Democracy and the Emerging Culture

There we were, and now here we are thinking that things have changed to better if not the best! Leadership, which some people refer to as governance, is a crucial issue. A Kibera society where people have got different versions to its meaning is regularly occupied with lots of activities as pertains, and is majorly political. It is then, and from the background, that we should ask ourselves the significance of major leadership decisions. Some tag it the epicentre of Kenya’s political development, but it’s so challenging to summarily report whether this perception is consummate with the people’s level of empowerment on political reforms.

In the past regimes, there was very minimal tolerance of citizen’s freedom or any mode of expression in whichever manner and direction; the more you tried championing an agenda focused on the public’s interest the faster you risked your life. In this time where Kenya is celebrating the year of Jubilee, it is paramount to note that this has been accompanied with the opportunity of the Kenya’s Supreme document-“the constitution”- which is protective to all.  I have a strong belief that we, the people, may champion the reform courses from the lowest level so far to the top most. This is because a number of progressive steps have been made right from the struggle for multi party to the current spirit of devolution of power using individual commitment and contribution.

However, some of these gains have been reversed because of emerging factors in every Kenyan election year. While the factors vary, money has constantly played a crucial role in our decision making. While I believe that money is a valuable and convenient material it is also a mysterious disaster if prioritized for auxiliary purposes. In leadership, the citizenry should consider more the people’s integrity and competence to manage our resources and enhance effective service delivery aimed at a sustainable development momentum, contrary to salivating for short term handouts then start unnecessary complains just a while after elections. This is a primary concern which, if not addressed, may stop achieving sustainable peace. The electorates’ thirst for immediate gains rather than well structured enduring systems is a perfect recipe for chaos.

Yes, we all understand that planning for leadership positions to a greater extent requires some resources. My worry, however, is that  if money is the in thing,  should it be the  same resource one has to use in facilitating the planning or bribing the electorates’ sober mind of clear decision making? Again, if all who pocket much are always perceived as winners even before elections, then why can’t the electorates do advise the election governing body to pre-declare them earlier instead of letting others waste the little resources into the process? Voters still value pennies instead of the holistic understanding of what better leadership and governance mean for their lives. Can the real and natural Kibera youth stand up?

Written by:

Mr. Sigar James Agumba

PMC Member                   

This Was My Feeling....

There is a story which was collected in March by the project members that shows that a small incidence in elections, that saw a candidate lose, can wash away all the good work done by the PMC. It also showed that celebrations of election victory can make people forget the need for good neighbourliness. However, the flipside of the story also shows that there is an awareness of people taking a responsibility to desist from violence and engage in relative calm. From this stand point it is encouraging that individuals in Kibera had come to believe in the country systems which should provide dispute resolution mechanisms as witnessed with the acceptance of the Kenyan Supreme Court ruling on elections. It shows also that celebrations of election victory can make people forget the need for good neighbourliness.

The question it left begging for answers is whether there is a better platform where these issues can be addressed so as to unite people of different feelings living in Kibera. Below is the account as collected by Erick Owuor, a member of PMC, and told by John Kavoi, A Kambi Muru resident in Kibera people’s settlement:

“I have been having very positive thoughts about other ethnic communities especially after attending voter seminars organised by the “Action Inter-Ethnic Youth Dialogue and Peaceful Reconciliation Project.”  I first got involved as a participant in this voter education seminar at Kambi Muru where the main issues revolved around voting processes and peaceful co-existence. The most striking thing I had come to cultivate in this process is that I was developing very positive impression about other ethnic communities other than mine. I was convinced that Kenyan people had come to age especially when I saw an assembly of youth from different entities preaching one Kenya and united for a common cause.

Members of the Project Management Committee in a function

All these hopes came to change after the general election. After the elections I felt that my effort towards inter-ethnic tolerance was wasted since immediately after the announcement of the presidential results, most of those I reached out to were the one who were bragging on how that some ethnic communities in Kenya will never lead. The said people even went a step further and confirmed that even if the supreme court favour my favourite party, they will go on and fight it in the name of ethnicity! Sincerely, for the first time in my contact with the project, I vowed and took a commitment not to vote in a Kenyan election; Never!

My bitterness with certain ethnic communities is not likely to change any time soon. I wanted to restore it until others felt just too superior. I thought people would engage others in meaningful discussions after the elections but now it is about our ethnic community winning and you loosing. My only hope now is that the court ruling address the real issues of what happened during the election because as much as we try to work towards tolerance and peace building, tribalism and the feeling of “this is ours” is a burden we have not accepted to offload. My fear is that the same manifests every five years and the worse of it all is that some communities are more than certain that it is only them who can lead; only because of ethnicity.

