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.

Kibera awaits the Supreme Court's Verdict on the election petition

Today is the day that the Supreme court will announce its final verdict on the election petition that seeks to bar Uhuru Kenyatta from being declared the fourth president of Kenya. I am in an office in Kibera Olympic and I can smell the tension right from where I am sited.  My colleagues have updated me that there is relative calm in the villages in Kibera. However, Calmness should never be mistaken for peace” as put by a Kibera resident in Kianda.

Women and men are seen conversing in low tones on the streets while businessmen hope to serve a few more customers before closing once the announcements start. A few youth sit around the stages on Kibera drive and the General Service Unit heavily armed with guns and tear gas make rounds within Kibera. Those who do not have television sets have gathered in hotels and bars not wanting to be left out when the announcement is made. There is human traffic and businesses are open in Kibera but business is not as usual.

The elections in 2007 were marred by violence which was triggered by ethnic based interests. Lives were lost, people were maimed, displaced and properties destroyed. Consequently, Kenyans undertook the general elections this year with a lot of fear and caution. As a result of lessons learnt and many peaceful initiatives, the elections were carried out peacefully with Kenyans waiting for the results albeit longer than expected. Uhuru Kenyatta was declared the President elect by the IEBC chairman Isaac Hassan. This was followed by allegations that the voter identification kit and tallying exercise were flawed. Raila Odinga who was second to Uhuru Kenyatta according to the official results, filed a petition at the supreme court pointing out errors in tallying of the votes. The verdict of the court would have significant bearing on Kenya considering the fragile peace that it is currently experiencing.

And so here we are, waiting for the Supreme Court to announce its verdict on the matter any time now. It’s actually raining. Am thinking maybe that will deter some rogue youth from taking out to the street in case the decision does not favour them. I know of many men and women who have taken a vow to do all they can o maintain peace in Kibera. But then again there are people that are hell bent to cause trouble, loot peoples businesses for the heck of it even if the ruling meets their expectation. The action Inter ethnic youth dialogue and peaceful reconciliation project youth ambassadors have been on the ground since morning looking out for any warning signs of impending violence in Kibera. We shall further update you tomorrow on the status of the fragile peace we are currently protecting. Hopefully, the verdict will have been announced. Wish Kibera and Kenya the very best of luck.

Written by Caroline Chencha

This project has been funded by the European Union. 

A Girl, and A Voter's Card

Stories coming out of the project are quite encouraging. The Kenyan situation has improved tremendously from the just concluded March elections. For a fact, some stories collected from residents of Kibera in December points to the positive outcome. there is need to re-visit and share this story to the entire world of the change of perception noted. Have a read:

 The Action Inter-Ethnic Dialogue and Peaceful Reconciliation Project is in its sixth month. This period has seen a tremendous endeavour being put together by the Project Management Committee, the major stakeholders and partners to ensure that there is a high level of involvement of the youth in political and leadership processes. Currently, the project offers forum for voter education seminars and neighbourhood village dialogues that has gone a long way in helping the residents change their perception on how elections procedures, constitutional-ism and political party participation for the youth can be approached. According to one Habida Adam from Makina, the project activities has helped her change her view of the nature of Kibera and Kenya’s politics.

Habida first participated in the project activities when she attended a neighbourhood dialogue organized by Young Women Initiative at Lindi for three villages of Lindi, Kambi Muru and Makina. She has also attended one voter seminar at Makina. According to her, she never knew that receiving handouts from politicians who solicits votes is actually taking a bribe. When I talked to her this is what she had to say: “I had this funny belief that for me to vote for a politician she or he has to give me money. This perception changed when I attended the dialogue forum. I remember one of the panellists saying that if you let a politician buy your vote with fifty shillings that said politician shall have paid you ten shillings every year to keep quiet as he or she mismanages the little resources that should be benefiting all people.”

Habida says that from the forum she developed a resolve that she would never sell her vote to any single individual. This resolve was actually buttressed when Habida attended a voter education seminar held at Makina. From the seminar she came to learn the importance of an individual’s right to vote. According to Habida, she now knows that selling your vote is a crime punishable by law. However, she says that this is not the only reason why she won’t sell her vote. The reason is that the voter card holds and offers her a chance to make the correct choices came the general election for it will help her choose a leader who can effect change. “I came to realize, with amazement, how I hold an important tool in my hands! The prospect that I can actually change the course of our politics and have a say on who leads is just a wonder!” Habida asserts.

