Leadership By Numbers

Their system admin, Pascal, is a great guy who works with the children in the Nyumbani Computer Learning Center, provides technical support with the operational staff, and has even set up a computer center in far-flung Kitui. It's truly off-the-grid when you have to bring your generators to power up a small LAN of laptops.

I'm sharing Pascal's latest e-mail with you as a sort of Lenten reflection. We all have bad days at work, but Kenya is in a lot of turmoil and the difficulties are rising. Pascal included two photos, which I'm not including for wide distribution, because of their graphic portrayal of violence. The first is of a small room with a young child crying, and the deceased mother on the floor in a pool of blood. The second is of burned corpses inside a home or church, with on-lookers gazing through a window.

Pascal mentions the comments of Mark Shuttleworth (http://www.markshuttleworth.com/archives/140) on the Kenyan conflict. I had sent Pascal the link because Nyumbani uses Ubuntu, and he's been working on becoming LPI certified having just completed a three-day course in Nyumbani.

Right now, I'm working with a few people in IBM to get their support for some Domino/Notes licenses. That's a longer story, but here is Pascal's note:

Hello,

    I trust this finds you well. I also trust your family is doing fine.
    Am sorry it has taken me a long time to respond to your emails.

    Our media here does not show us anything that they feel is extreme or could easily flame up the already bad situation - you are probably more informed on this situation than 85% of Kenyans. The Government has set a blanket ban on al live transmissions. At times I watch Al Jazeera and Sky news to see what is 'Really happening' to our country. The Internet is also a good source of info.

    I am doing fine and I manage to go to work everyday. Though I never leave my house very early in the morning because it is not secure and then again in the evening I have to get home early. This means that am always late to get to work and I leave early. My performance is not good right now.

    My parents, brother, two sisters and a niece were not as fortunate. They were ejected from their home that they had been living in for 17 years, because, they are from a different community that is not the majority in that particular neighborhood. They had to stay at a police station for two days for fear of their safety and wait on the police to escort them from that neighborhood before getting transport to my Aunts place where they are staying at the moment.

    'Calm' has returned in parts of Nairobi though they can not go back to their home for the fear of being attacked. Much of my parent belongings and property are still left back and we do not know if that is still available or has been looted.
    There are ongoing negotiations on the situation led by Koffi Annan and a team of former Presidents from several countries in Africa.

    This is the second week into the talks and so far everything appears to be heading to the right direction.

    The terms of reference on these talks are-

   1. Restorations of immediate and long term peace and Reconciliation of different communities to live together in harmony again (This will be tough, the level of inter communal hatred has sky rocketed. Especially against the Kikuyus)
   2. Equitable distribution of resource - Land being the main agenda.
   3. Disputed Poll Results This is the most controversial. If it is not solved amicably then there will definately no signs of Peace in the near future.


Mark Shuttleworth make an interesting and true observation on Africa in general, especially on the fact that a leadership that clings to power in bad taste cannot and will not let go because a bitter time in power is nothing compared to a bitter time after power. Young Kenyans are disheartened by the outcome of the Disputed Presidential results. This was the first time most of them had come out to vote. Most now have vowed this election to be their last.

In 2002 Kenyans were voted to be the most optimistic people in the world. (This is when Kibaki the 'President' was democratically elected by 3.5 million Kenyans as the President of this country. Five years down the line and here we are. Our country is nothing short of a police state, our streets have been taken over by outlawed gangs and militia groups, neighbors who have been living together for years have turned against each other with machetes and clubs killing indiscriminately.

In Africa the only way the citizenry has a say on it's governance and well being is through the ballot. Democratic elections and fair results is a right that should be guarded at all costs. Without this fundamental right being observed it opens a door of abuse to all the other human rights. If the leadership of a country can not be changed through the ballot (Free and Fair elections) then the talk of democracy and peace in the whole of Africa is just a pipe dream. It is sad that Kenya had been standing out and leading by example. Our leaders have changed their positions and policies and taken up partisan politics to satisfy their own individual and selfish needs. We do not have leaders any more just politicians who dressed up as leaders to get to power and then turned in to their true characters.

Am sorry for witting such a long email. I'll try and keep short next time attached to this are pictures which touched me the most.

Mark Shuttleworth ends his observation by saying "we are on track to see healthy changes in governance becoming the norm and not the exceptions in Africa". I hope this happens sooner rather that later. Despite everything I believe there is a future for Kenya and it's people to live together peacefully. But, this can only happen if we as people and our politicians are ready to handle nothing short of the truth. The Government has to own up and give up it's hard line stance on the causes of this matter - A flawed election, historical injustices that were swept under the rag and never dealt with. Quick fix solutions will also not hold up in the course of time we need leadership and we need it yesterday...

Otherwise on a different note, Obama is not doing very bad. What do you think? I hope you are a Democrat. Am neither a Democrat nor a Republican, but am Obama.

Regards

Pascal