As much as I appreciate the work of the project team, the Kenyan situation needs to go much more than elections made in boardrooms. Political players still call upon their tribes to destroy any change in elections. My fear is that people are resorting back to the old order. This may in essence end up destroying the spirit of people like us on democracy and fair elections. So many people will not vote in the next elections; this I can confirm to you if you want.”

The story has shown that the calmness experienced in Kibera after the elections cannot be equated to peace. Sustainable peace can only come when people feel justice has been achieved. The Kibera people have been given awareness and they believed that the Kenyan electoral system would work this time round. However, the failure of the electronic voter register which saw people revert back to the black book saw members of the society lose interest and believed their voting rights has been violated once again.

On the other side, those perceived to be winners celebrated and even asked rhetorical questions on why the other side could not steal votes. The essence is that there are two divides living together in Kibera and so many underlying issues left untouched. Kibera needs to be cohesive enough for meaningful development. This means that a platform of dialogue should be encouraged and meaningful reconciliation instituted.

Edited by Ramogi Osewe-PMC Member

Project is Funded by The European Union

Is Tolerance Enough?

“What do you do when someone steals your dream?” This was question posed by one Moses from Soweto West during the Action Inter-Ethnic Youth Dialogue and Peaceful Reconciliation Project held at Mashimoni Environmental Centre. To most Kenyans who supported the Coalition for Reforms and Democracy in the just concluded elections, the feeling is that their dreams were stolen. Another participant in the same forum added: “It is easy to see people resorting to violence because there is a gap that cannot be filled by anyone. True reconciliation only starts by solving the main problem.  There can never be peace if the bitter seed that was planted still exists”

It is now evident that the Kenyan election period passed but there are people who still hold grudges while others feel hurt, robbed and victimized. If you consider the way people express themselves on social media insulting and degrading each other, the truth is that we are yet to accept in full the outcome of the elections. People have even gone to the extent of not buying goods from shops of business owners belonging to specific tribes. Whereas it is normal to have feelings when one has lost or won, how one expresses these feelings is very important.

For starters, a dream that is broken can be likened to a river that meets an obstacle on its course. In the circumstances, the river never stops but circumvents the obstacle. This takes time, resilience and tact. For the people thinking their dream was stolen, it doesn't mean the end of life. Progress, in many a case, may only be delayed but not stopped. One may be angry at the person who has broken their dream and when that person is not there, this anger is likely to be taken out on another person. It is therefore important to be careful not to eliminate the person who has in no way been involved. One should maneuver the obstacles and find new opportunities along the way.

The end result is that in life you have to tolerate others. Give people a chance to air their opinion. It is a fact 

hat Kenya cannot move on without the people appointed in power, however, everyone should ensure that peace prevails. People should not shy off from saying which candidates they voted for. That does not mean that we all have to agree with each other’s choices but we should respect each other’s choice and opinion. This is summed up very aptly by one participant who added: “I think we should stop pointing our fingers on everybody else apart from ourselves. We can change right from the daily relations we have with people. For example, when we were asked to mingle here, this lady told me that I should not seat next to her if I support Uhuru. Though she said it jokingly it shows the extent to which tribalism has taken root in our lives.” That is the work on the hands of all residents in Kibera.

Story by: Ramogi Osewe

This project is sponsored by The European Union

Kibera plays volley ball to relieve tension

Life returns to normal in Kibera with most businesses opened and people walking on the streets. This is good news to the residents of kibera as well as kenya. There was a lot of tension when the verdict on the election petition was announced. Many expected that supporters of Raila Odinga and Uhuru Kenyatta would fight and destroy each others properties. However, we have experienced relative peace. 


In addition to individuals and groups coming out to urge kibera residents to maintain peace, sports has been used to relieve the tension that came along with waiting for the verdict and coping with the defeat of ones candidate. 

Amos Onyango one of our peace ambassadors came across youth in Kamkunji playing volley ball. 

sports is know to encourage  peace and tolerance, bringing together people from vastly different national, ethnic and social backgrounds in a spirit of mutual understanding, acceptance and respect. 

sports enforces values such as teamwork, fairness, discipline, respect for the opponent and the rules of the game are understood all over the world and can be harnessed in the advancement of solidarity, social cohesion and peaceful coexistence.

