John Mathenge’s HOYMAS & Mpeketoni Terrorist Attacks – What is in Common.

Kenya is country bleeding on so many fronts – both literally and metaphorically. But it is also a country crying for a re-birth of Nationalism, ideals and vision. We should as a country decide whether we want to break down into ethnic fiefdoms or we want a new Kenya, where every single person has equal rights and responsibilities. And that is EVERY SINGLE KENYAN regardless of tribe, race, religion, gender, sexual orientation or any such non-essential differentiators.  Every single Kenyan!

This would call on us to create inclusive and fairer political system in which every individual, whether a devout Christian, devout Muslim or one who does not believe in any religion, feels as being equal and full stakeholder in the Kenyan citizenship. This calls for governance systems and structures that distribute state resources evenly among Kenyans of all walks of lives, all ages, and ethnic groups. No one, absolutely no one should feel alienate d in the new political dispensation. All should share in this Kenyan Utopia.

About John Mathenge

John Mathenge and his group HOYMAS do not feel included in this Utopia. Let me tell you something about John Mathenge. I remember when John Mathenge walked into the office. He had called earlier to ask for an appointment. There were people who were not happy that he had recently relocated from Mombasa to Nairobi. They did not want me to give him a hearing – but as a leader of a National coalition (GALCK), one does not have the luxury choosing who to work or not work with. 

Mathenge had this idea of starting a rescue and nutritional centre for people (gay men and other men who have sex with men – MSM mainly) living with HIV. Mathenge noted that adherence to treatment on empty stomachs or when living on the streets was near impossible. What I did was to task Mathenge to start this group, promising to offer him the support he needed. He started the group and it’s known as HOYMAS.

Today HOYMAS is one of the few groups – and certainly the only MSM group that offers opportunity for persons living with HIV to adhere to treatment by providing for safe keeping for the HIV drugs. HOYMAS also offers comradeship necessary for treatment adherence. HOYMAS has managed to break the stigma that comes with being on treatment.

The Attack

But all this calm was brought to a halt last Friday. A group of hired young men broke into the HOYMAS offices, destroyed property and even called on neighbours and passers by claiming that HOYMAS was spreading homosexuality. About 150 people surrounded the office to witness the spectacle. The police arrested the ringleader, but later released him on a free bond. There are unverified rumours that while the assailant was in custody, he was visited by the leaders of Maendeleo ya Wanaume and it is they who secured his release.

Yet when Mathenge went to follow on the issue the police now threatened to detain him. John was saved by high level calls to senior government officials in the ministry of health, UNAIDS and luckily for John, a few friends that he has in the police department.

How is this related to Mpeketoni Terrorist (or political) Attacks

It takes a keen observer to note the basic mould of the HOYMAS attack is informed by the same security weaknesses and vulnerability to moral vigilantism that afflicts Kenya on a National scale. In HOYMAS case, the attack were motivated by the clossing of ranks between anti-gay groups such as Maendeleo ya Wanaume, and gay blackmailers. Realizing that anti-gay groups are willing to pay a price for hunting down gays in Kenya, the black-mailers are now working for such groups. For the anti-gay groups, working with the blackmailers is a question of the end justifying the means.

Yet, is this not the same reasoning that informs the murderous gangs that kill people in Mpeketoni and other terrorist attacks? How is it possible that an individual or a group can go around killing others with absolute impunity? – The End Justifies The Means!  But this is possible because of a number of factors unique to Kenyans:

• The mainstreaming of the view that other people are “lesser than” therefore their lives are expendable. The view that others are “lesser than” could be on account of their tribal affiliation, religious or moral affiliation or in the case of HOYMAS, sexual orientation.
• The mainstreaming of protection for “our criminals.” These could be the tribal corruption lords, the moral vigilantes that beat up gay people and women who dress in certain styles or it could be politicians from our tribe.
• The “outsourcing” of our capacity for agency and reasoning to local political thugs. These have no respect for our constitution especially the National values and principles of governance.

What do we do?

I think the answer to our problems is very simple. As a country we are ethnically and religiously divided because of poor leadership. The leadership has failed to unite the country, since we have chosen to hold on to the view that others are “lesser than,” we are willing to protect “our criminals” even as we “outsource” our reasoning capacity to these “criminals.”

We can easily dismantle the hegemony of these “criminals” by asserting as our constitution does in Article 27, the dignity of every person in Kenya. That regardless of their tribal affiliation, regardless of their religious or moral affiliation, regardless of their sexual orientation (and yes we need to start using this phrase as a metaphor of inclusivity) ALL Kenyans have equal dignity, due to them as human beings. 

This will then call for us to create governance systems and structures that distribute state resources evenly among Kenyans of all walks of lives, all ages, all religions and ethnic groups. No one, absolutely no one should feel alienate d in this political dispensation. All should share in this Kenyan Utopia.