kibera mirror January 2012 Edition

8/3/2019 kibera mirror January 2012 Edition

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KIBERA

MIRRORISSUE 6: JANUARY 2012 www.hopetoshine.org

ICC Ruling: Is it the

end of poll violence?

Soweto demolitionsWho is saying the truth?

Turn to page 3

By the Mirror TeamAdditional reporting by David

Otieno

When Justice Ekaterina Trendafilova read

the much awaited ruling on Jan. 23, 2012,

committing Uhuru Kenyatta, William Ruto,

Francis Muthaura and Joshua Arap Sang to

trial for crimes against humanity, the decision

not only changed the murky Kenyan political

arena but also opened up old wounds among

Kenyans. Apart from bringing to trial the head

of the public service, and two leading candi-

dates for the presidencyone being a sittingdeputy prime ministerthe ruling made at pre-

trial Chamber 2 at the International CriminalCourt also brought some sense of both hope

and fear in the areas mostly affected by the

post-election violence of 2007.Kibera, which witnessed some of the

worst incidents during the post-election vio-

lence, maintained a relative calm through the

ICC announcement. Most residents welcomedthe ruling, calling it a positive development,

since the government had failed to persecute theperpetrators of the violence. Some did not like

the idea, because it reminded them of 2007.

Nairobi experienced a lot of violence and

Kibera was the epicentre of it, Priscilla Nyokabi,

executive director of Kituo Cha Sheria, said. Itwill be so bad if Kibera is not made to feel a sense

of justice. Other observers say that becauseevents in Kibera and Kisumu have been omitted in

the ruling, victims in those places have effectively

been silenced.Scores in the slum followed the proceedings

on radio and television. The streets were virtuallythroughout the morning and part of the afternoon

during the day the ruling was supposed to bemade. Residents chose to remain indoors though

later small groups of people could be seen dis-

cussing the outcome. Being an election year, most

of them could only wish for peace. They dontwish to see what they saw during the violence.Lillian Adhiambo, a mother of five who

lives in the Gatwekera area and witnessed the

violence welcomed the verdict even though it wasa reminder of what she saw in 2007. I ran away

and sought refuge at the showground, as it was too

dangerous to live here at that time, she said.

And even until now my chest has a problem

from the teargas that I inhaled and to date thegovernment has not shown any commitment in

dealing with the culprits of the violence.Following the ruling there have been calls to

have the Deputy Prime Minister Uhuru Kenyatta

and Head of Civil Service Ambassador Francis

Muthaura resign from Government from all cor-

ners of the country as questions mount on thelegality of Kenyatta and Rutos presidential can-

didacy. Attorney General Githu Muigai in a pressconference, however, said that they will continue

holding their offices for the time being.

Even as the ICC process produces a new

twist each day like a Mexican soap opera, onegroup of people has been completely ignored

the victims of the post-election violence. There is

also the question as to whether this is the end of

politically instigated violence which become thenorm since the first multiparty elections held in

1992. Five years after the violence, thousands are

CONTINUED ON LAST PAGE

How do you like your coffee?We have the answersTom Mboyastreet

Opposite

KTDA

U.S ambassador Scott Gration cuts the ribbon to officially open the new Shining Hope for Communities water

tower to the residents of Kibera on Jan. 6 . With him is (from left) SHOFCO President Kennedy Odede, New-

man's Own foundation PresidentRobert Forester and SHOFCO Chief of operations Jessica Posner. The 100,000

litres water tower is the single largest source of clean water in Kibera. [photo: Jake Whipple]

Kibera School

for Girls begins

expansionBy David Otieno

Girls in Kibera slums have a new reason to

smile after the slums only tuition free girls schoolmoved to bigger premises as part of its expansion

strategy. The move will increase accessibility to

quality education for young girls.The ceremony marking the official opening of

the new Kibera School for Girls building and the

Shining Hope water tower took place on Jan. 6,

2012. It was attended by the American Ambassador

Scott Gration, his wife Judy, and the president of

the Newmans Own Foundation, Robert ForresterGuests at the opening included the local com-

munity, leaders, representatives from other NGOs

and the press. They were treated to an array of tal-

ent from the girls through dances, poems and plays,

as well as inspiring remarks from Shining Hope

founders, Jessica Posner and Kennedy Odede. Am-

bassador Gration, Bob Forrester and Margaret Pa-tricelli, the Chair of the Shining Hope Board ofDirectors also spoke. One parent who spoke

through an interpreter could not hide her joy when

she narrated how her child had inspired her since

joining the school in 2010.

