VUMA KENYA! Initiative is a new and exciting non-profit initiative that is the brain-child of a group of talented, resourceful and socially connected young professional Kenyans based in the US who have decided to pool their resources together in response to the recent post-election violence following the disputed December 27th Kenyan General Elections, to rally fellow Kenyans and concerned global citizens together to bring an end to the violence and strife currently tearing our nation apart.
VUMA KENYA! Initiative not only strives to highlight the plight of the internally displaced, but also strives to rally and mobilize Kenyans both in the Diaspora and in Kenya to be more proactive and socially conscious in addressing this humanitarian crisis. VUMA KENYA! Initiative seeks to encourage productive peace-centered initiatives to evoke change.
To achieve this ambitious goal we are planning to raise awareness using pop culture and the Internet as our main tools. We are therefore planning a benefit concert on behalf of the Kenya Red Cross for next Saturday February 2nd 2008 at the premier concert venue, “THE ROXYâ€, located in downtown Boston. This concert will feature the best of Kenyan artistes including Eric Wainaina, a Berklee College of Music alumnus. In addition we will have Peter Kithene, honoree of CNN’s 2007 “CNN HEROS award†as our keynote speaker.
As a follow up to this benefit concert we are also planning a media campaign similar to “Save Darfur†campaign that will feature international celebrities who command great respect and a large Kenyan following, to appeal for an end to the tribal and political violence.
great!
I feel very bad at the developments in Kenya. I work far away from the country and a colleague asked me if the next international criminal tribunal will be in Kenya! My thoughts went to Rwanda where I lived for a while some years back. In Rwanda, 10 years after the genocide, multinationals still shun the country. The likes of Total, Shell, Unilever, BAT etc that employee so many of our children, brothers and sisters are not there.
In Rwanda, one community was outnumbered something like 8:1. In Kenya, protagonists are equal in strength, 1:1. Millions would die if civil war broke out. Nobody would win. Our children will be driven back by decades on the development front. They will not forgive us.
Please, I beseech all of you here to embrace peace, and lets preach the same to the man on the street. Personally and quite honestly, I would care less whoever is in power, so long as they dont preach hatred and sustain economic growth.
Fundamentally however, there is a price to pay by both government and opposition. How about the following roadmap:
1. IMMEDIATE PUBLIC ACCEPTANCE OF PNU TO SHARE POWER WITH ODM, AS FOLLOWS:
– Raila is appointed VP
– Agreement of number of ministries by both parties
– Kibaki has first go to appoint 25% of the cabinet, Raila then appoints 50% and finally Kibaki fills the remaining 25%.
– Raila and Kibaki swear before God to work together and reconcile Kenyans
– Embed the above in the constitution with an expiry clause of end of 2009 when presidential elections would be held
2. RECONSTITUTION OF ECK ACCORDING TO THE BOMAS DRAFT. COPY AND PASTE THIS SECTION INTO CURRENT CONSTITUTION.
3. RESETTLEMENT OF ALL DISPLACED PERSONS. ENACTMENT OF A LAW STIPULATING SEVERE PENALTIES FOR PARTICIPATION IN ETHNIC STRIFE.
4. COPY AND PASTE BOMAS DRAFT CHAPTER ON PRESIDENTIAL APPOINTMENTS INTO CURRENT CONSTITUTION (IT ALLOWS VETTING OF APPOINTMENTS BY PARLIAMENT).
5. HOW ABOUT STIPULATING THAT A CANDIDATE MUST OBTAIN 20% VOTES IN ALL CONSTITUENCIES TO WIN THE PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION? THIS WOULD ENSURE THAT KENYA ALWAYS GETS A PRESIDENT WHO UNITES THE WHOLE COUNTRY.
THE ABOVE CAN BE HAMMERED OUT IN PRACTICALLY A DAY. WHERE THERE IS A WILL THERE IS A WAY. KENYANS, LETS STEM THE KILLINGS NOW. WE CAN DO IT. WE OWE IT TO OURSELVES, OUR CHILDREN, OUR PRIDE.
What a great idea! May God fully bless their efforts.
Anybody knows what the discussion or recommendations are yet between the two parties?
I can’t make it Boston but behind you 100%