kenya imc is a collective of grass roots media activists and organisations

Nyash almost always had a big smile pasted on his face.

But lurking behind this smile was a deep passion for the less fortunate people and against the injustices that they suffer. The injustices of the State both locally and globally together with the many injustice of poverty.

Earlier this month of February, I had lunch with Nyash in Korogocho ghetto, where he spent most of his life. We had agreed to meet at Othaya, a popular nyama choma (roast meat) restaurant in Korogocho.

I arrived a bit earlier than him and when he arrived, he was spotting his trademark smile. He apologized for being late, noting that he had been concluding several meetings. I understood, because I knew that Nyash was either leading or deeply involved in many initiatives towards making life better for the people of Korogocho.

Within moments of his arrival, Nyash began assisting the waiter to serve the people who were flocking into the restaurant. He moved from table to table, chopping steaming meat and washing the hands of the people. He wasn’t doing this because he worked there but because he noticed that the sole waiter at the place was swamped with work.

As he was serving the people next to my table, he flashed that big smile at me and said cheerily, ‘sisi ni watumishi wa community – we are servants of the community .’

These five words best describe how Nyash lived and died – serving the community that he loved. Serving the people of Korogocho slums to put food on their table, seal leaking roofs, take their children to school, fight crime, make better roads, leave peaceably, find decent livelihoods and speak out.

Nyash did all this through Koch FM, the community radio station that he co-founded and chaired; Koch Hope, another organization which he co-founded that provides bathroom, conference and recreational services to the people of Korogocho; Ghetto Films, an organization that informs and empower slum dwellers through film and Kenya Indymedia, a movement that provides a platform for community activists to find unity and clarity in their common voice for the people.

From the moment that he knew about Kenya Indymedia, Nyash became not just an active participant but fellow leader of the movement. Together with three other activists, he represented Kenya Indymedia in Senegal during the Indymedia collective that was held there. Upon return, he immersed himself into the vision and work of Kenya Indymedia.

In our last ‘Conference of People’ event, Nyash played a pivotal role by mobilizing local activists and stakeholders. He also ensured the venue was available and later on organized lunch for the organizers.

I last talked with him on Saturday 18th of this month. Because I was then in Lamu Island, we agreed to meet on Wednesday 22nd so that we could prepare a strategy outline for Kenya Indymedia’s work for 2012.

Sadly on the morning of this day that we were to meet, I received text message from Roba, a Kenya Indymedia member and renowned activist musician. The text read simply that, ‘we have lost Nyash, bonge la maandamano Koch.’ We have lost Nyash and people all over Korogocho are demonstrating.

Nyash had been gunned down a few hours earlier outside his house in Korogocho. He was shot in the chest and stomach and didn’t make it to hospital. It is still not clear who committed this brutal and evil act. What is clear is that although they took away his life, they can never take away his legacy.

I will now leave you with his own words, ‘sisi ni watumishi wa community – we are servants of the community.’

The best tribute we can pay to our friend, comrade and brother Nyash is to ensure that his service remains alive and active by continuing to serve the people of Korogocho slums and those in our own societies who are less fortunate.

NB: Kenya Indymedia will meet and consult widely on how both the local and international community of activists can best pay tribute to Nyash by contributing to a concrete project that will help his family and the people of Korogocho.

Article written by By: John Bwak from Kenya Indymedia jonbwak@yahoo.com

Studio Y.E.T.U is established under the principle of first knowing yourself artistically and then coming out to share your message with the world. Y.E.T.U is a Swahili word meaning possessively “ours”, the acronym also stands for Y-youth. E-empowerment. T-through. U-unity. Housed under the David House Boboshanti mansion, Studio Y.E.T.U, Juhudi Arts and Gymnastics and Shengtown Radio-CD based virtual radio have proved that empowerment can and is indeed achieved through unification of similar thinking minds.

“It’s a platform where various artists, musicians and activists,” says Pirate Red, “have found their footing and elevated their talents to higher heights.” The organization is well known for producing the best visual arts like murals, paintings, musical videos, audio albums, animated graphics and fabric arts. “We go out of our means to spot and nurture young talent,” adds Pirate Red, an honorary member of the group.

Studio Y.E.T.U lives up to this reputation by letting artists deliver their message truly as they would like it, without alteration for commercial benefits or fear of repercussions, that war of art often wages. As far as age or gender is concerned Studio Y.E.T.U has no barrier. Only recently two girls aged 13 and 10 jointly recorded their debut song called “a friend like you.” Astonishingly, Clare and Maggie cut the record using the Jah Love riddim, a fast paced track that many experienced artists have shunned using.

“Clare who is currently in boarding school is talented in the arts. The only disheartening thing is that her parents don’t know of her innate talents,” laments Pirate Red. During the first quarter albums launch scheduled later in March, Studio Y.E.T.U intends to showcase the song by Clare and Maggie among other artistes like Jah eldest, Jah flame and Ras Menelik.

Jah eldest’s 7 tracks “iyo side ingine ya HIMself” album will be on sale retailing at KeSh300/- Although the artiste has a collection of hit singles out, he says that the album is a must keep. Verily, it might be the last since he wishes to start releasing single MPEG collections. Among his single is a street anthem labeled “naweza kuwa nani?” (Who could it be?). The song features Bush fire, Basa-an instrumentalist/producer and Empress Soswi. Empress Soswi’s genre of choice is RnB but she wanted to feature in this reggae production. Her contribution is notably the reason why this single is big among the ladies.

