Changes that come with age.

There is an interesting web-application known as ‘oldify.’ A friend who has yet to come to terms with the unstoppable progression of time – and ageing in particular does not like this application. On my part I like it, because it helps one to come to terms with the inevitability of the cycles of life.

Many people and gay people in particular are tempted to want to remain ‘eternally young.’ Yet the only way one can remain forever young is if they die young.  I have to admit accepting grey hair on my head has been the second hardest body change I have had to accept. This change has however become easy with time, as I observe the changing profile of “out” gay and lesbian people in Kenya – and across the continent in general.

It has now been 10 years since we started Gay Kenya – now known as Gay Kenya Trust. Many of the founding members are still close friends, so as you can imagine, we have observed each other change (and age) over the last 10 years.  Our oldest member is currently 52 – which may not seem remarkable in some parts of the world, but in Kenya it certainly is.

An interesting albeit inept advocacy gay rights advocacy messaging we have used in the past is “we are not interested in marriages.” While I recall being a strong advocate of this advocacy strategy I now cringe when I hear its echo in different forums. Our reasoning at the time was that people would be less opposed to our advocacy, if we dressed it in terms of “requesting for services, especially health services.”

But the fact is relationships are important. And with every year that passes, I feel this need more and more.  While it’s not a “do or die” kind of need, the need for relationships does seem to fit within a broader goal of pursuit for happiness and sense of fulfillment in life.

Someone wrote “relationships are not peripheral to a successful life.” I do not know whether this statement has any truth, but one thing is clear to me today; a good and healthy relationship would be a beautiful thing to have.

Is the world becoming too dangerous?

They called it ‘Narco Emotions.’ “Social media platforms have emerged as prominent information sharing ecosystems in the context of a variety of recent crises…” so much so, we are increasingly getting desensitized to all the senseless killing happening around us.

Open Facebook or Twitter account and you will get newsfeed from across the globe about all these killings – whether it’s the Malaysian airlines – both flights, the Israel – Palestinian conflict and countless others.

Here in Kenya, we have attacks in the coastal towns of Lamu, Tana River, and almost the entire Northern Kenya region – it seems like we are in this vicious cycle of violence that threatens to take all of us.

We must begin, to build a virtuous circle of trust, confidence and mutual support. We should from our individual and collectives begin to do this, while we still can. This should, in my view be the “take away” message from all this horrible things happening around us.

The time to do it is now, that is the only protection we have, unfortunately we do not have much time, so please begin now – yes right now.

Why You Should Apply for the NCIC Job

The National Cohesion and Integration Commission – NCIC, was until yesterday(10/07/2014) inviting applications to fill the 8 slots for new Commissioners. The NCIC was established after the 2007/08 post election violence  which pitted Kenyans against each other largely along ethnic lines. The aim of the commission was (and still is) to build social cohesion among different communities in Kenya through a normative and institutionalized process. 

The NCIC’s mandate on non-discrimination is rather limited since it seems to be reduced to ethnic/race and religious grounds. Yet discrimination is a pervasive realiality. When I saw the advert, I wondered whether to apply. Even though this is a parliamentary process (many tend to be cynical on its objectivity), it still important to apply even if only for advocacy reasons. 

We live at a time when Inclusion is increasingly becoming a basic human right. We continue to make progress especially with financial inclusion thanks to the blurring lines between mobile telephony and banking. But in other areas, especially those to do with culture and religion, our society is stuck in the Middle Ages. For me then, as someone who seems to be included in some ways (Gikuyu ethnic identity) and excluded in others (sexuality), I felt it important to make this advocacy point of submitting my application.

Dimensions of discrimination

Yet this was also an opportunity to undertake a personal audit on discrimination. Is it possible that we could in one way or another harbour discriminating attitudes or practices – even while coming from a context of discrimination ourselves? If you care to indulge, let’s go through a select number of dimensions where discrimination can and often does occur.

