Letter from Rev. Esau Oreso, Tuamaini Church, Kibera

KIBERA NEWS JANUARY 2008
POST-ELECTION VIOLENCE.

“Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid” [ John 14:27].

Kenya has always been one of the most relatively stable countries in Africa until 29th December 2007 when presidential election results were announced. The election process had been very peaceful and even received high commendations from the international observers. But the tallying process became the source of the violence witnessed in our country today. The effects have been grave. Shops have been broken into, looted and burnt down, individual, commercial and industrial cars and properties have not been spared either, lives have been lost, ethnic tensions and divisions such as never experienced before has taken root, astonishingly even among Christians. The Church leaders also seem to have taken political sides and their moral authority is questionable. The number of displaced people is increasing each day leading to a humanitarian crisis. Apart from the displaced people, there are those whose businesses, their only source of livelihood, have been destroyed, hence also adding to the list of humanitarian target. Criminals have with no doubt taken advantage of the situation and have caused more pain to the already hurting people.

Kenyans from all walks of life have continues to appeal to the government and opposition to dialogue and come out with a lasting and peaceful solution. While the government insists on peace, the opposition insists on justice. Most Kenyans, if not all, agree that there is need for peace before negotiations can be done. There have been a number of high profile international leaders who have given attempt to mediation between the government and the opposition but with the slow pace of the mediations many are slowly getting impatient. This only depicts the complexity of the matters both legal and political. Arch bishop Desmond Tutu of South Africa, African Union chairman John Kufour, former African presidents, Kenya’s bishops and U.S.A deputy secretary of African Affairs Jendayi Frazer and several high commissioners are just some of the people who have and still work hard to help with the mediation process. As Kenyans wait for the coming of the former United Nations Koffi Annan led team, we all pray that God will speak to the hearts of our leaders to maintain peace and justice-that “…justice be our shield and defender…” and that we “…may dwell in unity, peace and liberty…” [Taken from our national anthem].

THE EFFECT

Every Kenyan is affected by the post-election violence in one way or the other. The news of the violence and the experience itself is psychologically traumatic, the inter-ethnic tension and divisions, the family social break down, sadly even among the families from the cross-cultural marriages, the economic challenges and the state of apathy and seemingly anarchy and impunity in some parts of the country, the state of spiritual decay-all these calls for a lasting peaceful solution. But as much as every Kenyan is affected-directly or indirectly, the displaced and the poor in Kibera and other slums are the most affected people.

KIBERA

In Kibera where I serve, people live in fear and tension for fear that they can be attacked any time. Some have lost hope of ever getting justice-not just political but also socio-economic justice. During my post-election pastoral visits in Kibera, people have boldly faced me with comments and questions that have left me wondering what the solution to these complex problems are. Indeed the problems need a multifaceted approach. While walking in the Kibera slums with my wife Jane, one woman, called mama samaki [not her real name but a business name-she sells fish] told me in my face that had I not been a Luo [my ethnic community], they would not have spared the Tumaini Church Kibera and the clinic. They would have burnt it down. While she said this with a light laughter, I knew she meant it because 3 churches in Kibera that I know of had been burnt. The burning of the Churches has been fuelled by the assumption that Church leaders have taken sides in the political situation in the country.
Another young man by the name of Ken followed me from the slums as I approached the bus stop and asked me, “where is God, he has let us down. If he is a just God why can’t he do something to change our situation. Will he see injustice and keep watching? And still another one told me that it was better for him to die while demonstrating in the streets instead of dying from hunger and frustrations. He also told me he had 2 little children whom he was willing to die for-if his death would bring justice and food for his family.

While these are not members of my congregation, they with no doubt represent the frustrations and disappointments that my members too share- the unjust conditions of life in Kibera. However they must be helped to understand that violence is not and should not be the way out of their problems. For violence cannot bring justice and peace.