Ras Menelik’s “Urban shitty” album will be on the shelf come 26th March 2011. Urban shitty is a collection of songs inspired by the impoverished living conditions many youths are forced into in order to survive in the urban towns. The album hits at the collapse of youth centers and utilities like sporting grounds, parks and social halls that have been grabbed by politicians and businessmen, for their own enrichment. Thus leaving numerous youths idle and induced to prostitution, armed robbery and many other social ills.

Ras Menelik says that he, metaphorically, was borne out the search of knowledge and its discovery thereof. So he intends to use poetry to shape the minds of youths younger than him to survive the struggles they are going through. He is himself a reformed gangster turned Rasta, have lived the life of squalor he wishes for a better day for all slum-dwellers when the pangs of poverty will be alleviated. His album retails at KeSh 250/- which he says, “it’s fair and all ghetto youths can afford it.”

So there you have it. Studio Y.E.T.U continues in its quest to impregnate the vibe of our own songs, played by our own radio station, supported by our own people. Hii ni Y.E.T.U.

Article written by By: Alex Kanyi clikanyi@yahoo.com

Watch our documentary on graffiti by copying and pasting this link in your browser: http://vimeo.com/20684850

Article written by By: Douglas Rori douglasrori@yahoo.com

2007 Indymedia (IMC) Convergence was held in Kenya during the World Social Forum, the first ever in the region. The Convergence brought together independent media activists from U.S, Europe and Africa to work on Radio Huru at Kasarani and Equator FM at Maseno University. Also together with the Indymedia activist was Prometheus Radio Project from USA, which is quite involved in low powered FM radio.

There was other side activities like: video and audio production, photography, print media, building a silk screen press, t-shirts printing and consensus decision-making. The journalists also had a chance to go out to Nairobi slums (Kangemi and Korogocho), speak with people there especially youth groups, to support and give them a voice worldwide to express their struggle, as a social responsibility for their communities.

Personally I believe that, all the challenges we face in a day to day basis in our communities i.e. economic hardships, which happens to be the new form of slavery and leads to the immorality in our society today are created by mankind and it’s only us who can emancipate ourselves from this slavery.

I had the privilege to be part of the team and witness the beginning of the revolution. I must admit it was a great idea and opportunity to meet my fellow media activists from all over the world with the same aim of empowering communities by building alternative media in Africa, create a platform, share ideas, experiences and learn.

ANOTHER WORLD IS POSSIBLE!!!

By: Douglas Rori douglasrori@yahoo.com

I wondered how I would know them.

I wasn’t a big fan of holding up someone’s name at the airport. So every time I picked an arriving comrade, I always preferred to just feel their identity. But this was easier said than done!

That morning, I was waiting for two comrades from South Africa and one comrade from Zimbabwe. So I was looking for a small group of one lady and two men. Every time three or four young looking, activist-like people matched out of the airport, I would raise my eyebrows and look at them hopefully.

For three days, we picked our fellow Indymedia activists from the airport and laughed all the way back to Karen South where they were all staying. For more than two weeks, this rented house became a haven of intense activity.

Ken the hefty chef had a loud booming voice that always announced mealtimes. Word would spread to upstairs and the lawn outside then comrades would drop the bits and pieces of transmitters in their hands. Others would gently place aside the laptops on their laps. Cool edit would wait patiently for them to return shortly so that the editing of the interviews could continue.

Over dinner, the internet woes would be discussed as the challenges of dealing with the World Social Forum administrators were analyzed. Although we had paid for internet and a ‘signal stick’ had even been installed on the red tiles of our roof, the internet was really poor. Were the journalist badges ready? Someone would ask between mouthfuls of rice, chicken and sukuma wiki. ‘I will pick them tomorrow,’ I answered and reminded them that we still needed to pay some money for the badges.

Two days later, we matched into the Kasarani Sports Center, with the yellow badges hanging around our necks. We were on a mission to broadcast Radio Huru at the World Social Forum premises and felt giddy with excitement. Someone even sang a freedom song as we climbed the high roof of the football stadium to place there an aerial.

‘The internet is not working!’ Someone shouted angrily when she returned from the media center, a few blocks beneath. No internet at home and no internet here. Luckily, the old fashioned human to human interaction didn’t need equipment installation.

During the day, we held open forums with other activists and interviewed them at our temporary ‘Radio Huru’ studios far above, at the highest point in the stadium. During the night, we edited the interviews and continued making the transmitter that we would need for the community radio station we intended to assist in setting up at Maseno University.

After dinner, we would sometimes have a meeting of the collective to complain, brainstorm, deliberate and sometimes glare at one another. Tensions were inevitable but we soldiered on.

Some said that the house we were living was too exclusive, cut away from the people. Some pointed out that we were not really interacting with the Kenyan people as they had hoped. So we collectively planned trips to Kangemi and Korogocho. The latter is a slum where Koch FM is located. The visit there was so successful that we ended up working with them to make a transmitter for them.

The visit to Kangemi resulted in very useful interaction with a vibrant youth group from Kangemi.

We were soon joined at the House by students and lecturers from Maseno University. Together, we continued making the transmitters, interviewing people, making Indymedia T-shirts and laughing together even as we argued about what was going wrong and how to fix it. When the curtains drew and the World Social Forum ended, we took off to Maseno University in the western part of Kenya and worked with a much bigger group of students on setting up Equator FM. This was the new name for the Community Radio Station that we were helping to establish there.