I cannot speak English myself, but I get in-

spired every time I hear my seven-year-old girl

speak it like she was born with it in her mouth, she

said.

CONTINUED ON PAGE TWO

POLLS : Slum residents cautiously optimistic with memories of 2007 still haunting them.

It is our utmost desirethat the decisions issued

by this Chamber today,

bring peace to the peopleof the Republic of

Kenya.Ekaterina Trendafilova

ICC Judge


2/4

Government should rise tothe occasion and deal with

the violence of 2007 .

The confirmation cases at the

International criminal court that com-

mited deputy prime minister Uhuru

Kenyatta, Head of Civil service Francis

Muthaura, William Ruto and Joshua

Arap Sang to trials for crimes against

humanity is a clear example of how the

government has failed to show com-

mitment in prosecuting the perpetra-

tors of the post election violence of

2007.

Even as the saga takes a new twist

everyday the victims of the violence

seem to be completely forgotten as the

debate has shifted as to whether Uhuru

and Ruto should run while thousands

still languish in IDP camps as others

still nurse the woulds they suffered

during the violence.

We should be ashamed of our-

selves for forgetting so fast and con-

centrating on an upcoming election

when we have not sorted issues that

arose from the previous one.

Editor

Vincent Achuka

Photos

John Kiarie, Jake Whipple, KizitoNadebu, Michael Wesonga

Writers

Kizito Nadebu, David Otieno,Joshua Omoke, Paul Owino,

Andrew Otemba,

Michael Wesonga

Technical assistance

Dan Whipple& Kathy Bogan

KIBERA

MIRROROPINION

Write to us on [email protected] or

follow us on www.facebook.com/kiberamirror

Why there is no progress

in the fight against sex-

ual offences

One of the major steps taken to stamp out

sexual offences gender based violence by the

government is passing the sexual offences act

brought by then nominated M.P Njoki

Ndungu. This was a major step to reducing

these cases although there still exists several

challenges especially in the slums where the

cases are prevalent as there lacks co-ordination to oversee the implementation of

the act.

Policing is virtually inexistent in the

slums providing an avenue to perpetrators to

commit these acts and people will tell you that

most of the cases go unreported. For instance

no single police station exists inside Kibera

slum even though close to one million people

live there. The nearest one is Kilimani police

station that is kilometres away. Finally there is

lack of knowledge and government failure to

lay proper strategies to sensitize citizens on the

benefits of the sexual offence act.

By Paul Owino, Nairobi

Picture thisA man walks into a bank in Nairobi and

asks for the loan officer. He tells the loan offi-

cer that he is going abroad on business for

four weeks and needs to borrow 5,000.

The bank officer tells him that the bank

will need some form of security for the loan,

and so the man hands over the keys of a Mer-

cedes Benz S class 500 parked on the street in

front of the bank.

The banks president and its officers all

enjoy a good laugh at the man for using a

KSH 15 Million Mercedes Benz as collateral

against a KSH 5,000 loan.

Four weeks later, the man returns, re-

pays the KSH 5,000 and the interest, which

comes to KSH 150.41.The loan officer asks

him says, Sir, we are very happy to have hadyour business, and this transaction has worked

out very nicely but we are a little puzzled.

While you were away, we checked you out andfound that you are a multi millionaire. What

puzzles us is, why would you bother to borrow

KSH 5,000?

The man replies: Where else in Nairobi

can I park my car for four weeks for only KSH

150.41 and expect it to be there when I re-

turn?

By Joshua Omoke, Nairobi

Self-confidence 101- Your success

highly depends on it

When you focus toomuch on what youwant, the mindWill Create reasonswhy you cant haveit.