Shouts, cheers and happy faces were the rewarding result of the volleyball game yesterday. 

I believe Kibera is on the right track to embracing each other regardless of tribe. Let us keep on encouraging such initiatives that bring smiles amid prevailing tension and challenges in the community 

Kibera- a community hell bent on maintaining peace

Yesterday evening 15 minutes to five pm, the Supreme court led by Justice Willy Mutunga made the much awaited announcement. in summary, the court found that elections were conducted in compliance with constitution and the law, the president elect and the deputy president elect were validly elected. Furthermore,  rejected votes ought not to have been counted in the presidential elections. This meant that Uhuru Kenyatta still remains the president elect. Kenya will have him as the fourth president come April 9th when he will be sworn in. 

There was quiet in Kibera for about 30 minutes after the verdict was read out. However, a few women came out on the streets screaming and wailing that Raila had lost. hopelessness and despair could be read on people's faces as they hurriedly went back to their homes expecting trouble to brew. A few youth at olympic stage dared the GSU officers to fight but they were dispersed very quickly. By 7am all was quiet but again a few youth looted 2 wine shops at bombolulu at about 10pm. The GSU officers were once again very swift in dispersing them. 

I am loving the atmosphere in Kibera right now. Everybody is going on with their businesses. Early in the morning church goers were seen hurrying off to church with their children this being an Easter Sunday. I give credit to the residents of Kibera for the peace that it is enjoying. Despite Kibera being regarded as Raila's stronghold, relative peace has prevailed despite people's expectations that violence will erupt. Though disappointed with the verdict, the youth are calm. 

Some people have even come out strongly to urge others to maintain peace while others have simply exressed their commitment to peace. Solo7 who is an artist in Kibera, took to the streets writing peace messages on the road and walls. 

A group of youth opposite DC on kibera drive put up the kenyan flag and a Jamaican colored flag with peace message as an expression of their commitment to maintaining peace and loyalty to their country. 

Kibera news network and Langata youth network yesterday organised a forum with the youth in preparation of the announcement of the Supreme Court's verdict hoping to cool down tension that was brewing on the ground. This is in addition to our very own Dorothy Anyango, Joshua Ochieng, Steve Kennedy, Caroline Chencha, Amos Onyango, Rehema Maluki, Sigar James and Erick Owuor who are peace ambassadors going round in Kibera identifying the threats to peace and doing all they can to ensure that peace prevails in Kibera. not forgetting Pamoja fm which has been bringing peace messages from time to time. Sincere appreciation goes out to every man woman and children who has taken an individual responsibility to spread a message of peace.

In life there has to be winners and losers, and we can never always get what we want all the time. For those celebrating Kenyatta's win, do so responsibly without insulting the other party and for those that lost, be consoled, let go of the bitterness and continue with your lives and building the nation. I leave you with a quote from Dalai Lama, “Peace does not mean an absence of conflicts; differences will always be there. Peace means solving these differences through peaceful means; through dialogue, education, knowledge; and through humane ways.” 

― Dalai Lama XIV

Raila's statement after the Supreme Court's verdict

Fellow Kenyans,

Members of the media,

Ladies and gentlemen,

Good afternoon,

You will recall that on 9th March 2013, I issued a statement on the conduct of the elections which had just been concluded. 

I expressed my deep gratitude to all Kenyans who had turned out massively to exercise their democratic rights to vote and elect their leaders.

I however expressed my dismay that contrary to the expectations of Kenyans, we witnessed the failure of virtually every instrument the IEBC had deployed to ensure free, fair and transparent elections.

I outlined such failures, with concrete examples of the anomalies that all of us witnessed. It was clear that the constitutionally sanctioned process of electing new leaders had been thwarted again by another tainted election. Democracy was on trial in Kenya.

But that has not dented my commitment to constitutionalism and the rule of law.

Enforcing the spirit and letter of the constitution remains the only sure way to peace and prosperity for our young democracy.

My decision to file a petition in the Supreme Court to challenge the validity of the election was a testament of my faith in the independence of our judiciary.

We did so for the sake of our democracy and for the sake of all Kenyans who wanted to exercise their constitutional right to elect their leaders through free and fair election.

We were joined in this endeavour by Africog, which separately filed a petition seeking to nullify the fourth of March Presidential election.

This proves that my petition had nothing to do with personal grudge as contended by the IEBC, Hon Uhuru Kenyatta and Hon William Ruto.

In the petition, I expressed our belief that the court would uphold the letter and spirit of our constitution. I pledged to abide by the court decision.