Being at Maseno was quite a highlight for me as I have always believed that we must direct our energies at providing real solutions for people at the grassroots level. Beyond the conferences, beyond the internet, beyond the demonstrations, beyond the arguing, beyond the academic pursuits, we must provide solutions and tools for people at the grassroots level.

As we tell people to be the media, we must help them to do so in a way that is localized, sustainable and with real impacts in their communities. This is our understanding of grassroots media’s role and work here in Kenya.

By: John Bwakali bwakali@sasafrica.net

OUR LETTER:

“Art is the most effective medium of communication for it does not only inform but it also inspires all those who “appreci-love” -Nandasaba (Warriorz Group)

What do you call a place where artists/ artistes and art dwell, or rather a place that gives birth to art?

And why is it that in poor urban settlements you will find most art?

A community aspirations, meditations, struggles and strength are reflected in their art. It is only through Art can a community find, heal and build its self. This is the vision that inspired theYouth Empowerment through Unity (Y.E.T.U). Y.E.T.U is a network of artists/ artistes who share knowledge, resources and skills to further enrich and expose the Arts and crafts. Comprising of the Warriorz, David House arts unlimited, Juhudi urban arts and various artists from around Nairobi city, the network has managed to establish and operate an audio visual studio as a resource center to coordinate its activities. “STUDIO Y.E.T.U” as it is known is situated in Umoja Inner core and has been in operation since Jan 2010, it handles productions from recording sound to video editing, from graphic designs to live band rehearsals making it the 1st of its kind.

ACTION

All this was achieved by the effort of the community who donated all kinds of equipments and space. Other social projects include a video journal of all its members’ activities which include; “Zela” an acrobatic dramatization by Juhudi urban Arts performed at the UN headquarters gigiri on the 15th april 2010. Another is a campaign against Gun related violence among the youth especially in our boroughs. The campaign is dubbed “NO GUNS MORE LIFE”. We recently held a concert on the 26th of July at Sarakasi Dome in conjunction with Timbuktu Cultural Circuit to sensitize this issue.

MAONO TRUST

We also provided Maono Trust (a Ukoo Flani Mau Mau project based in Dandora) with sound system and a live band accompaniment for their guests in the inauguration of the Ghetto Olympics that was held on Aug 7th 2010.

SUMMARY

There is an old African saying that “the whole village is responsible for the raising of a child”, together in love and kindness is the only way we can heal and build for it is our community, our struggles, our alternatives. Its Ours ( Y.E.T.U ) Youth Empowerment Through Unity

TAKE ACTION!

WARRIORS shengtown.radio1@gmail.com

Ukooflani is a Swahili Hip Hop group from Mombasa, Kenya (Coast). The name Ukooflani means Upendo Kote Olewenu Ombeni Funzo La Aliyetuumba Njia Iwepo (Love Everywhere Lucky You Pray Wisdom of the Creater for Way Availability).

The group was started back in 1996, by different individuals from different tribes namely: Taita, Mijikenda, Kikuyu, Kamba and Luo. Ukooflani has 13 members: Mwasu Nguchi Mnyika aka Nguchi-P/Mapipy, Abdlah Bakari aka Fujo Makelele, Ramadhan Chombo aka Sharama/Mupaye, Ralph Maasai aka Cannibal, Kelly Maasai aka Labalaa, Ruzira Makula aka Lavosti, Abdilai Khamisi aka Alai-K, Richard Yahuma aka R.I.C Maddjaluo, Micheal Obachi aka P.O.P, Rich Kabaisa aka Richie Rich, Ayub Dicosta aka Babu D, Musa Maina aka Shaulin Jembe Shoka, Joseph Kombe aka Daktari Dunga, Mwadime Suma aka Dime Flash.

Their first single was Ndani Ya Pwani followed by Upweke, Tuko Fresh, Bwana Mdosi, Tuungane, Ukochono, Watu Hoi, Mitaani, Naenda Nita Rudi, Kichwa Kibov, Kipe Yeeh, Bouncing, Street Hustler, Burn Dem, Hip Hop Halisi among others. Now the group performs in parties, clubs and concerts. The songs talk about social issues and facts how life is not easy in the streets. With their catch line: Hii Ni Kazi Si Mchezo (This Work Not a Joke).

Ukooflani felt it’s important to educate the community through music as peace keepers, because they believe music is a universal language that has the power to change the world and earn a living at the same time. The group thought they should give back to the community, than only doing music and started other initiatives like: Acrobats, Poetry and Hip Hop Academy. Ukooflani’s vision is to establish a children home, theatre and studio.

Article written by By: Douglas Rori douglasrori@yahoo.com

Wasanii Mtaani/Artists in the Hood is a group of artists based in Kangemi who mainly do emceeing Grafitti,building,Deejaying,Breakdancing,Freestyling or artists, actors or Lyricists,poets,Hip Hop Contortionists,Poppers,Breakers and Hip hop Dancers(Also b-boys and B-girls).It’s open to participants all over the world to empower our unit.

It was established in December 2006 by a group of three enthusiasts namely Lenny Onaya, Stanley Kai and Mwangi who felt that the team spirit brought more impact as opposed to working solo. From then on Wasanii Mtaani has grown from a group of emcees that merely meets to discuss their problems to one that promotes emcees by giving them publicity so that they can display and sharpen their skills. Emcees have also used the microphone to speak out messages of positive social change while at the same time siphoning in on group dynamics hence an Income Generating Activity too.

MISSION To be a platform for underground Emcees who are both visual and verbal artists.