Andrew Otemba

Self-confidence is the differ-

ence between feeling unstoppable

and feeling scared out of yourwits. To young people this is

commonly referred to as swag.How you perceive yourself has

an impact on how others perceive

you. Perception is reality - the

more confident you are, the more

likely it is youll succeed.

There are a number of things you

can consciously do to build self-

confidence. By using these

strategies you can get the mental

edge you need to reach your

potential.1. Dress Sharp

Clothes can affect the way

you feel about yourself. When

you dont look good, it changes

the way you carry yourself. This

doesnt mean you must spend a

lot on clothes. One rule is spend

twice as much, buy half as

much. Rather than buying a

bunch of cheap clothes, buy half

as many select, high quality

items. In long run this decreases

spending because expensive

clothes wear out less easily and

stay in style longer.

2. Walk Faster

One of the easiest ways to

tell how a person feels aboutherself is to examine her walk. Is

it slow and tired or is it energetic

and purposeful? Confident peo-

ple have places to go, people to

see, work to do. Even if you

arenot in a hurry, add some pep

in your step.

3. Have Good Posture

Similarly, the way a person

carries herself tells a story. Peo- ple with slumped shoulders and

lethargic movements display a

lack of self-confidence. They are

unenthusiastic about what they

are doing and they dont con-

sider themselves important. By

practicing good posture, youll

automatically feel more confi-

dent. Stand up straight, keep

your head up, and make eye

contact.

4. Practice GratitudeWhen you focus too much on

what you want, the mind creates

reasons why you cant have it.This leads you to dwell on your

weaknesses. The best way toavoid this is consciously focus-

ing on gratitude. Set aside time

each day to mentally list every-

thing you have to be grateful for.

5.Make a Personal Commer-

cial

One of the best ways to build

confidence is listening to a moti-

vational speech. Unfortunately,

opportunities to listen to a

speaker are rare. You can fill this

need by creating a personal com-

mercial. Write a 30-60 second

speech that highlights yourstrengths and goals.

6. Compliment other people

When we think negatively

about ourselves, we often project

that feeling on to others in the

form of insults and gossip. To

break this cycle of negativity, get

in the habit of praising other

people. Refuse to engage in

backstabbing gossip and make

an effort to compliment those

around you. In the process, you

will become well liked and build

self-confidence.

7. Speak up

During group discussions

many people never speak up

because theyre afraid that peo-

ple will judge them for saying

something stupid. This fear isnt

justified. People are more ac-

cepting than we imagine. By

making an effort to speak up atleast once in every group discus-

sion, youll become a better public speaker, more confident

in your own thoughts, and recog-

nized as a leader by your peers.

8. Work out

Physical fitness has an effect

on self-confidence. If youre out

of shape, youll feel insecure,

unattractive, and less energetic.

By working out, you improve

your physical appearance, ener-gize yourself, and accomplish

something positive.

9. Focus on contribution

Too often we get caught up in

our own desires. If you stop

thinking about yourself and con-

centrate on the contribution

youre making to the rest of the

world, you wont worry as much

about you own flaws.

From page one

Kibera School for Girls

begins expansionU.S Ambassador Gration reiterated the com-

mitment of his government to combat poverty and

disease in Africa. He cited the large number of chil-

dren that die every day from preventable diseases

like cholera. More assistance is needed, he said.

Currently the U.S is the largest donor of funds in

the fight against AIDS in Kenya.The school, which opened in 2009, was origi-

nally located in a building that had only eight class-

rooms, built with the help of community members.

The new school has a total of 22 classrooms. It is

better furnished. Enrollment was increased from 64

to 100 students at the beginning of the year.

Also speaking during the occasion RobertForrester, president of Newman's Own Foundation,

commended the efforts Shining Hope for Commu-

nities in solving the complex problems of Kibera.

