mission considered in the right way is not a mission to fix political antagonism. It is a journey of hope for Kenyans who have for so long suffered grand impunity from their political leaders. It is the rays of dawn after a midnight of disrespect of human rights and rule of law by the powerful.

In all these it should slip our mind that it would be great injustice and an even greater debacle of democracy if the two principals are not indicted to The Hague. The violence that ensued after the bungled 2007 elections was composed of wars fought by persons who were doing it for their preferred leader between the two principals. If anything, none of the two principals is on record as coming out in condemnation of the violence. In fact, one of them issued a call for mass action to protest the stolen election, while his antagonist employed state resources of terror to quell the resulting protests. Whichever side of the divide you may have viewed it from, what ensued was nevertheless murder, rape and wanton destruction of public and private property.

If The Hague process is truly about addressing the impunity that has dogged Kenya for a long time, it must remain clear that there are very few top politicians that can claim to be clean of the impunity. The two principals cannot be absolved while their soldiers bear the brunt of the prosecution. No matter that there were people who executed the orders on their behalf, those people acted on the instructions of or misguided ambitions of their principals. Therefore, if the generals are to be indicted, it is only befitting if not imperative that the principals should lead the pack as they did during PEV. Otherwise, the Hague process would be a cosmetic approach to addressing the roots of impunity. Why should ICC come for William Ruto and Uhuru Kenyatta and leave Kibaki and Raila? If Uhuru and Ruto are guilt of crimes against humanity for post election violence, Kibaki and Raila are more guilt on the same account. Why should Kibaki and Raila get a soft landing? Who doesn’t know the two were protecting the interests of their masters? Didn’t Waki tell us that some part of violence was planned in the house on the hill?

Further, there is every logical reason that the events that led the run up to, those that characterised the elections and thereafter, are ample basis to indict the two principals. One for having failed as the president of the country, and the other for having failed as a leader of his followers. This leadership vacuum necessarily triggered the senseless killings and plunder by leaving Kenyans confused and with undirected negative energies as the two principals faced off. We cannot pussyfoot around arresting and bundling the principals in MV Hague for fear that their arrest might re-ignite post election violence. We must have the two most powerful men taken to The Hague to reassure the ordinary Kenyans that after all the rich and powerful can also face justice. We must have these two arrested to warn anyone else nursing motives of deploying tools of violence in order to acquire power. Anything short of making Kibaki and Raila to account for their commissions and omissions; for their action and inactions shall be a mockery of justice.