VISION We believe that our group is capable of being recognized as a one stop shop for information regarding the youth in the grassroots level. This will be a driving force in encouraging our constituents who are mainly youths to embrace the various means of earning a livelihood by engaging in economic activities within their capacity.

The following are the functions/purposes of Wasanii Mtaani/Artists in the Hood. • We nurture young talent, display it while at the same time honing their skills. • We use the microphone as a tool to create awareness and fight vices in the society e.g. Tribalism, gender inequality, violence, peace and so on and so forth. • We co-operate with inter-governmental and other organizations for the advancement of international understanding and peace. • We promote community advocacy programmes and campaigns for development e.g. H.I.V/A.I.D.S programmes, Drug abuse, Breast cancer testing for women etc. • We act as a reflection of the society through the microphone “sisi wasanii ni kioo cha jamii” by becoming the media instead of blaming the media.

The Struggle continues!

Nairobi Food Not Bombs is a local chapter of the global Food Not Bombs Social Network Movement. We recover food from well wishers as well as local supermarkets, grocery stores, bakeries, hotels and restaurants. We then feed the HUNGRY for our campaign and run a media out-let for sustainability and train people to tell stories the way they feel. We started by feeding and educating the street kids in korogocho and kangemi slums with a pilot project which was funded by our fellow activist and I.

Preferably ages 9-13 and get special series of articles on Kenya/issues in Kenya over the span of few issues from the kids themselves, which will be printed by http://www.indykids.net and filmmaking, while the kids are working on a short film called project ghetto which was shot in kangemi slums and touching on issues like drug abuse, domestic violence, prostitution and petty theft.

Nairobi FNB collective recover food from well wishers, local stores and delivers to local shelters, street children, as well as serving it ourselves to the hungry in concerts, parks etc. For the office sustainability we also have a media out-let (video, audio, radio, photo journalism, printing press, embroidery, logo design, banners, graphic design and animation).

Our workshops entail programs which cover: all aspects of film making, TV, photo journalism, radio construction and broadcasting, interviewing, editing and production of audio programming, silk-screen production and design, grass roots organizational skills and group facilitation and consensus, decision making skills. Nairobi FNB idea is to feed and educate at least every Saturday.

HOW TO BUILD ALTERNATIVE INSTITUTIONS: Organizing a Food Not Bombs Chapter. Food not bombs shares free vegetarian food with hungry people, and protests war and poverty. Food Not Bombs now has hundreds of autonomous chapters throughout the Americas, Europe, Africa, the Middle East, Asia and Australia. The first group was formed in Cambridge, Massachusetts in 1980 by anti-nuclear activists. Food Not Bombs is an all volunteer organization dedicated to nonviolent social change. Food not bombs has no formal leaders and strives to include everyone in its decision-making process. Each group recovers food that would otherwise be thrown out and makes fresh hot vegetarian meals that are served in public spaces to anyone without restriction. Each independent group also serves free vegetarian meals at protests and other events. At the outset, starting a Food Not Bombs might seem like more than you can handle. Work on the basics, taking one step at a time. There is no need to feel pressured into accomplishing everything all at once. Once you have made the decision on start a local food not bombs group, talk to other people you know who might be interested. It might be a group of friends, or members of an existing group. Pick a meeting date, time, and place. The following is a suggested step-by-step process.

Step 1: Establish Contact Points Start by getting a phone number, email address, and a mailing address. Use a voice mailbox, so you can have an out-going message with information about the next meeting time and place and you can receive messages so you never miss a call. Likewise, use a commercial mailbox or post box for your permanent address. Step 2: Publicize Meetings Next, make flyers announcing the existence of a local Food Not Bombs group. By handling them out at events, posting them around town, and/or mailing them out to your friends, you will start getting phone calls, mail, and additional volunteers. Step 3: Find a Vehicle The next step is to arrange for the use of a vehicle. You might be able to arrange borrowing a van or truck from a sympathetic church group or similar organization. In some cases it’s better to use bikes and bike carts. This is very common in Europe. Step 4: Locate Food With flyers in hand, begin looking for sources of food. The first places to approach are the local food co-ops and health food stores. These types of stores tend to be more supportive and are a good place to practice your approach. Ask the produce managers if they ever throw away any excess produce. Explain that you are willing to collect any food which is still edible but which will not or cannot be sold. Early on, also visit bakeries and ask for day old bread.

Step 5: Deliver Deliver this bulk food to shelters and meal kitchens. It is important to get to know the food pantries and soup kitchens in your area. Learn where they are located, whom they serve, and how many they serve. As your delivery route develops, the schedule of free food programs in your community will become clear to you. With this information, you will know where and when there is need to provide a hot meal and, therefore, where and when to set-up a food Not Bombs table out in public on the street or in a park. Step 6: Serve on the Streets It won’t be long before the network of a few stores and bakeries will be giving more food than you will be able to distribute to shelters. At first, go to demonstrations. There, the group can recruit more volunteers, collect donations, and lift spirits. Step 7: Serve Homeless People Once there are enough people involved consider serving meals one day a week to the homeless on the street in a visible way. Every group has different kitchen arrangements. Some use several people’s home kitchens; some use a donated church kitchen or other industrial-strength kitchen, and some use propane stoves and cook right at the site. Please visit these pages http://foodnotbombs.net and http://consensus.net to find out how you can help us work for peace and justice.