"Shining Hope for Communities is a greatexample of an organization working within the

community to effect change. He said. Founded by the late actor and philanthropist

Paul Newman, the foundation has been a major

donor to the school's umbrella organization, Shining

Hope for Communities, since 2010.Besides the school, Newman's Own funding

has gone toward health and sanitation services, and

skill training provided to the people of Kibera

through its Johanna Justin-Jinich Community Clinic

and the Shining Hope Community Center. The

100,000 litre water tower, built in a partnership with

Safe Water Network, was also opened. It is now the

single largest source of clean water in Kibera. The

Kibera Mirror is also a project sponsored by Shin-

ing Hope for Communities.

Pic speak

One boys trash is another dogs food as this boy soon

found out when a hungry mongrel came from nowhere

and chased him from trash that he had just dumped on

this huge dumpsite at Gatwekera in Kibera

[Photo: Jake Whipple]

Who wants sausages? Well, this boy surely wanted some as

caught through our lenses on a school day. Either out of igno-

rance or extreme poverty it is common to see children of

school going age loitering around although basic education is

offered for free by the Government. [Photo: John Kiarie]

Hairdresser Mary Anyango doing what she does best,

plaiting at her roadside salon [Photo: Kizito Nadebu]

KIBERA MIRROR ISSUE 6: PAGE 2

The writer is an emergency program assistant for Film

Aid based in Daadab
http://www.thechangeblog.com/self-confidence/http://www.thechangeblog.com/self-confidence/


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KIBERA MIRROR ISSUE 6: PAGE 3ONE ON ONENE ON ONE Anthony KimaniAnthony KimaniAnthony KimaniAt just 21, he was appointed captain of

Mathare united and during that season they clinched

the Kenya premier league title. Today Anthony

Kimani is fast becoming a household name in the

Kenyan football circles and has been capped 9

times by the National team Harambee stars. Kibera

Mirror caught up with him at the Goan institute

grounds in Pangani where his team was having a

practice session in preparation for the upcoming

2012 Kenya premier league season and had a one

on one with him.

We have been told you are known as Modo

Ha-ha, I think they abbreviated it from Kimani.

Before I joined Mathare united there was a player

before me called Alex Kimani and when he left for

the U.S. they called me Modo, just as they used to

call him and it stuck.

Who is Alex Kimani?

Kimani is someone from a humble background. I

grew up between Kariobangi and Korogocho slums.I attended our lady of Fatima primary school my

friends introduced me to Mathare youth sports asso-

ciation (MYSA). I started playing soccer at a tender

age of 8. I have never looked back and I dont re-

gret the decision. During that time one of my

friends had a chance to fly to Norway courtesy of

football. This made me realize how football can

take you places and I became more serious. In

1999, I also had my chance of going to Norway andwhen I saw how soccer can change your life I de-

cided to become a professional footballer.

What does it entail to be a captain of a team

playing top flight soccer?

Basically it is to give direction to the team both on

and off the pitch. I help to solve the players griev-ances and also as captain you have to give motiva-

tion to the team even when things are not going

according to plan. For instance if you are losing, thecaptain should be a believer until the final whistle is

blown.

You play for the National team Harambee stars.

How do you feel everytime you put on the Ken-

yan jersey?

I can tell you Its the best feeling ever for sports

man. Putting on the colours of our National Flag is

the biggest privilege I have ever heard. Every time I

am in the stadium and I hear the National Anthem

being played I feel some tears coming. Maybe it is

just me but I know each player feels that way.

Dou you suffer from fright whenever you enter a

packed stadium?

The first time I played for Kenya was against

Guinea at the Nyayo Stadium. The coach told me to

man Forreman Sare who is playing the French

league. He has exposure and I had just come fromthe premier league. The butterflies have to be there

but you need to be confident and believe in God as

He cant let you down during such moments.

Even the captain Dennis Oliech will inform

when he steps on the pitch he feels jittery

and afterwards he copes.

We have also seen Oliech's brother Kevin

and the guy with a red car, Jamal Mo-

hamed. How do you feel playing alongside

players like them?

It is both an honour and privilege. I used to

play with Jamal some time back and I cansay he is very talented. Infact he is one of

the best midfielders Kenya has ever pro-duced. An since he has been a professional

player abroad he brings new skills to the

team and each time you play with him you

wont miss learning one or two things.

