Kenya

Sarah Colegrove SOC 350 12/11/2012

Colegrove Kenya I remember clearly the first time I heard of Kenya. I was about six and I was watching Young Indiana Jones and the Phantom Train of Doom with my dad. The movie was set in British East Africa and German East Africa during World War I while most of the action took place in Kenya between the Indian Ocean, Nairobi, and Lake Victoria. Kenya was portrayed as an exotic but dangerous and sometimes barren land. The people were seen as less than civilized

(even less than human) who were weak, helpless, and needed the colonizing nations (MacDonald 1999). Is this picture really Africa? After researching Kenya, it is apparent that Africa is very different from how it is portrayed in movies. Situated on the equator on Africas east coast, Kenya has been described as the cradle of humanity (Kenya Profile 2012). It is in the Great Rift Valley that cuts through Kenya, where scientists have found the earliest signs of humanity. Today this cradle of humanity is victim to poverty, oppression, and underdevelopment. Since Kenya was freed from British rule (or even as far back when British rule first came to Kenya) the country has suffered tremendously. Kenya & Resources Kenya is located in East Africa along the Horn of Africa. On the east, Kenya is bordered by the Indian Ocean. Somalia, Ethiopia, South Sudan, Uganda, Tanzania, and the disputed Ilemi Triangle border the rest of Kenya (Kenya Profile 2012). The most common mineral resources in Kenya are soda ash and titanium, while gold, coal, iron ore, manganese, diatomite, and natural carbon dioxide are found in lesser quantities throughout the region (Minerals Position 2012). The wildlife found in Kenya is one of their most famous resources. Kenya has an assortment of wildlife lions, zebras, elephants, and gazelle to just name a few and the landscape is widely

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varied from beaches, plateaus, valleys, and highlands (Kenya 2012). Disneys The Lion King was said to be based on the Great Rift Valley in Kenya and Tanzania, and many of the animals portrayed in the movie can be found in Kenya. The wildlife and land are a source of good for the country but they face many problems. Tourism is a big industry in Kenya that brings in revenue to the country through wildlife safaris and game hunting. However, the wildlife and arable land is in an almost constant threat of global warming, drought, poachers who threaten the survival of some of the species, deforestation, and chemicals that harm the local environments (Kenya 2012). Kenyas religious composition is mainly Christian with 45% being Protestant and 33% Roman Catholic. Ten percent of Kenyas population is Muslim, and 10% of the population belongs to an indigenous religion (Kenya 2012). Religious violence is present. Religious violence has been rising in Kenya over the past months. Several bombings in Somali dominated areas have sparked violence against the Somali community in Kenya. (Religious Violence 2012) Vice-president Kalonzo Musyota said, The terrorists intention is to cause friction between Christians and Muslims. (Religious Violence 2012) While the friction between the two religions has started to appear, it has not stopped Christians and Muslims from banding together in hate. Both Christian and Muslim leaders have joined to encourage violence against the LGBT community in Kenya (Religious Leaders 2012). Oppression: Politics and the Economy In 1895, the area we now know as Kenya was colonized by the British Empire. Until independence it was known as the British East Africa (Kenya 2012). Kenya was one of the few colonies in Africa where the British government encouraged its citizens to settle and live in

Colegrove Kenya because of the fertile land, good climate, and abundant wildlife. In late 1963, Kenya gained full independence from the British, and it was in 1964 that the Republic of Kenya was formed. Jomo Kenyatta, leader of the Kenyan African Union (which was a resistance group against British rule), became the first president after independence. In 1978, Kenyatta was replaced by Vice-President Danial arap Moi (only after Kenyatta died in office). In 1982 a coup was attempted but was quickly put down and Moi retained his office. In 2002, Moi was finally replaced in office; his successor was Mwai Kibaki. Until 2002 (with the election of Kibaki), the Kenya African National Union (KANU) was the ruling party for forty years (they had been the

