Haidhuru

1: Country, Kenya
1: Vote per person. Every vote should count and every vote should be counted
500:850+ Five hundred Over Eight hundred Kenyans, fellow citizens, neighbors, brothers, siblings, mothers, fathers, people killed in the violence.
2,800: 4,760 Family members that (statistically) lost a sibling, father, mother in the violence
255,000: People displaced
60 billion 100+ Billion: shillings lost in the recent violence

The analysis has on the situation has been done by some more knowledgeable about the situation that I. See them here and here. Others more well spoken than I have given their take on what can be done.

What I DON’T know:
- Who won the presidential election
- What the hell Kibaki is thinking
- What the hell is wrong with Kenyans?!!!

What I DO know:
- No Kenyan, while in Kenya, should not walk or hide in fear in the country of their birth. That is unacceptable and we should not condone any acts of violence - heck, any threats of violence!! More to the point, all Kenyans know that it this is wrong. It is also a crime in Kenya last time I checked.
- You cannot and should not subvert democracy even if it seems expedient to do so.
- Wengi Wape: Even if it makes you sick to your stomach to see how moronic (in your view) voting patterns of your fellow Kenyan might be, you must abide with the decision of the majority
- We cannot and should not ever, ever be ruled by fiat
- Democratic, safe countries are wealthier, safer and more prosperous countries
- Democracy is not, like a sweater, something that you put on from time to time. It’s like breathing- you do it all the gaddamn time
- All criminals that participated in the killings of their fellows Kenyans should be brought to justice. They should be tried in a court of law and if found guilty, should have the book thrown at them so that, in the words of Chief Inspector Wariahe “Wawe funzo kwa wengine”
- That Kenyans, we who have been building a country in relative peace, we can rise above this madness, embrace our problems and deal with them rationally.

I don’t believe in the lowest common denominator approach to leadership for Kenya. I believe that Kenyans deserve and are entitled to better. We have known better. We were unbwogable remember?

I believe that the way out of this quagmire has to be approached with a sober, sincere and honest need to craft a lasting solution to this problem as this is not a trifling problem. The lives and sadly deaths of Kenyans affect me profoundly. Any Kenyan’s death diminishes me, because I am Kenyan.

36,913,721: Kenyans that can make a difference. Non violence can and will make a profound difference.

(edits 1/31)

You might be wondering what you can do to help those affected by the violence back home and one of the organizations I swear by is the KRCS. It has become a model of what a well functioning Red Cross Society should be and you can also read more about why they have been received a lot of praise here and by visiting their website . You can also get more on the work they are doing to assist victims of violence here and here and here too.

If you’re in the States, you can send a check to the International Federation of the Red Cross (ifrc.org) in New York and on the the memo line, make sure that you put “Kenya Red Cross: Kenya Crisis” so that the money goes to these efforts. They’ll pass the money on to the KRCS.

The address is
800 Second Avenue
Suite 355, 3rd Floor
New York, NY 10017

I’m also trying to see how to make an online donation and once I get that info, I’ll post an update.

I was going to post a humorous post summing up the past year but I find little to laugh about in the first days of 2008. It is sad beyond belief that over 200 people have died at the hands of their fellow Kenyans. These are 200 people too many! Six people would have been half a dozen too many!

I find it heartbreaking that fire and pangas and stones instead of the ballot box could be the arbiters of who serves the wananchi. I am heart sick that my folks and friends, and fellow Kenyans cannot leave the house without fear. A country that, when all has been said and done, has been relatively good to us.

I’m hopeful that Kibaki and Raila will do the right thing. That they remember that that democracy, like justice- not only has to be done, but it also has to be seen to be done. I am praying that they remember that violence is not a pet that you can unleash to do your bidding. You sow the wind, you reap a whirlwind. I am crossing my fingers our leaders, putative or otherwise, look at history current affairs and know that there is no glory, no legacy, and no victory in leadership that is built on the bloodshed of innocents.

My thoughts and prayers go out to all the families of the people who have been affected by the violence. May peace prevail soon.