Yesterday, Kenya's 10th Parliament convened formally, to implement the Harambee House Accord. Kenya's urban middle classes bask in the justified relief of our country being pulled back from the very brink of civil war. But the 600,000 Kenyans living in appalling destitution in IDP camps have nothing to celebrate.

The lavish motorcades to Parliament, the assurances of speedy economic recovery, the pretense that everything is "back to business as usual", are the clearest signs we could have of the criminal blindness and self-interest of the political class.  This is the blindness and greed that dragged Kenya into this crisis in the first place. Never again can Kenyans allow the power and resources of the country to be concentrated in the hands of a tiny, powerful elite.

So what must we do?

Firstly, stay involved in civil society initiatives set up in the past two months... [Read More]

 Kenyans based in the US have created a network of communication for diaspora groups to take action and support the ongoing quest for Peace With Truth and Justice in Kenya.

The fear is growing, says L. Muthoni Wanyeki, Executive Director of the Kenya Human Rights Commission. But we must resist and dispel it by naming the sources of the violence, and demanding accountability.

DON'T GIVE IN TO CLIMATE OF FEAR

by L. Muthoni Wanyeki

This piece originally appeared in The East African Lives have been lost and continue to be lost. Women have been raped — many of whom find themselves now forced into transactional sex to obtain basic goods and services within the internally displaced camps all over the country. Livelihoods have been destroyed. We are all being forced into a situation of feeling secure only where our ancestors happened to originate. And fear is growing. Day by day.

We held our breath as the mediation process was launched. We are still holding it. A new form of violence has emerged. We whisper: were the murders... [Read More]

Maina Kiai is the Chair of the Kenya National Commission for Human Rights. In the past two weeks, he's received death threats for his public stance for truth and justice for all Kenyans.

Yesterday, he spoke before the US House of Representatives on the crisis in Kenya. You can read his full statement at the excellent Kenyan Emergency Blog. Some quotes:

Kenya is at a cross-road that will mean either the complete disintegration of Kenya or the beginning of a new, more democratic, sustainable nation suited to the needs and aspirations of the Kenyan people.

What is going on in Kenya is a political crisis with ethnic manifestation because politics in Kenya is organized ethnically.

Part of the reason why militia—on both sides... [Read More]

The Rwanda Men's Resource Centre has issued a global call to action for men, and male leaders, to speak out against gender-based violence in Kenya.

Rwanda Men’s Resource Centre                                WE-ACTx

Global Call to action for Men and Male leaders!

Speak out Against Gender Based Violence In Kenya!

Add your Voice   Sign and Share this Pledge!

Men's Pledge Against Gender Based Violence


Today, Kenya is experiencing an unprecedented wave of sexual violence that has been directed at thousands of Kenyan women, girls and a number of men and boys.
 
As men, we recognize that violence against women ... [Read More]

A network called Pyramids of Peace, led by Rachel Wambui Kungu, met Mungiki militia in Naivasha last week, and persuaded them to remove roadblocks for the next seven days. They need airtime and cellphones to continue this amazing work.

From AfricaNews:

"Rachel Wambui Kungu, +254 721 626 389, is back in Nairobi. Her team met with key leaders of the Mungikis in Naivasha. They have given their names and phone numbers to participate in the Pyramid of Peace and to engage the violent Mungikis who have moved onward to Nairobi. They agreed to remove the road blocks for the next seven days. They will organize a large meeting in two days or so to meet with leaders from the Catholic church and with the local head of the police. Afterwards, they wish to meet with the Kalenjins for dialogue. They are ready for a permanent peace upon three reasonable conditions: [Read More]

for daring to speak out against electoral malpractices, and human rights violations in the past weeks in Kenya. The threats arrrive by email, sms, phone. Their names are on lists, being circulated globally, that denounce them as "traitors to the Kikuyu people" and suggest they should be killed.

These are friends I grew up with, went to school with, worked with in the weeks following the election. They have dedicated their lives to truth and justice in Kenya.

Please sign the Amnesty Petition for their safety.

Sukuma Kenya was set up a few weeks ago by Dipesh Pabari, close friend, dedicated Kenyan journalist and activist. It's the charity I recommend to everyone who asks where they can donate to ease the suffering of displaced Kenyans. First, because I can personally vouch that EVERY PENNY you donate, beyond transaction fees, goes directly to the relief effort. All those involved are volunteers - no overhead costs.

Secondly, because it channels the relief efforts through a Kisumu organization, Ladies in Action, that has been in operation for several years. The Ladies in Action are all long-term Kisumu residents (many were born there) who have chosen not to flee the crisis. They know Kisumu better than any outside relief organization.

Here is Dipesh's appeal:

How many more must die? How many more must lose their homes, their farms, their livelihoods? The weekend was a blo... [Read More]

Now we need to build and sustain pressure on the State Department and the White House to implement its recommendations. Please take these simple actions.

Congressman  Donald Payne (D-New Jersey) and Senator Russ Feingold have introduced a  concurrent bill into Congress: H.CON.RES.283.

The resolution calls for tough measures against PNU and ODM leaders who incite violence and refuse to engage in mediation,  including travel bans, and asset freezing.

Please take the following action steps:

1) Contact your Congress representatives and urge them to co-sponsor the bill.

2) Contact the White House, the State Department, and Jendayi Frazer, Assistant Secretary of State for Africa, urging them to act NOW to implement the recommendations of the Senate Resolution on Kenya

White House  Fax Number:     &n... [Read More]

A roadmap of guidelines and benchmarks for the mediation process has been released by Kenyans for Peace With Truth and Justice, a coalition of over 40 human rights, governance and legal organizations in Kenya. KPTJ states starkly: "Violence is rapidly spreading. Politicians are continuing to take hard-line positions. And there is a possibility that the country is gravitating to full scale civil war."

KPTJ sets out the following guidelines for the mediation process:

1) Justice and Truth: The truth must be known about the disputed election. Independent
investigation and audit of the flawed presidential poll should be initiated as a matter of urgency. This should be done by a Commission of Inquiry agreed to by both parties.

2) Constitutional guarantee: All solutions to this crisis must be anchored on a constitutional framework.

3) Interim power-sharing and a government for national reconciliation/healing: An
interim governme... [Read More]