party in power since independence). In 2007, Kibaki technically lost the election but was able to hold on to power and his position as the president; although widespread violence has occurred as a result (Kenya Profile 2012). George Ayittey (1998) would call these rulers Big Men who have instituted and reinforced a system of governance that involves patronage politics where relationships are more important than ability. Since independence Kenya has had only three different leaders Kenyatta, Moi, and Kibaki each contributing to the corruption and violence that is very present in the country. Corruption is very rampant in Kenya. Citizens often have to resort to bribing officials so that they survive in Kenya. They have to offer bribes to get the government to do things for them, such as pursuing an investigation of a crime. The 2007-2008 post-election violence in Kenya further demonstrates the impacts of corruption, as the police were found to have participated in extra judicial killings instead of being the protectors of the innocent. (Ngunjiri 2008:10) The executive, legislative, and judicial parts of the government are very intertwined and corrupt. While the judiciary is expected to convict corrupt persons, it is full of corrupt lawyers and judges, such that even justice is for sale to the highest briber. (Ngunjiri 2008:10)

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Kenya had been one of the largest economies in East Africa; it has been a center for trade and finance. However, the economy is built on shaky ground. Their economy has become an enclave economy where they rely on just a few primary goods for exports and income (Kenya 2012). Leonard and Straus (2003), in their book Africas Stalled Development, highlight the dangers of having an enclave economy. The reliance on just a few primary goods can have a major impact on Kenyas economy since their economy is dependent on the whims of the international market. If Uganda decided to produce all of the same products Kenya did such as tea, coffee, and corn but charged a price that was far lower than Kenya, the demand for Kenyas products would decrease drastically. This would cause the suppliers of these products to take a substantial cut in pay which could put many of them out of business. The GNI per capita in Kenya increased from $370 in 1990 to $780 in 2010. However, in comparison to the United States, the ratio between Kenyas GNI per capita and the United States has grown worse for Kenya; it went from 1.698% of the U.S. GNI per capita in 1990 to 1.655% in 2010 (World Bank 1992; World Bank 2010; World Bank 2012). Among those who are not in the upper and middle classes, poverty is very present. The unemployment rate in 2008 was 40% and 50% of the population lives below the poverty line (Kenya 2012). This poverty line appears to be firmly in place as the government is not putting a decisive effort to stopping corruption in their government, which allows citizens to wallow in devastating poverty (Ngunjiri 2008). Poverty and Underdevelopment? Kenya suffers from the HIV/AIDS virus. The Kenyan population is roughly 43 million people; however, about 1.5 million of the population is living with HIV/AIDS. In 2009, there

Colegrove were about 180,000 children under the age of 14 who had HIV. An estimated 4.1% of women

between 15 and 24 that suffer from HIV while 1.8% of men between 15 and 49 are infected with HIV. In 2009, there were about 80,000 deaths from HIV/AIDS. This leads to many problems, one of the main being a lack of a labor force. Many are not able to stay healthy enough to be in the labor force for a long period of time. Out of the 43 million, only 18.39 million are part of the labor force and the median age in the country is 18 (Kenya 2012). To give this some perspective, in the U.S. the median age is 37 and 1.2 million out of the roughly 313.8 people in the U.S. have HIV/AIDS (United States 2012). The population is of Kenya is also at a high risk for contracting bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, typhoid fever, malaria, Rift Valley fever, schistosomiasis, and rabies all of which can be contracted through their surrounding environment. Many of these diseases can be cured with medicine, however, there are only .14 doctors per 1000 people and 1.4 hospital beds per 1000 (Kenya 2012). As a result of these health problems, the life expectancy in 2010 was 54.4 years, which is a decrease from 59 years in 1990 (World Bank 1992; World Bank 2012). The under-five mortality rate per 1000 live births in 2007 was 121, which was an increase from 104.5 deaths per 1000 in 1990 (World Bank1990; World Bank 2010). Even though Kenya suffers from many health problems and poverty has caused many to die from starvation, the population density of the country has increased from 41.7 people per square kilometer in 1990 to 70 in 2010 (World Bank 1992; World Bank 2012). This puts an added strain on an already precarious situation. Women and the Development Challenge