We prosecuted the case to the best of our ability.

Our legal team, led by Senior Counsel George Oraro compiled formidable and logical evidence showing that massive malpractices occurred during the elections.

We unearthed evidence of technology failure that required a full audit, inappropriate conduct on the part of IEBC staff, irregular and unethical arrangements such as the sharing of servers by IEBC with a competitor and unmarked registers.

We regret that the court disallowed evidence on the grounds that it was either filed late or the court did not have time to inquire into these discrepancies. In the end, Kenyans lost their right to know what indeed happened.

Ladies and gentlemen, 

The court has now spoken. Article 140 of our constitution states that “the Supreme Court shall hear and determine the petition and its decision is final.”

Although we may not agree with some of its findings, and despite all the anomalies we have pointed out, our belief in constitutionalism remains supreme. 

Casting doubt on the judgment of the court could lead to higher political and economic uncertainty, and make it more difficult for our country to move forward.

We must soldier on in our resolve to reform our politics and institutions. Respect for the supremacy of the constitution in resolving disputes between fellow citizens is the surest foundation of our democratic society.

And the courts should always act within the evolving constitutional culture.

I and my brother and running mate Hon Kalonzo have no regrets for taking our case to court.

Indeed, it is our view that this court process is yet another milestone in our long road towards democracy for which we have fought so long.

Truth, justice and the faithful implementation of the constitution is our best guarantee to peace and security.

Ladies and gentlemen,

It is my hope that the incoming government will have fidelity to our constitution, and implement it to the letter for the betterment of our people. I wish president –elect Uhuru Kenyatta and deputy President elect William Ruto best of luck in this endeavour.

I also wish all the Senators, Members of Parliament, Women Representatives, Governors and others who were elected in the last election success in discharging the expectations of our people.

I want to thank Senior Counsel George Oraro and the members of his legal team for their hard work and devotion in the quest for justice. I would also like to pay special tribute to the Africog legal team led by Kethi Kilonzo for their immense contribution to the rule of law and democracy.

To the Kenyans who supported us and our petition, I want to assure you that I will continue to work for you and with you to build our county, Kenya, and to help you achieve your dreams.

My actions have always been guided by my desire to bring about a better life for all Kenyans, particularly those who are less privileged. The future of Kenya is bright. Let us not allow the elections to divide us. Let us re-unite as a Nation.

Finally, I call on all Kenyans– our supporters and opponents alike – to remember the sacred words of our National Anthem: Justice be our shield and defender;

Thank You and God Bless Kenya.

Uhuru speech after the Supreme Court's verdict

My fellow Kenyans,
As you are aware, the Supreme Court earlier this evening delivered its verdict on the matter of the petition challenging my election as the Fourth President of the Republic of Kenya.
As the Jubilee Coalition, we welcome and respect the verdict of the Judges.
Following the upholding of the electoral outcome as announced by the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission, I wish to assure all Kenyans that the ruling of the Supreme Court is not a victory of the Jubilee Coalition and its partners.
Rather, the ruling is a victory for all Kenyans who turned up on the 4th of March this year to undertake a civic duty by participating in a democratic process that is crucial to the continued good governance of our country.
I want to assure all Kenyans, including those who did not vote for the Jubilee Coalition, and indeed even those who challenged the validity of my election, that my Government will work with, and serve all Kenyans without any discrimination whatsoever.
I assure Kenyans that our government will be as inclusive as possible and will reflect the face of our great country.
Personally, I sincerely thank my brother Hon. Raila Odinga for wishing us well and reach out to him and our other worthy competitors to join us so that we can work together in the interest of the wellbeing of our people.
I call upon all Kenyans from across the entire political divide to now rise above the partisanship of the recent electoral contest and join hands in building our country.
Let us all renew our sense of nationhood and let us all rededicate ourselves to building a united country at peace with itself.
I call upon religious and civil society leaders to continue playing their role in the process of national healing that is needed after a heated electoral contest.
To all wananchi, I urge you all to accept that the elections are over and we must now continue living together as members of one family.
Let us rise above the differences of the electoral period and continue coexisting peacefully as brothers and sisters.
Above all, let us all continue to pray for peace in our country.
Finally, I take this opportunity to congratulate the Judges of the Supreme Court for delivering a verdict under extremely constrained timelines.
I also congratulate all counsels for the able representation of all parties involved in the petition.
Thank you and God bless Kenya, our people and our institutions.