Margaret Aim with Grace, a resident of Kibera slums, who has lost everything she owns in the riots and looting, photo via assistnews.net

Churches of Kenya stand as a beachhead against anarchy

As Kenyan churches are struggling to help prevent the country descending into genocide, they envisage a long term healing effort that will require the sustained engagement of international ecumenical partners, reports Lynley Smith of Challenge Weekly, New Zealand, special to ASSIST News Service.

This is the opinion expressed by the World Council of Churches in a media release, after violence disrupted the normally pacific country, following what is regarded as a rigged general election on December 27, last year.

Thousands of people have fled their homes and are sheltered in about 130 camps around the country. The Government estimate of numbers of displaced people (230,000) is dwarfed by the relief agency estimate of 500,000.

The fracas has degenerated into a standoff between two tribal groups, the Luo (supporting the opposition leader) and the Kikuyu (supporting the re-elected president).

“With the country on the verge of genocide, the churches are taking action at different levels,” said Canon Peter Karanja, general secretary for the National Council of Churches of Kenya. “No one [neither side] is innocent, and we are praying for the mediation process led by former United Nations secretary general Kofi Annan.”

In a report to Challenge Weekly from Margaret and Robin Aim, missionaries from New Plymouth. New Zealand, who run a mission station in the Kibera slums in Nairobi, Mrs Aim says things have generally quietened over most of Kenya in recent days. However, fighting, killing and burning of property has escalated in Kisii and Kericho areas following the murder of an MP from that region.

“That is the second opposition MP murdered in three days,” she said.

The Aims, who have been in Kenya for nearly 25 years, have seen killings and inter-tribal fighting, but have never seen the country in such a perilous state.

“We were warned beforehand that there would be rigging at the election and a certain party would win. We planned to stay indoors, but we were not prepared for the horrific outcome,” she said.

In Kibera there had been little action over the last week, with only a few gunshots heard. However the people are suffering terribly.

Photo via assistnews.net

“People are mostly suffering from hunger. Water is mostly available,” she said. “Many homeless are staying in churches or with neighbours. Raping of women and girls is common at night.

“People in the slums are trying to go about their daily routine, but most stay near to home because of the tension,” she said. “There is a shortage of casual jobs for men. Even before the election unemployment was at 50 per cent.

“The Red Cross have stopped feeding people in Kibera. Groups that are continuing can’t keep up with the need. I foresee a severe food shortage to be a major problem over the next few months, as parts of the country are in drought and farmers can’t get their produce to market because of the insecurity.”

Mrs Aim says prices in the shops have increased by 10 to 50 per cent, depending on the commodity. Women doing business in Kibera aren’t stocking foodstuffs for fear of looting.

“Our approach over the past week has been to search out and target those who are in greater need, such as those with HIV, orphaned children and the elderly,” she said.

“We have done a survey of the food and fuel costs. What I see as exciting is that when people do get food, they share it with their neighbours and friends who are without food.”

One NGO is embarking on a Food for Work scheme, which the Aims believe promises results.

The churches are also joining to fast and pray for the country.

“We believe God will work everything for good, but it may not be in our way,” she said. “I believe much of the problem is spiritual. God wants to raise up a standard of righteousness here. It should have already been here as nearly 80 per cent of the population claims to be Christian. So why is there so much corruption?”

Mrs Aim said the unrest had enabled her mission to partner with the wider Church, Christian NGOs and other mission initiatives to assist the suffering.

“God only knows where he wants to take us in the future,” she said.

[02/12/2008]

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