Colegrove Kenya has experienced many different development issues (such as health, corruption, and economics). Women and their role in modern day Kenya is a significant issue to the development of the country. Women in Kenya suffer from poverty, oppression, and underdevelopment in more than one way. Dr. Jeniffer Riria, CEO of Kenya Womens Finance Trust, said When men lack money, violence against women and girls increase. (Ngunjiri

2008:4) Violence against women is widespreadthe situation was exacerbated during the postelection violence in 2007thousands of women and children were raped during this volatile period. (United Nations) Widows are vulnerable to wife inheritance and ritual cleansing where a man is paid to have sex with her to cleanse her of evil spirits associated with her husbands death. (Social Institutions) The police in Kenya reported 627 rapes in 2008. However the U.S. State Department did another report that estimated the number of rapes in 2008 in Kenya to be 21,000. In Kenya, the feminization of poverty (where women are disproportionately represented amongst the poor) is very present. Women and girls suffer disproportionately from human rights abuses that occurWomen lose their land, resources, and are unable to get justice for cases of rape, battering and other abuses where men have more economic power and can subvert justice by offering bribes. (Ngunjiri 2008:9) Because women are not valued as much as their male counterparts, they are more likely to end up in poverty. Women who are able to afford to give birth in a medical care facility in Kenya put themselves and their child at risk of abuse. The Center for Reproductive Rights (2007) released a report which found that women suffered in these facilities. Some women reported sexual assault and mutilation of the womans sexual organs. Other women have suffered from physical abuse from the nurse attending them, contracted HIV from unsanitary conditions, and have been

Colegrove verbally attacked. Women and the Development Solution Three different groups Kenya Women Finance Trust Limited (KWFT), Beacon of Hope, and Amani ya Juu have emerged in Kenya to address the issue of womens roles in modern day Kenya. Kenya Women Finance Trust Limited was formed in 1981 by a group of

professional women in Kenya. The goal of KWFT was to provide a bank service that gives small loans to women and girls who are trying to improve their situation in life. If these women and girls have a small business that is already running, they can get a loan from KWFT to expand or improve the business. This bank is unique because it is solely for women. The only way a man can be given a loan is by having his wife be the main signer of the loan while he is a co-signer. For a long time women have had little or no access to credit. KWFT aims at bridging this gap in the financial services sector but our focus is the family. (Kenya Women 2012) Jane Wathome, a Kenyan woman, started Beacon of Hope in 2002. The Beacon of Hope (BOH) project works specifically with women living with and affected by HIV/AIDS within poor communities by empowering and equipping them to meet their spiritual, physical, emotional, economic and family needs in a sustainable way. The women they help are those who have HIV/AIDS, lost a spouse to HIV/AIDS (even if the woman tests negative) or are caring for an individual who has HIV/AIDS. BOH helps these women to learn business skills so that they can provide for themselves. They offer counseling services, assist children with education, prevention, and health services, food relief, accessibility to resources, to influence changes in the legal, cultural, economical structures and practices that lead to discrimination of women infected with HIV/AIDS and help to create home based care (Beacon of Hope 2012).