Mathare united last won the premier

league in 2008 and last season you fin-

ished in the 12th

position. How do you see

yourself performing this coming season?

Last year funny enough even though we

finished in the 12th position, we performed

very well. We lost very few games, four orfive. We had very solid defending as most of

our games ended up in draws. The only thing

we were lacking is finding the net but the

coach has brought in new offending players

like Jamal. He is a very creative guy and I

believe he will help us in pushing the ball

forward so this time round we will scoreseveral goals.

Kenya is not in the current African cup of

nations and it is a big shame considering

the quality of talent that the Harambee

stars have in their squad. Funny enough

Uganda even beats us nowadays. Where is

the problem?

The problem is lack of seriousness in the

organization of the team. You find the team

being assembled just a week before a crucial

game. Like in the guinea Bissau game, the

game was supposed to be on Saturday but we

travelled on Thursday and since there were

many stop overs we arrived on the morning

of the game day at 5 am in the morning and

we still had to acclimatize ourselves with the

climate and practice before the game. It was

very tricky so in future if we can avoid suchthings our game will improve.

Speaking of the African cup of nations which

team do you think will win?

Ghana

Is it because you support it or you think it will

win?

I support the Ivory Coast, they have several stars in

the squad but they lack team work. I think Ghana

will go all the way.

Back to Kenya. The Kenyan premier league has

over the past few years improved greatly since

super sport came in. however most people still

identify themselves with the English premier

league. What can be done to grow i t further?

It starts with you and me. We first need to change

our attitude towards local football and appreciate

our talent. The fact is it would take time, even greatteams like Manchester united started somewhere. If

Kenyans start supporting local football you can besure it will grow. Look at the music industry for

example, local artists were the first ones to go pro-

fessional and football has followed suit.

The football scene in Kenya has been charactisedby wrangles in the past and since the elections

last year that made Sam Nyamweya the Presi-

dent, we have not seen any changes. Do you

think KFF is serious?

Change does not come like express coffee. Let us

give them time and give them all the support. If we

want to judge them we can do that in future.

Who is your role model internationally?

Fabio Canavarho. I am a defender like him and his

skills are amazing. I have learnt a lot from him.

What are your aspirations as a player?

To break ranks, I have been playing in the KPL forsome years now and its time I look for other chal-

lenges. I would be happy to play in Europe

Do you have a dream team?

Currently I am looking for stepping stones but my

dream is real Madrid. If I wake up tomorrow andfind myself in Spain alongside Christiano Ronaldo I

would be very happy.

Off the pitch what else do you do?

I have a shop in town that I run and I also go to thegym in the evenings. I have also done some web

designing so hopefully if my career ends I will not

miss something to do.

To those young kids who want to be like you.

What advice can you give them

First discipline is paramount; there are no two waysabout that. 2nd you have to believe in yourself and

work hard. And also put God above everything you

do, you wont fail

Mathare United Captain and Harambee Stars defender Anthony Kimani Modostretches his muscles during a practice session at The Goan Institute on January23. He believes that with more support local football can grow to European

standards. [Photo: Kizito Nadebu]

By Kizito NadebuTwo weeks after the govern-

ment moved to demolish houses at

Soweto in Kibera, it is still unclear

what was the motive behind the early

morning incidents that left thousands

homeless. A government bulldozer

plowed its way into the slum amidst

tight security from the police after

the expiry of a five-day notice issued

by the city council.Families were left homeless

wondering what to do following the

ruling on the court injunction about

the disputed piece of land that had

provided them temporary immunity

for some years. Desperate mothers

struggled to salvage what they could

from their houses. They were joined

by men who tried to carry away theiron sheets and other building mate-

rials that they managed to salvage.There have been conflicting

reports on the legality of the demoli-

tions. The government insists that

the demolitions were necessary to

pave the way for new buildings un-

der the slum upgrading program and

that the people supposed to live there

were relocated to Otiende Estate next

to Langata. The government part-

nered with the United Nations to

construct 600 units in phase one of

the program and so those living there

were doing so illegally.One of the supervisors in charge

of the new apartments who did not

want his identity disclosedonly the

Ministry of Housing may officiallyspeak to the pressinsists that all the

people from the disputed area were

relocated to the new apartments and

those living there came from other

slums. An identification process was

done and after the first relocation. I

can confirm no single person re-

mained in those houses but at some

stage politics and what you are seeing

now is a result of the political med-

dling, he said.