By: Douglas Rori Independent Activist Journalist/Filmmaker

Do Klan Revolution is an underground Hip Hop group. The group was established back in 1997 by five individuals namely; Chris pine Odhiambo aka Blak Skin, Oscar Odhiambo aka Ran-D, Cliff Ciama aka Mtoto Chao, Bob Odhiambo aka Lwanda Magere, Douglas Rori aka Kafiri and Joseph Obondi aka Zombie - Who hailed from neighborhood(s) faced with various social problems (kangemi, kibera and East Leigh). As we strived to overcome the many challenges that arise as a result of exposure to the harsh conditions that is inevitably a dominant factor that shape most of the slums - we resolved to use our time and talents in creating poetic conscious songs that were basically aimed at revolutionizing the mind of the people in the ghettos through its self-empowering lyrical content. Together we did work on an album which unfortunately was never launched into the market. The albums title was known as Toka Giza (Out of Darkness). It had 17 tracks which were mostly oriented towards addressing social issues.

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Soon after the disputed Dec 27th 2007 presidential result was deliberated by the Electoral Commission of Kenya Chairman Samuel Kivuitu who rigged the elections in favour of the incumbent president Mwai Kibaki instead of the opposition leader Hon, Raila Odinga (The people’s president) whom a larger section of the Kenyan population deemed was the rightful winner - the country found itself locked in political crisis that saw the opposition leaders resorting to calling for Mass Action where majority of their supporters would turn out in huge numbers to the streets in protest of what they believed was an Election process that was strategically designed to deny their preferred candidate an opportunity to assume the leadership of the country. Though the entire process called for by the opposition leaders was to proceed under the banner of peace, there are those amongst their supporters whom hijacked the opportunity to loot and steal from homes and shops while breaking non portable properties and attacking those opposed to their subscribed party/candidate.

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CONCERNED with the political developments in our country resulting from the disputed presidential elections that have triggered politically and ethnically instigated violence affecting most parts of our country and has resulted in the killings of over 1,000 people, displacements of an estimated 300,000 people, a third of whom are children who should be in school, teachers and health workers that should be at their workstations alleviating the physical and emotional effects of violence, and destruction of property worth billions of shillings and the economic effects that this continues to have which include the price hike of basic commodities.

NOTING the polarization, negative ethnicity, repression, governance crisis and more so loss of confidence in state institutions...

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What is there to say to 50-year-old Bernard Ndege from Naivasha who watched paralyzed from a fence as his two wives and eight children were burnt to death in the house?

What language can you possibly use to console this man who survived the atrocities of ethnic instigated violence but has died inside with his entire family though he still walks this earth that scarred him deeply?

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PROFILE:

A warrior is one who stands for truth, love and justice and will fight if the need arise to preserve this ideal. The warriors live up self help group fights this battle armed with the arts and crafts.
We are organized into three categories; performing arts, audio/visual and visual arts and we use this to undertake the projects we come up with and have activities currently running;

The Live Up band

Blak Hillz.Media

Small Axe magazine

Kijiji Culture house

Gomdo

BACKGROUND

PROJECTS:

Malaika
She is a performing artist and a medical student. She reminds people to be the change. To preach peace and act peace.
Click to listen or right-click to download

Jacinta
She is from Loitoktok, a border town near Tanzania. She believes that the Kenya electoral commission chairman Samuel Kivuitu is responsible for the unrest in the country. She asserts that the new cabinet is upuzi (nonsensical).
Click to listen or right-click to download

Ongeri
He is a performing artist. He reminds people that the concrete issues of houses and infrastructure cannot be separated from the search for lasting peace.
Click to listen or right-click to download

Metta
Metta is from Denmark but has made Kenya her home for five years. She is a performing artist and also an artists promoter, both locally and abroad. She says that whichever politician stands for truth will eventually prevail.
Click to listen or right-click to download

Christopher
He is a Kenyan who emphatically reminds Kenyans, especially the leaders, of the power of the vote. He tells them to respect the power of the vote. He also insists that Samuel Kivuitu the Electoral Commission chairman should be held responsible. He also doesn't mind the new cabinet.
Click to listen or right-click to download

Tina
She is a volunteer at Jamhuri park, in Nairobi, the center for the displaced people in Nairobi.
Click to listen or right-click to download

Tony Muchiri
He is a volunteer at Jamhuri Park. He felt that he was "being called to give the little that I can and that's my service." He feels that things are getting better.
Click to listen or right-click to download

John Ndungu
He feels that the problems and animosity in Kibera are politically instigated.
Click to listen or right-click to download

I'm in the recovery process for the trauma I went through watching our dear country been torn apart. At some point I regretted why there were elections in the first place but just a wish could not solve anything.

When I watched the TV and also the streets all I saw were young people being used. Even most of the uniformed officers are also young people. People I'm not so sure they know what it means being the president or an MP, but all in all their wish for leadership had been violated by fraudulent election results.

Never in my life have I ever imagined Kenya in such a state. I felt helpless as a youth leader and there was absolutely nothing I could do to help the situation. Currently I'm based at Bamburi, Mombasa and before I left for Nairobi there was a youth group I was forming at Kisauni because those sides there are so many youths who are idle and hopeless. They don't have an idea of what they can do with their lives, no wonder the Kisauni area of Mombasa was the worst affected at the coast. Now I'm planning when I go back there to strengthen the group then arrange for an exchange program with KENVO (Kijabe Environmental Volunteers) so that they can come and experience how an organized group can be beneficial to them.

Kenya as a country I believe is more important than any one individual. It’s a shame that one persons ego can lead to chaos, violence, deaths and extensive property damage. The electoral process should be reviewed so that one body like the ECK does not have all the mandate to an extent it can alter the outcome.