Colegrove BOH does more than offer money; they offer hope and a chance for a better life. Not just for the

women but also for their family as the skills and education they receive from BOH can be taught to future generations. Amani ya Juu is an organization that was created to provide women with sewing and marketing training. This project works specifically with marginalized women in Kenya to provide them with valuable life skills that they can use to start a business or to find work if they decide to leave the program. The women who are a part of Amani ya Juu belong to a variety of ethnicities and many are refugees that have fled to Kenya (Kenya has over half a million refugees). By having these women work together to learn sewing and marketing skills while they make products to sell (they are able to earn money through the projects they make in this program), they are able to see beyond the ethnic and national identities that these different women have and see each other as fellow members of humanity and society. Amani ya Juu works toward Providing a just income that allows women not merely to survive, but to meet basic health care needs, education for their children and adequate housingpromoting peace and reconciliation in the work place and in the communityvaluing local cultures and traditions, incorporating them into the philosophy and social environment of the program. (Amani ya Juu 2012) What is unique about the three different groups is that they are organizations that were started by Kenyan women for Kenyan women. These organizations did not form out of the West nor are they dependent on the charity of the West, rather they are African solutions for Africa. The international community needs to let Kenya help itself and decide its own future. The West has imposed itself too much on Africa already. Kenya will be better off if the solution is one from Africa for Africa where it fits the unique circumstances and situation of Kenya.

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Each of the programs tries to address the issue of women and their limited role in society. They try to liberate women from being stuck in abusive situations or dire poverty by giving them a means of surviving on their own. In many cases, these programs do succeed in bringing a better life for these women. But what do we do about the poverty, oppression, and underdevelopment that exists across Kenya in many different forms? Gods Dream? Desmond Tutu, in his book God has a Dream, talks about the struggles to end apartheid in South Africa and how they dealt with the aftermath of it. This highlights a way that we are to go about achieving Gods dream of reconciliation. Tutu says that reconciliation can only come about when, We must be radical. We must go to the root, remove that which is festering, cleanse and cauterize, and then a new beginning is a possibility. (Tutu 2004:54) Kenya has faced a significant amount of political violence, has a large number of refugees within their borders, and has many of the people struggling daily with poverty and oppression. It would be possible to take the example Tutu gave about South Africa and the reconciliation that took place there and apply that to the situation in Kenya. While it is not one ethnic group oppressing the other, in Kenya, it is the haves oppressing the have-nots. True reconciliation is based on forgiveness, and forgiveness is based on true confession, and confession is based on penitence, on contrition, on sorrow for what you have done. (Tutu 2004:53) The corrupt leaders and elites in Kenya would have to meet with the citizens of Kenya who have suffered unjustly under their rule. They would need to have a conservation that included the leaders asking for true forgiveness. Once this reconciliation has taken place, it cannot go back to the way things used to be, nor can the oppressed begin to start oppressing the

Colegrove former oppressors. ). If we could but recognize our common humanity, that we do belong

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together, that our destinies are bound up in one anothers, that we can be free only together, that we can survive only together, that we can be human only together, then a glorious world would come into being where all of us lived harmoniously together as members of one family, the human family, Gods family, (Tutu 2004:23-24) Once the common humanity is recognized in both sides, they will be able to work together to form a government that is just, provides for, and protects everyone equally and is not reliant on the status of the individual or the bribe offered. They will be freed to be human again and to live in community with one another (Tutu 2004). Conclusion Since independence Kenya has faced poverty, oppression, and underdevelopment. Looking at life conditions and the political environment, there does not seem to be much hope for Kenya. The situation seems to be getting worse than it was at the time of independence. There is hope for the future for Kenya with the organizations such as KWFT, Beacon of Hope, and Amani ya Juu who bring a chance for survival and dignity to women in Kenya. However, before the country can truly recover from the poverty, oppression, and underdevelopment that is present, the reconciliation that Desmond Tutu proposed needs to take place. This reconciliation process that Tutu calls for is not a quick fix, nor is it an easy one. Rather it can be a long and very painful process. In the end its worth it. Kenya has a lot of hurt and pain that can be traced back to colonial rule. In order for Kenya to move out of poverty, oppression, and underdevelopment, the country needs to go through the reconciliation process together. The citizens and those in power need to be open honest with each other so that all can be freed from the oppression (Tutu 2004). Women will be able to seek protection from sex crimes, justice will be pursued by the police, and the government officials will work for the people and the good of