He further insists that since it isa community development project,

consultations were made involving all

the stakeholders, including the reset-

tlement executive committee and the

UN-Habitat. We informed them

before vacating the houses on the

dos and donts, the rent to be paid

and all issues regarding the improve-

ment of the living standards through

decent housing, he said.Everything was discussed ex-

tensively and nobody should claim

the governments decision to demol-

ish the shanties was wrong. There

was a protocol followed in which

workshops were conducted and the

residents were given questionnaires tofill and were asked if they were for

the demolitions. Some were undecided

but when it came to being resettled at

Promised Land they all moved out. The

residents are buying mortgages through

co-operative societies to enable them

own houses in future, he added.He further added that in the new

apartments the residents only pay 1000

shillings per month as rent and at

Soweto they were paying between 700

and 1000 shillings.

However scores of affected resi-dents insist that the new houses con-

structed by the government were notenough and some people were left be-

hind with a promise that the issue would be addressed, leading to a fierce court

battle between them and the government

that climaxed with them being thrown

out.Mercy Mwende is one such resi-

dent. When people were moved to the

new houses, it was realized that the

houses were not enough and others re-

turned including me. Furthermore it is

tough living in the new houses as three

families stay in one unit. How do you

survive in such conditions? The govern-

ment has just shown it doesnt care

about the poor. The people who ordered

this are right now in their expensive

bungalows when I have nowhere to gowith my 4 children, she explains bit-

terly.

Thousands still homeless amidst conflicting

statements on the Soweto demolition

Residents try to salvage their property as a Government Bulldozer

demolishes more houses in Soweto on Jan 5. [Photo: Vincent Achuka]

/kiberamirror


4/4

TheKibera Mirroris published and distributed monthly for free by Shining Hope For Communities as part of its programs aimed at empowering the youth throughdeveloping their media skills and also to bring attention to the issues affecting the residents of Kibera and other informal settlements. Correspondence should be

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KIBERA MIRROR ISSUE 6: PAGE 4

Children's home

grown on faith

Six years ago Mr. Joshua Mbithi, a

minister in the Africa Inland Church, and his

spouse Miriam Mbithi had just retired from

20 years of service in a childrens home in

Eldoret. They didnt know what lay ahead

for them.As Mr. Mbithi puts it, Simply and

plainly its a call from God. God led us to

start a home for HIV/ AIDS infected and

affected children. The couple presented a

proposal to the appropriate agencies to open

a group home in Elgon View Estate off Old

Nairobi Road. In an interview, Mr. Mbithi

says he had to answer many questions about

the home. But the most fundamental waswhether he was prepared to bury the chil-

dren.The panelists believed at the time that

children afflicted with AIDS were bound to

succumb to the disease.Yes, Mr. Mbithi answered, he was

prepared to bury the children. He believed

God would grant them grace to go through

the pain of death.

A second question was how the homewas to be funded. His answer: We pray and

believe in God for provisions.

On 30th April 2005, they opened the

doors of the Neema Childrens Home intheir six-bedroom house to four-year-old

Bruce Nzioka. Bruce has since been

adopted, but the home continues to thrive.Today, the home has of 42 children,

the oldest 14 years and the youngest only amonth. Twenty-eight are girls and 14 are

boys. Neema can accommodate as many as

50 children. There is a permanent staff of

12, and eight additional casual workers who

fill in when necessary.

Only two deaths so far

Whereas 32 of the orphans are either

AIDS positive or exposed, 15 of them are on

antiretroviral therapy (ARVs). By the time

the children were ready to occupy a new four-

year-old facility within his compoundbuilt

in 2007the Mbithis had housed 17 children

in their house for two years.