Talking to people from the clash hit areas like Molo and Burnt forest you'll realize that the problem is bigger than what we can read from the papers or even the election outcome. Many people have just been existing together peacefully but keenly looking for a vent through which they could exhaust the past injustices. One issue that cannot go unaddressed in Kenya for there to be real harmony and peaceful coexistence is the issue of LAND and equitable distribution of resources.

Kenyans voted for peace, Kenyans had nothing to do with the votes tallying yet they are the recipients of all the violence arising out of the process while those responsible are comfortable with government immunity.

PART I

A week after the violent post-election crisis in Kenya exploded onto the global stage, there is an emerging consensus among progressive, patriotic and democratically minded Kenyans:

1. Kibaki and his PNU cronies stole the Presidential election using the Electoral Commission of Kenya, and it should be underscored, the police, the paramilitary and other coercive organs of the state;

2. What we have in the country today is the reality of a civilian coup with increasingly fascist tendencies as can be evidenced by massive presence of the police and the paramilitary in the Kenyan capital and the fact that it is often Police Commissioner Major-General Hussein Ali and the Chief Propagandist, Dr. Alfred Mutua who are the visible expression of government policy;

3. Mwai Kibaki’s credibility as a would be elder statesman is forever tarnished and his credentials as a "reformer" and "democrat" shattered to smithereens;

4. The poor and other elements of the lumpen elements de classe have turned their anger on each other reducing the conflict to crude tribal terms as they simultaneously hunt the “evil ethnic other” and cower from the same; unless stanched and nipped in the bud, the ethnicized violence poses immediate and long term threats to the very notion of Kenya;

5. That the business and professional elite as well as other sections of the comprador/petit bourgeoisie, rattled by the financial ramifications of the current unrest are desperate to restore an element of “stability” and social control by bombarding Kenyans, via the air waves and media channels of the need for a “peace” which is not necessarily anchored in justice or democracy;

6. The major players in the capitals of capital- from Condoleeza Rice at the US State Department, to David Miliband the British Foreign Secretary to their counterparts and opposite numbers in Ottawa, Canberra, Paris, Berlin and elsewhere are concerned that the current unrest could degenerate into something that they cannot control or to a situation that threatens the economic and geopolitical strategic interests of international global monopoly capital;

[Read more...]

Everyday, I have been buying bread at his shop. He has lived in Butere, (Butere is a small town in western Kenya) for most of his adult life. He has never had any problems with the luhya people here. In fact, he considers himself to be one of us. But when the presidential results were announced, people went crazy. I was also so angry that I actually cried. I had voted for the opposition and just the previous day, it appeared as if Raila Odinga was going to win. He was leading with almost one million votes and many of the places remaining were his strongholds. In Butere, he had won with a landslide as had the member of parliament from his party. And then, I had from the radio what I was sure was a joke by someone. But it couldn’t be. Samuel Kivuitu the Electoral Commission chairman had just announced that Mwai Kibaki had won the elections. How could it be?! As I was asking myself these questions, I had what I thought were gunshots. I had never for the thirty years that I have lived in Butere heard gunshots.

Though I was later to learn that they were not gun shots but tear gas shots. There were violent riots in Butere as people went on a rampage and destroyed property. That was how my friend the middle-aged shop keeper became a target. It’s as if he and others from the Kikuyu community were the face of Kibaki and people vent their anger on his property as some cried for his life. He is still at our local police station. I would like to go and see him and tell him how sorry I am. Where will I be buying bread now? Of course there are other shopkeepers but I don’t have a similar relationship with them. For me, buying bread is more than a commercial act – it’s about friends building one another up.
By Bukachi, P.O Box 62, Butere

Kenya Indymedia is a platform and movement of alternative media in Kenya. Kenya Indymedia comprises of individuals, institutions and organizations who subscribe to freedom of information. Kenya Indymedia members and partners include Maseno University, Koch FM Community Radio Station, Maseno University Campus Community Radio Station, Warriors Self Help Group, Sasafrica Productions and the Million Youth Action, amongst others.

Kenya’s post-election violence and unrest has left the country in unprecedented turmoil. Though the unrest was ignited by a release of flawed presidential results, it seems to have been further fuelled by undercurrents of ethnic and class divides in the country. As such, Kenya Indymedia believes that the search for peace should now go hand in hand with the search for justice and equality for all Kenyans. In light of this, our strategy has three approaches:

SEARCH FOR PEACE
1. Is peace the absence of violence? We are using the current violence as a premise for exploring what we really mean by peace. This should help us not to assume that when violence subsidizes, peace is attained.

2. Busting Prejudices: There are many different prejudices about different ethnic communities. Kenya Indymedia is soliciting for and compiling historical information about the roots of Kenya’s present day ethnic prejudices. We will show why many of this prejudices are myopic and self-defeating. For example, we will debate on and comprehensively explore why (elite) Kikuyus have been dominant politically and economically. Our exploration may help us to unearth the fact that maybe elitist snobbery and exploitation was the main problem and not Kikuyu domination. Maybe the bigger problem is an extreme form of an intense class structure that forever rewards the upper class as it punishes the lower class.

3. Owning up: Some prejudices are appear to be earned. For instance, if members of a certain community have extreme dominance in a given field, at the expense of another community, then this should be acknowledged. Kenya Indymedia is soliciting for and packaging articles on the self-defeating nature of such greed.

