Kenya: Seeing what we want to?

Kenya has been going through some serious issues within the last month and a half, basically since the announcement of the Presidential Election results. There was alleged rigging, and now all of January and the first part of February have seen election-related and tribal violence break out in different parts of Kenya. A political stalemate has led to economic crisis for the whole of East Africa, as much of the shipments and imports for Uganda in particular comes through the port of Mombasa in Kenya. A number of different mediators came in and tried to help resolve the situation, but it continued to spiral out of control. The present count is at roughly 1,000 people killed and over 300,000 displaced from post election violence.

A team led by former UN-Secretary General, Kofi Annan began mediation talks, and brought the two groups together. Mwai Kibaki (the incumbent) of the PNU party, and Raila Odinga (the opposition) of the ODM party came together, and have been in talks for the last couple of weeks. A power sharing deal is in the midst of being approved by both sides. The violence has quieted for the most part within the last week, though there still seems to be an uneasiness in the country.

The damage has been done though. Kenya, known for its stability and economic growth in a very volatile region, has fallen from the graces of the western world. It's reputation has been tarnished internationally, and for those who don't know more than what they have seen in the news in the last month and a half, Kenya appears as an all too typical stereotype of post colonial Africa.

Unfortunately, not everyone knows the Kenya I know. They don't know the church in Kenya, and the way it is answering the call to the crisis at hand. They don't know the folks in Jangwani who carry on in the midst of violence and uncertainty. They don't know of the teachers, the pastor, the project managers who refuse to let violence and uncertainty keep them from providing food and education to children who otherwise would have no place to turn. They don't know my Kenyan family and friends who fast and pray daily for peace to come to their nation - for leadership to be led by God. They don't see the side of Kenya that still has potential, the side that uses it's resources so incredibly well. They see the minority committing heinous acts, lusting after power. We all have our ugly side. Every nation has it's downfall. Unfortunately, in Africa there is a magnifying glass on the radical and negative things that happen, and a world far removed from the positives and the people who inspire me to live my life differently.