The home has recorded only two deaths.Caring for these children isnt easy. A

few minutes before our interview Mbithi had

rushed a sick boy to hospital. Whenever a

child is sick, Miriam medically monitors thepatient. If the situation worsens, they take the

child to a doctor for further diagnosis.This is basically where we work be-

cause it keeps us on our toes, day and night

Mbithi says.Most of the children come from the

Academic Model for Providing Access to

Health Care (AMPATH) Eldoret.When children are abandoned and end

up at AMPATH, the social workers there

develop a case history for the child and there-

after contact the District Childrens Officer,

who in turn contacts the home for approval,

or at the same time liaising with the chil-

drens magistrates.The process usually takes a week, and

the transfers are made on Thursdays.

It costs over Shs400,000 every month to

pay utility bills, salaries, food and so on.Three years ago they began a school within

the compound. The school runs from nurseryto class eight with 78 pupils, 33 from the

home and the rest from the neighborhood. The schools stu-

dents are sitting their first Kenya Certificate for Primary Edu-

cation (KCPE) this year.When the children get to secondary school, the home

will look for a high school in the vicinity.

A noble ministry

It is a noble ministry that gives joy and also tears.

Though they get tired, spiritual strength keeps them going.Mbithi remembers how hopeless, now six years old,

Sharons case was. She was never to live, he says, she was

so badly off.

But today she is a vibrant healthy girl who stands up tall.

Another case is that of Seth Sawe who was brought tothe home a month old, weighing only one kilogram. Meithei's

daughter Esther removed the clothes from one of her small

dolls clothes fitted Sawe, but they still hung loosely on him.The homes neighbors have been generous. One family

has regularly given the home five trays of eggs every two

weeks and 600 pieces of queen cakes in every two months.

Another family gives 20 loaves of bread every week,

Mbithi says, The community is very supportive, they

encourage us, we dont feel like we are intruders or a threat to

them . God provides.

From page one

Is it the end of poll

violence as ICC

makes ruling?are still living in internally displaced

persons (IDP) camps across the country.

The organizers of the violence have not

been held accountable. When delivering

the ruling ICC Pre-trial chamber 2 presid-

ing judge Ekaterina Trendafilova said she

hoped it would bring peace to the country.It is our utmost desire that the deci-

sions issued by this chamber today, bring

peace to the people of the Republic of

Kenya, she said.Some of the people interviewed by

the Kibera Mirror in Kibera said the ac-

quittal of former police boss Hussein Ali brings a general feeling that the police

have been absolved of any wrongdoingeven when most of the killings that took

place in Kibera and Kisumu were carried

out by them. According to Sam Nyaisura,

he is happy on the developments at the

Hague and the acquittal of Ali is not an

issue although the police should be held

accountable.I was here in 2007 and even wit-

nessed the uprooting of the railway and

everyone knows that the police who camehere shot a lot of people, he adds.

Kibera and Kisumu experienced

some of the most brutal attacks in theviolence that followed the December

2007 presidential election. The Commis-sion of Inquiry into the Post-Election

Violence, set up in February 2008 to in-

vestigate the violence found that, overall,

the police killed 405 of a total of 1,100

people who died during the violence, and

injured a further 557. The vast majority of

these killings by police are thought to

have occurred in Kibera and Kisumu.However ICC prosecutor Moreno

Ocampo reiterated that even though he

would not be filing an appeal, he is going

to conduct a fresh round of investigations

into the cases against Ali and Kosgey.

However it remains to be seen whetherthey would yield any results since the

crimes were committed five years ago or

whether for the first time in 20 years

Kenya would hold a fair election free of

violence.

Vibrant Sharon enjoying herself at the Children's

home during recess [photo: Michael Wesonga]

Like its name suggests Neema Children's home now

provides a safe haven for children living with HIV/AIDS even

though it was started without any source of funding

Simply and plainly its acall from God. God led us

to start a home for HIV/

AIDS infected and affected

children.Joshua Mbithi

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kibera mirror January 2012 Edition