ETHNIC TENSION

A considerable number of people in the Tumaini Church Kibera are a people from the Kikuyu ethnic community. As a pastor I was very concerned with their whereabouts because I knew things were difficult for them. I called them just to hear from them, where they were and how they were doing. They responded well but could not disclose to me exactly where they were. This made it difficult to offer them any physical assistance. Although I later managed to get into contact with them, the reason for lack of disclosure of their whereabouts, I assume, was that because I am a Luo it was difficult for them to trust me at such a time. I can’t blame them for that. The experience was terrible and perhaps under the same conditions I would do the same.
Where I live all men were forced out of their houses at night to keep watch over the night for fear of being attacked. With such realities, I could fully understand these brothers and sisters from our Church.

HOPE

Even though there are heart rending stories, there are stories of hope that are not always told and heard. Grace Nyakio, one of the members of the Tumaini Church Kibera narrated before the Church last Sunday how through her Luo neighbors, she managed to escape unhurt from people who had come to attack her because she belongs to Kikuyu community. These neighbors made sure that all her household belongings were also safe. With normalcy returning to most parts of the country and with international mediation attempts to settle the political dispute, there is hope for peace. However calmness should not be mistaken as peace even though peace is about calmness.

THEOLOGICAL REFLECTION

Every human being is created in the image of God. There is therefore no ordinary and extra-ordinary human being before God. All people from every ethnic community are bearers of God’s image and violence against human life is against God himself. God abhors violence [Gen 1:27, 5:1]. For this reason sanctity of human life must be a priority for all. God expects us to be our brother and sister’s keeper and not be like Cain who murdered his brother because he was different from him [Gen 4:9-11].

Even though the multiplicity of human languages as a result of confusion of language took place in an environment of rebellion at the tower of Babel[Gen11:1-9], during Pentecost, God celebrated the different ethnic languages and his people from different ethnic groups will finally sing in his praise[Act 2:1-12, Psa 34:1, Rev 5:9]. God redeems his people and sanctifies their lips and languages for his praise.

Because human beings are fallen and sinful [Gen 3, Rom 3:23] they are bound to, without Christ and his spirit engage in violence, hence the need for just systems that can deal with lawlessness, admitting that human problems emanates from the sinful condition of the heart.
The peace that we so urgently need must not be in a vacuum. Peace is always founded on truth, justice and reconciliation. The redemptive plan of God for humanity is based on the same principles-truth+ justice + reconciliation= peace. Rom 5:1-2.9-10 gives us the Biblical foundation for understanding peace. The truth is that human beings have sinned and fallen short of God’s glory and are headed for eternal destruction [Rom 3:23, 6:23]. Death is the just punishment that human beings need, but this punishment which is God’s justice for sin has been put on Christ on our behalf. Because justice has been done we have peace with God.

Rom 5:1
“Therefore, since we have been justified [justice has been meted on Christ for our sake] through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.”

TRUTH- we are sinners and corrupt, our punishment has been taken by the Lord Jesus Christ.

JUSTICE- our destiny is death- the death was put on Christ for our sake.

PEACE- since we have been punished in Christ, we are reconciled to God, we have peace with him.

Like the young man Ken who questioned the justice of God, prophet Habakkuk too complained to God. And God gave him an answer. May he give Ken and many of us answers to our questions that will satisfy our hearts and not just curiosity.

Habakkuk 1:2-5

“How long, O Lord, must I call for help, but you do not listen? Or cry to you, “violence!” but you do not save?

Why do you make me look at injustice? Why do you tolerate wrong? Destruction and violence are before me; there is strife and conflict abounds.

Therefore the law is paralyzed, and justice never prevails. The wicked hem in the righteous, so that justice is perverted.

“Look at the nations and watch-and be utterly amazed…”


PRAYER POINTS

Pray for peace- truth, justice and reconciliation.
Pray for provision of basic needs for the displaced and those in the slums.
Pray for comfort for those who have lost their family members and properties in the violence.
Pray for those who offer humanitarian services for God’s strength, patience and encouragement.
Pray that the rich Christians will be generous towards the displaced and the poor at this time.
Pray that Christians, will, like Nehemiah think and act creatively on reconstruction and rebuilding of the nation of Kenya in their different levels of influence.

Rev. Esau Oreso
Tumaini Church Kibera.