Family – In family settings, gender norms and roles can be a basis for discriminatory attitudes and practices. It is also the case that people with disabilities face more discrimination within these settings where families feel a sense of shame – in some instances to the extent of hiding or locking them up. Children too are often excluded in important ways – even in decisions that affect them.

Community - The community level becomes space to load on other aspects of discrimination. Smaller communities will reflect family aspects of discrimination while larger are more like tribe/ethnic group level characteristics. At community level, only do we witness gender and disability as a basis for discrimination but also other dimensions such as social economic status, and sexual orientation.

National - The national level becomes a space where in addition to the ethnic community level dimensions of discrimination, we add, ethnicity, religious affiliation and political affiliation. In racially diverse societies, racial discrimination begins to become manifest.

International - The International level has its own character often taking the form of social economic status, racial identities and increasingly too religious affiliations. People who are poor and are black or are believers of the Islamic faith are likely to face high levels of discrimination at these spaces.

Very few Kenyans can claim they have never experienced discrimination. Perhaps even fewer can claim they have never discriminated. For me, if nothing else comes from having applied for the NCIC commissioner’s job, then it is enough that I have taken a resolution that DISCRIMIANTION ENDS WITH ME.

Those of us who have experienced different forms of discrimination should start a social movement to end discrimination in our respective societies. We may initially feel overwhelmed by this task, but we should take the wise counsel of Margaret Mead who tells us to “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it's the only thing that ever has.”

You do not have to be an NCIC commissioner to free society from discrimination – all you need to do is to join others and form a social movement to end it.

Mututho Anti-Sodom & Gomorrah Declaration

Upon hearing the cries of the people of Naivasha, God raised a Prophet. The Prophet’s name is one John Michael Njenga Mututho. Prophet John first made headlines when he decided that partaking in alcoholic drinks was the worst form of pastime in any part of the world. But since he could not travel to all parts of the world on any of the Naivasha donkeys, he decided to limit his prophetic mission to the Parliamentary constituency of Naivasha. 
  

“And the LORD said, because the cry of Sodom and Gomorrah is great, and because their sin is very grievous; I will go down now, and see whether they have done altogether according to the cry of it, which is come unto me; and if not, I will know. And the men turned their faces from thence, and went toward Sodom: but Abraham stood yet before the LORD.” [Gen 18:20-22]
 

Here worked so hard against alcoholic beverages that Keroche breweries  – located in Naivasha complained of unfair targeting. Yet the people of Naivasha were so thrilled with their local prophet that they decided to share him with the rest of the County. In his anti-alcohol campaigns, Prophet John made many friends in Kenya so much so that they named a whole law after his name - the Mututho law. 

Prophet John holds a post graduate diploma in resource management has recently discovered that Rugby 7’s in Masaku is such a poor use of resources. He has declared he will ban it, because it has now become Sodom and Gomorrah

“And there came two angels to Sodom at even; and Lot sat in the gate of Sodom: and Lot seeing them rose up to meet them; and he bowed himself with his face toward the ground; And he said, Behold now, my lords, turn in, I pray you, into your servant's house, and tarry all night, and wash your feet, and ye shall rise up early, and go on your ways. But before they lay down, the men of the city, even the men of Sodom, compassed the house round, both old and young, all the people from every quarter: And they called unto Lot, and said unto him, Where are the men which came in to thee this night? bring them out unto us, that we may know them. [Gen 19:1-29]

Now let’s understand – Masaku 7s is about a Rugby tournament – only problem is, the tournament is in Machakos – yes, the very place where they can put tarmac on 33 Kms of road in three months.

In fairness to Prophet John, Ghafla has some pictures that put Machakos in bad light. Then again, you never know – if you happen to be passing through Masku, be afraid; be very afraid, for the men of Machakos… “both old and young, all the people from every quarter: [might come to your hotel and say]…, Where are the men which came in to thee this night? bring them out unto us, that we may know them”

 This cartoon from The Star Daily captures it all - Mututho may be many things to many people, but he is no moral compass.