Colegrove the nation instead of working for the good of themselves. When I think about this reconciliation process that Tutu proposes, the song Human Again from the Beauty and the Beast musicale comes to mind. While the song is from a fairy tale, it is easy to image the hearts of the oppressed and the oppressor crying out as those in the fairy tale did: Ha ha, we, my friends. The day we have waited for may be at hand! Oh, only if that were true, Lumiere! AahHuman again Human again Yes, think of what that means!... I cant wait to be human again When were human again Only human again Its my prayer to be human again When Im human again Only human again When the world once more making sense Sweep up the years Of sadness and tears And throw them away!... When we cast off this pall Well stand straight, well walk tall When were all that we were Stepping, striding as fine as you please Like a real human does Ill be all that I was On that glorious morn When were finally reborn And were all of us human again! (Human Again Lyrics)

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I can only imagine what this reconciliation will mean not only for Kenya but also for the world when the humanness of the people is restored to them.

Colegrove Works Cited Amani ya Juu. 2012. "Sewing and Reconciliation Project for Marginalized Women in Africa.", Retrieved December 11, 2012. (http://www.amaniafrica.org/index.php). Ayittey, George B. 1998. Africa in Chaos. New York: St. Martins Press. "Beacon of Hope."2012. Retrieved December 11, 2012. (http://www.beaconafrica.org/en/index.php). Center for Reproductive Rights. 2007. "Women Suffer Decades of Abuse in Kenya's Health Facilities, According to New Fact-Finding Report.", Retrieved December 11, 2012.

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(http://reproductiverights.org/en/press-room/women-suffer-decades-of-abuse-in-kenyashealth-facilities-according-to-new-fact-finding-r). "Human Again Lyrics."2012. Retrieved December 11, 2012. (http://www.metrolyrics.com/human-again-lyrics-beauty-and-the-beast.html). "Kenya."2012. Retrieved December 11, 2012. (https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/theworld-factbook/geos/ke.html). "Kenya Profile."2012. BBC News, Retrieved December 11, 2012. "Kenya Women Finance Trust Limited."2012. , Retrieved December 11, 2012. (http://www.kwft.org/index.php). Leonard, David K. and Scott Straus. 2003. Africa's Stalled Development: International Causes & Cures. Boulder, CO: Lynne Rienner Publishing. MacDonald, Peter [Producer]. 1999. The Adventures of Young Indiana Jones: The Phantom

Colegrove Train of Doom. VHS. "Minerals Position in Kenya."2012. , Retrieved December 9, 2012. (http://www.environment.go.ke/archives/category/minesgeology/mineralinkenya).

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"Religious Leaders are Preaching Hate and Violence Against Kenya's Gay Community."2012. , Retrieved December 11, 2012. (http://www.hivos.nl/eng/News/News/Religious-leadersare-preaching-hate-and-violence-against-Kenya-s-gay-community). "Religious Violence on the Rise in Kenya."2012. , Retrieved December 11, 2012. (http://www.persecution.org/2012/11/27/religious-violence-on-the-rise-in-kenya/). Social Institutions & Gender Index. 2012. "Gender Equality in Kenya.", Retrieved December 11, 2012. (http://genderindex.org/country/kenya). Tutu, Desmond. 2004. God has a Dream: A Vision of Hope for our Time. New York: Image Books Doubleday. United Nations Development Fund for Women. "Violence against Women in Kenya.", Retrieved December 11, 2012. (http://saynotoviolence.org/sites/default/files/press/EN_Press_ Kit_FactSheet_VAWinKenya.pdf). United States. 2012. Retrieved December11, 2012. (https://www.cia.gov/library/publicatio ns/the-world-factbook/goes/us.html).

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-----. 2012. World Development Report 2012: Gender Equality and Development. New York: Oxford University Press.