Kenya’s slum-based community grassroots movement, Shining Hope for Communities (SHOFCO) has added its voice to the litany of appeals urging the country’s political leaders to preach peace and citizens to embrace tolerance and amicableness as the country heads to elections.
SHOFCO founder and Chief Executive Officer, Dr Kennedy Odede preconised that whenever elections violence erupts, it is the poor who live in the urban informal settlements who suffer the brunt of the ensuing turbulence.
Dr Odede spoke in Kibra where he led peace engagements with the area’s residents under the programme, SHOFCO Urban Network (SUN), which has concurrently been running peace initiatives in several urban informal settlements across the country, as the General Elections approach.
“There, currently, is so much concern. We have consequently come together to address our leaders running for different political offices, especially the presidential candidates. Please watch what comes from your mouths; whatever you say during this period can ignite violence since you wield power that influences the millions of Kenyans following you. And whenever violence ensues from whatever you utter, it is the same people on the ground who suffer, especially in the informal settlements. Remember when two bulls fight, it is normally the grass that suffers,” he said.
Dr Odede noted that almost 20 per cent of Nairobians live in the city’s slums, meaning these informal settlements provide homes for millions of Kenyans, the more the reason why tolerance of elections-driven differences is paramount.
Fertile grounds for skirmishes
“Currently, across the country and virtually all the informal settlements, there is a feeling among everyone on the different sides of the political divides that it is them who will win these elections. And when everyone holds their ground, and none seems willing to cede, it becomes fertile grounds for skirmishes. We believe that our leaders mean well for the country and want to uplift it. It would therefore be impractical to lead a country reeling under bloodshed. We, therefore, demand that our leaders start to boldly talk about peace,” Dr Odede averred.
He, additionally, pledged that alongside other leaders of the community grassroots movement, they will continue preaching the peace message from door to door during and after the elections.
The initiative, alongside other grassroots leaders, has correspondingly, according to him, been running town-hall meetings, accountability debates, and leaders’ engagement forums among other similar activities focussing on peace.
Election after election, Kenya has continually been embroiled in cycles of skirmishes most especially during and after hotly charged General Elections.
These always end in loss of lives and properties and result in stagnated economic growth for long durations after the polls. Slums across the country -particularly in Nairobi- have often been the epicentres of these confrontations.
Better and peaceful country
“As residents of informal settlements in Nairobi, we suffered during and after the 2007, 2013, and 2017 elections. Today, I just ask that we maintain peace during and after the polls,” said David Odero, the Nairobi Chairman of SUN.
Youths, he urged, need to desist from being cheaply used by politicians to settle their own scores and cause confrontations.
Raliya Ali Mohamed, who coordinates SUN’s activities in Mukuru Slums, noted that slums are always forgotten places despite largely being the epicentres of skirmishes and post-poll violence.
She urged for peace, especially among the youths, noting that when the slums where their supporters live erupt in conflicts, the politicians are always securely tucked away in their safe havens.
“As neighbours with different ethnic and political doctrines and affiliations, elections need not make us hate each other. We will still need each other after the polls. Let us peacefully embrace whichever leaders that God gives us after the polls,” she added.
These messages were echoed by a host of other SHOFCO leaders and coordinators including Catherine Gathura and Gladys Mwende, as well as Elly Kegode, the sub-county chairman of Kibra/Nairobi bodaboda riders who called for a better and peaceful Kenya during and after the upcoming polls which will be held on August 9th.