Habida at the same time attributes this change to the organizers of these events. According to her, the coordinators and facilitators of the events have been of great help to her change of perception. She says that originally she could have differed even with close family members and friends on matters of political affiliation, a thing that has changed for she could not believe a team of youth working together for one common course. “When I saw the coordinators working as a team regardless of their different organizations, I came to learn that I too need to embrace my friends from the other political parties. I saw it as a big opportunity of learning when they invited me to the event. The team has taught us some of the most important things in elections. I am convinced I should go out and implement the same” Habida concludes.

Do you share in Habida's story? Do you think it is one of the reasons that made Kenya had a violence free election? Personally I do. 

Story compiled by

Ramogi Osewe

This project is funded by The European Union

Reaching for New Horizons

There may have been many reasons why the Kenyan elections was violent free as witnessed by both the citizens and those with special interests in the Kenyan situation. A myriad of peace initiatives were rolled out in Kenya before these elections and perhaps this contributed to the success. At the same time, people also argue that the Kenyan citizen decided it was time to move away from political immaturity to something worthwhile. In our daily encounter with the Kibera youth, interesting life changing stories have been collected that partly shows why the youth changed tune and sang the peace gospel above all else. Can this be the beginning of good things to come? I have an obligation of sharing one of the stories below, which was collected by one of the project members in December 2012:

For an average youth living in Kibera, matters of good governance and servant leadership are clichés that are always heard only about but never actually seen. These words are so repeated that they no longer hold any meaning to even those who utter them. Horrific events that are results to poor leadership have been witnessed in the slum that youth have even actually started living with a defeatist attitude. It is not unusual to find youth bowing to fate and reducing themselves to mere survivors who are very reluctant to take action that can result to positive transformation. However, with the introduction of the “Action Inter-Ethnic Dialogue and Peaceful Reconciliation Project,” considerable steps have been noticed on the way the youth now respond to leadership, constitution and political parties matters in relation to the Kibera area. The trend shows that the youth are now coming out to exercise their civil rights, liberties and responsibilities.

Of particular interest is a young man I met at Gatwekera. Gatwekera is one of the Kibera villages that have circles of political violence and much heightened political activity because it is home to Kamkunji Grounds, the community’s political field. However, I came to learn from the young man that most youth were getting tired to even vote because they see politics as the major problem. In his own words he says: “My attitude towards elections and politics has been very negative. I had been convinced that we do not have leadership that is capable of changing anything. Personally, I had decided not to even vote because I have never registered as a voter in my entire life.” The young man asserted that this view was held by many other youth in Gatwekera. Though he adds:” But I think all these have changed because of this peace project”

This Gatwekera young man first heard of the Project through a radio mention by Pamoja FM. He then decided to attend the event that was advertised. The event was a youth dialogue forum for the youth in Gatwekera, Soweto West and Kianda. Later he got a chance to attend a voter education seminar and has been keenly monitoring the other activities in the project. According to him, he has come to the realization of the immense opportunities that the new constitution has offered and the call to youth to take up leadership positions at a personal level. For a person who has suffered from cycles of violence in the past, he had resolved not to ever register as a voter but after realizing the sacred duty of voting, he is now convinced that he shall register as a voter for the first time and practice his civic duty.

The young man believes that it is a show of taking lead by just doing the simple act of registering as a voter. “Personally, after these cycles of violence, I gave up on voting. I am among the many who suffered the looting of property during the violence. However, now I know better than to fail to register. Now I know that I can inspire change among my friends and I have to register as a voter to be able to elect leaders of my choice. People who I believe can deliver better services to the entire populace,” he says. The young man attributes this change to the intensity at which the coordination team organizes the events. Most of the programmes for the events are packaged to dwell in the importance of leadership and its relation to peace building and the provision of the new constitution in conflict management and electoral laws. The conviction in Gatwekera, as epitomizes by the young man, is that more youth are taking charge and reaching for new horizons in their quest for peaceful co-existence and a safe Kibera.

Youth taking lead and realising their true potential is one way of political maturity. The average Kenyan has decided that he perfectly knows what he wants to determine with his vote and future. The peace messages being outlined by the Kibera youth is a very interesting discourse that can be taken a step further to give the leadership a challenge to take into considerations the aspirations and wants of the people. Kibera is talking ans so Who is Listening?