Blissful are Kenya鈥檚 peacemakers
Journalists often focus on the conflict of elections, yet in a welcome change, a big story in Kenya before last week鈥檚 presidential election was a grassroots effort to keep the peace, both before and after the Aug. 9 vote.
One reason peacemaking in Kenya was news is that memories remain fresh about the hundreds of people killed after elections in 2007 and 2017 amid ethnic-driven violence over allegations of vote-rigging. 鈥淭he first thing that matters the most to Kenyans,鈥� said Amriya Issa, a member of Sisters Without Borders, 鈥渋s maintaining peace during the electioneering period.鈥�
It has taken a range of activists, from artists to religious leaders, to remind Kenyans where peace comes from. 鈥淟et us remember that peace starts with me and we have no other country to run to other than Kenya,鈥� Jennifer Riria, chairperson of the Women Mediators Network, told the Daily Nation.
Political violence is still possible after last week鈥檚 election. On Monday, a few hundred people stormed the streets of Kisumu, Kenya鈥檚 third largest city, after the head of the election commission announced that candidate Raila Odinga had lost to rival William Ruto by a slim margin. Yet the next day, Mr. Odinga urged supporters to keep calm and not 鈥渢ake the law into their own hands鈥� even as he made a legal challenge to the official count. The tightness of the final tally may lead to disruptions, the Eurasia Group consultancy said in a note, but 鈥渨idespread unrest remains unlikely.鈥�
To the credit of Kenya鈥檚 peacemakers, the European Union praised the 鈥減eaceful atmosphere鈥� during the campaign. Efforts to prevent violence began in earnest last April during the Easter season. Clergy united to give sermons about peace as part of daily life.聽
鈥淟et鈥檚 not use words to insult people, words that are going to discourage someone, but uplifting words. And let us be truthful and moderate in all we do,鈥� said Anglican Church of Kenya Archbishop Jackson Ole Sapit in one sermon.
Other actions included a campaign by artists in Kibera, Kenya鈥檚 largest slum area, to display works that celebrate the country鈥檚 ethnic diversity. One group of activists organized a 鈥減eace caravan鈥� across the country carrying messages about remaining calm during the heated election.
The Inter-Religious Council of Kenya trained young people on how not to be exploited by politicians and how to react wisely to falsehoods on social media. The National Youth Council held a prayer day to encourage peace promotion. The EU paid for a 鈥渉ackathon鈥� to develop ways on mobile phones to build peace.
Kenya鈥檚 expanding network of peace activists may be a model for other democracies 鈥� including the United States. For now at least, it is simply as newsworthy as the Kenyan election itself.
