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Fellow Ghanaians as the title of this article suggests, I was in Nairobi on 27th December as a student by then. I schooled in Nairobi for four years and I was preparing to run-off things when the politically motivated violence occurred. And I will like to share with you some things leading to the violence and how we can learn from it.

First, before the elections the country was sharply polarized, I remember attending a Christmas party on 25th December and when the gifts were being shared something happened. Immediately a name is mentioned the people partying added the party he/she supposedly belonged. They were identifying people's party by their name. If you have a Luo name surely you are ODM. And if you have a Gikuyu [Kikuyu] name you are automatically a PNU member.

Second, though there were other parties like ODM-Kenya and another one headed by Pastor Pius, whoever criticizes the government was labeled ODM and whoever defends or praises the government was also labeled PNU. There was nothing like 'objective analyses'. All analyses were seen political.

Third, certain areas like Kibera [the biggest slum in Nairobi and in Africa] and Kisumu in Nyanza province was labeled as belonging to certain parties and because of that law was harshly enforced. Even when the violence erupted, all roads leading to Kibera was blocked. Live bullets were used in Kisumu while rubber bullets were used in Nairobi.

Fourth, there was great denial of facts and truth. I remember watching a news shot on NTV an independent television station capturing a police man shooting a young man in the Nyanza province [the perceived stronghold of Raila]. But the police PRO came out making a nasty statement that “it was a computer work”, when pressed upon he added “in movies people are shot and they wake up and go”.

The following day the family of the deceased boy based on the second statement of the PRO said “in movies people are shot and they wake up and go but our brother was shot and he lies dead”. Still on denial, when President Kufuor came to Kenya and when he left, a minister by name Michuki said Kufuor “came for a cup of coffee”. And when Kofi Annan was coming he added again that he is coming “for a cup of tea”.

In short people were denying the reality.
Fifth, key respectable persons who could have intervened had committed themselves through some political utterances. One famous example was that of the Cardinal and Archbishop of Nairobi Njue [am not sure of the spelling of the name], who somehow stated that the Catholic Church is against Majimbo to the surprise of his fellow bishops.

Sixth, the national television station KBC was never showing the violent related news such that some people who were in remote areas and were only getting KBC didn't know that there was 'fracas' as they say in Kenya. This was even prior to the ban on Television stations from showing live events.

One last thing I observed was this that after the election ODM felt cheated and therefore was insisting that justice be done while PNU was asking for peace. Because of this even pastors and priests could not preach any of these values. For when you touch peace you are labeled PNU and when you touch justice you are labeled ODM.

For all who care to know I am a Ghanaian and I lived in Nairobi–Kenya for four years. I returned home this year, 2008. And I can bet you my fellow Ghanaians that these trends are emerging in our dear country. Just randomly pick any of the points I observed in Kenya and bring it down here and let's see if its not repeated here.

My last words are simply these:
Never be the first to label someone
And you will never be the first to deny
Never be the first to deny
And you will never be the first to condone
Never be the first to condone
And you will never promote violence
Above all never be the first to throw the stone
And you will never find someone to retaliate.

Credit: Joe Tony


Source: myjoyonline - Myjoyonline.com

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