SEARCH FOR JUSTICE
1. Documenting justice: This post-electoral violence and unrest is full of ‘justice moments’ when justice prevailed amidst rampant injustice. A definite justice moment was when James Orengo, a fiery lawyer and newly elected Member of Parliament literally jumped towards the Electoral Commissioners desk and prevented him from the charade of reading falsified election results.

2. Documenting injustice: An atmosphere of injustice breeds even more injustice. In this case, a disenfranchised people, whose votes were reduced to pawns for the ruling elite are more vulnerable to perpetrate further injustices. Below are some injustices that have mushroomed from the post-election violence:

a. The right to life: More than 400 Kenyans who have lost their lives either from a cop’s bullet, arson’s fire or someone’s machete. Their basic and fundamental right to life was brutally yanked away. Kenya Indymedia will seek to give them a voice even in death. This will be done by profiling one life at a time. Kenya Indymedia would like to show that out of the people who died, there was someone's uncle, father, mother, aunty, son, daughter... That one of them was the shopkeeper at the corner or the middle-aged cobbler who had been fixing shoes for years. That one of the 400 people was the eight year old cheeky boy across the hill.

Kenya Indymedia would like to show that this boy was the second born child of his parents and that though he was an average student he was tipped as a future marathon champion. After all, he was from Eldoret, the town with the highest concentration of long distance runners in Kenya. This way, we hope that Kenyans and the world at large will put a life behind each number and remember that this life need not have been lost. That though it is too late to save that life, another life can be saved, not just in Kenya, but also in Somalia, in Southern Sudan, in Congo, in Colombia, in Pakistan and in other parts of the world.

b. The right to vote: Every five years, Kenyans get a chance to hire and fire leaders. Whichever leaders that they hire end up making their lives better or worse. It takes only a few hours to sow their vote, but the harvest takes five years. In those five years, elected leaders can destroy or build an economy; annihilate or establish healthcare; create or vanquish employment; encourage or discourage tribalism….and much more. In this regard, when a vote is stolen, five years are stolen; livelihoods are trampled upon; hope is lost; justice is raped. If a vote in the just concluded elections was stolen, then this must be acknowledged, documented and rectified. Kenya Indymedia will solicit for and package accounts of why Kenyans voted and why they voted as they did.

c. The right of every Kenyan to live anywhere in the country: Kenya Indymedia will document the plight of Kenyans who can no longer live and work in places where their respective communities are in the minority.

d. Violation of other rights: The post-election violence has resulted in a violation of numerous other rights. Kenya Indymedia will solicit for and package such violations.

SEARCH FOR EQUALITY

Equality is the right of different groups of people to have a similar social position and receive the same treatment. In Kenya’s recently concluded elections, voters did not receive similar treatment from the Electoral Commission. To the extent that tallying of votes was falsified, some votes were rendered useless. Kenya Indymedia will solicit for accounts of such shameless disregard of inequality.

ACTION POINTS

In its quest to document and enhance peace, justice and equality, Kenya Indymedia and the global Indymedia family, together with the Million Youth Action movement will engage in the following activities:
1. Write articles related to peace, justice and equality within the post-election unrest context.
2. Write poetry related to peace, justice and equality within the post-election unrest context.
3. Take photos related to peace, justice and equality within the post-election unrest context.
4. Take videos related to peace, justice and equality within the post-election unrest context.
5. Record audio related to peace, justice and equality within the post-election unrest context.
6. Use mobile phone telephony as a means of gathering information on peace, justice and equality.
7. Use the Kenya Indymedia website in particular and the Global Indymedia websites in general as a platform of sharing accumulated articles, photos, video and audio.
8. Prepare an audio documentary about peace, justice and equality within the post-election unrest context. This documentary will be distributed freely to all community radio stations and will be freely available on the internet.
9. Prepare a video documentary about peace, justice and equality within the post-election unrest context. This documentary will be freely available on the internet.
10. Organize an open forum entitled, ‘alternative media as a means of enhancing peace, justice and equality.’
11. Mobilize legal expertise to build a legal case on behalf of at least one rape victim of the post-election violence.
12. In the immediate short term, engage in targeted humanitarian assistance.

Dear Indymedia comrades,
Five days ago, on the 27th of December, I stood in a queue for six hours - from 5.30 AM to 11.30 AM, waiting for my turn to cast a vote in my country Kenya’s presidential, parliamentary and civic elections. When the votes were counted later that night, Raila Odinga, the opposition leader, began taking a near-unassailable lead. At one point, he led with almost one million votes. But somehow, Mwai Kibaki the incumbent president squeezed through a disputed victory. I can live with that. What I can’t live with, is that in the last three days, more than 200 Kenyans have lost their lives because of this disputed election results.

When the tension escalated, I had to move to my brother’s house because I stay in a neighborhood dominated by the Kikuyu, the biggest tribe in Kenya and also one that President Mwai Kibaki comes from. Tragically, Kikuyus around the country are bearing the brunt of an angry people and they are also beginning to retaliate.

After two days of a house arrest of sorts, it was extremely important that I leave the house. But when I tried to do so, I could not pass a human roadblock of more than fifty people who were sitting by the roadside in a tense and excited mood. But I had to proceed because I needed to call my friend in Eldoret town. She is from the Kikuyu community while most of her neighbors are from the Kalenjin community. Due to know fault of hers, the president happens to be from her community. Due to his own fault, the president has greatly angered the Kalenjin community together with thirty eight other communities. Even the supposedly official results show that he only led in two provinces out of eight. Consequently, members of all other communities generally feel that the president has robbed them. Unfortunately, they are taking it out on innocent members of the three communities that voted overwhelmingly for the president - Kikuyu, Embu and Meru. It is becoming a ping-pong game of violence as members of these three communities are also starting to hit out.

I blame the people who commissioned and condoned the rigging of these elections. While I realize that most losers usually blame rigging for their losses, these particular rigging claims are not mere speculation. Samuel Kivuitu, the chairman of the Electoral Commission of Kenya has already admitted that he announced the presidential results under pressure from the President’s Party of National Unity. He also conceded that there were widespread irregularities which resulted in extended delays in announcing results from some forty eight constituencies. Both local and international observers have explicitly reported that while the actual voting process was beyond fault, the tallying of the votes was riddled with faults. Raila Odinga has refused to accept these results. Millions of Kenyans have refused to accept these results. Business has been paralyzed across the country and it is not business as usual. Lives have been lost and life cannot go on like this.

Kenya is now in a state of panic. Just yesterday when the rest of the world was celebrating the New Year thirty women and children were burnt alive in a church that they had sought refuge. They have died because someone found it fit to rig an electoral process and someone else found it fit to either facilitate or condone that rigging. They have died because there has been no concerted high level effort to quell a fire that is now consuming highways, byways and villages of this great nation. They have died because a subjective mass intolerance has been borne from massive political deception.

I hold all the aforementioned persons responsible for these deaths and any other deaths that may result from this tragic situation. The blood of these fellow Kenyans is primarily on the hands of the politicians whose legs have trampled on the fundamental voting rights of Kenyans. This innocent blood is also on the guilty hands of those whose acts of violence inflicted irreversible death blows. No injustice, however heinous, warrants murder of the innocents. As we learnt from the Rwanda genocide, this blood will also be on the hands of all those who will turn a blind eye on this simmering conflict. Which is why we cannot, and must not turn a blind eye on this violence and other violent situations around the world.

But what can you and I do to stop this violent, raging fire that is razing down innocent Kenyan lives?

1. Share this information far and wide: Send this piece to your local newsrooms and radio stations. When more and more people are informed, more possibilities avail themselves.

2. Volunteer as a web designer for the Kenya Independent Media (Indymedia) website: The Kenya Indymedia website can and should act as a platform for accurate and widespread expression. We need to publish dozens of first account stories that may not make it to the mainstream media. We also need to publish photos, audio and video. We therefore need volunteer web designers and programmers to work on it consistently for a period of 2 - 3 months as the Kenya Indymedia team builds its web designing and programming capability. As Kenya Indymedia, we now need to communicate to the world what is really happening and a vibrant website will be one way of doing this. We are liaising with national movement known as Million Youth Action to call and text people from across the country, moreso the worst hit areas of western Kenya and Rift Valley, so that we can in turn share their stories. This way, statistics will cease to be cold figures and they will take on a personal, human angle.

3. Host the Kenya Independent media website: In order to enable a download of videos, images and audio of this conflict, the website needs to have sufficient space. We would like to use this site to keep track of all the Kenyans who are needlessly losing their lives, getting injured, robbed and displaced in this post-electoral violence. We would also like to use it to keep track of who is instigating, undertaking and condoning this violence. Even more important, we would like to know the victims of this violence so that we can reach out to them one way or another, in our own small way.

4. Mobile phone communication: The only way that most endangered people can communicate and be communicated to, is through mobile phones. We would like to distribute mobile phone air time to as many people as possible so that we can enable them to communicate about what happened, is happening or may be about to happen. As already mentioned we will file all this communication on the website and pass it on to relevant authorities. One dollar will provide four minutes air time. These four minutes may make a difference between life and death.

5. Help relocate someone from a danger zone: This violence has taken on ethnic dimensions, which means that people from certain communities are now no longer safe in certain places in which they are the minorities. Property belonging to such individuals is being looted and destroyed. Even worse, their lives are in grave danger. Many of them are however not able to flee since many public means of transport have suspended their services due to rampant insecurity on the roads. We intend to relocate such people through any means possible. This includes tipping food delivery trucks, cargo trains, newspaper vans and any other vehicles that are moving from one point to another for whatever reason.

6. Help feed a relocated person: we have identified and are continuing to identify families in Nairobi and other parts of the country that can temporarily host relocated persons. As this is a grassroots movement with an emphasis on grassroots solutions, we intend to temporarily host displaced persons in host families. These families will greatly appreciate whatever food supplements we can give them.

7. Diplomatic missions: Contact your respective embassies in Kenya and seek to know what they are doing about the deteriorating situation in Kenya. Give them our contacts and forward this paper to them. Embassies can do more than issue blanket statements for people to ‘keep the peace’ as if don’t already know that!

8. Tend to a child: More than 75,000 Kenyans are now internally displaced. Most of them are women and children. What a tragedy when young children are caught up in such a mess. There is no perfect formula for reaching out to such innocent ones. We intend take to them toys, clothes, chocolate, drinks, books and more gifts that can cheer them up. We will particularly target children who have been displaced or those whose parents have died in this conflict.

9. Pray: For those of you, who like, believe in God, do whisper a prayer that peace will eventually prevail in Kenya.

10. Share your ideas: it will greatly help if you share any concrete ideas that you may be having. Most politicians are just telling Kenyans to keep the peace and not really taking any concrete action to address this situation. People power and solutions can make a BIG difference.

You can do any of the above by donating any of the mentioned things or what you would consider to be their monetary equivalent. Just go with your gut feeling and thanks for your thoughts.

Cheers,
John