Build One Nation, One Country Kenya

Bishop Cornelius Kipng’eno Arap Korir*
In the background the ongoing campaigns on the Draft Constitution and the acrimony that has been churned up in the campaigns for and against the draft, Bishop Cornelius Korir reflect with the politicians on the need to build one nation, one country.

The following is the text of his address at the Annual National prayer breakfast meeting of Kenyan MPs.

To belong to a tribe is a gift from God. Tribes serve to build the family of God into different Nations in all the earth. This gift of tribe is for enriching with its cultures, customs and religion the gifts of all other tribes. Out of all together God’s desire is to make all into a unity, into one united family, God’s family. Jn 17:21 – “May they all be one, just as, Father, you are in me and I am in you, so that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe it was you who sent me.”

In this case, each member of a group or tribe is called upon to look at the others as sons and daughters of one Father who is the creator of Heaven and Earth and the founder of every Nation.

The words of our National Anthem invite us to acknowledge this fact, God bless our Nation, Kenya. That is: Bless us to be united.

The people’s response to this invitation is by way of LOVE. Love of God and neighbour.

God created us in His image (Gen 2:27). We are His image. Listen to what the Lord says to Cain after killing his brother Abel. (Gen 4:10) – “Why have you done this terrible thing? Your brother’s blood is crying out to me from the ground, like a voice calling for revenge.” But in fact God discouraged revenge; God forbade revenge as the way forward, as the way to deal with Cain. He warned people not to kill Cain, not to revenge Abel’s death by further killing.

For the Christians you are familiar with the words of Jesus – First in the Book of Mat 25: 35-39 - For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you made me welcome, lacking clothes and you clothed me, sick and you visited me, in prison and you came to see me. Then the upright will say to him in reply, “Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? When did we see you a stranger and make you welcome, lacking clothes and clothe you? When did we find you sick or in prison and go to see you? And the King will answer, in truth I tell you, in so far as you did this to one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did it to me.”

When the dignity of any human being is demeaned by neglect, by involuntary nakedness, by serious hunger, by sickness or disease, by imprisonment, God Himself ‘feels’ the pain and the disgrace of it. Whatever you do to your brother you do to me.

And on the other hand, whatever good we do, whatever help we give to another human being of whatever family or tribe or nation or race, God takes it as good done to Himself, as help given to Himself. God sees a mysterious identity between Himself and ALL human beings, and He sees a mysterious identity between human beings themselves without distinction. God our creator sees us all as His children, as His sons and daughters.

Secondly, in the Book of Acts 9:4-5: Jesus asks Paul, “Why are you persecuting me?” Paul was in charge of killing the followers of Jesus.

The above description invites us to reflect on our relationship in this one Nation, Kenya. As leaders, plan policies that can give food, treat the sick and provide other needs of the people. And the more we respect the true dignity and worth of every human being in the eyes of God, the more surely will we reduce divisive, antagonistic tribalism, which I now want to speak of:

Going back – primitive tribe

All things measured by what belong to our people, enhanced by customs and cultures.
The security is part of life – the unity of the tribe can give security but it can also be an abuse setting tribe against tribe.

Building one tribe through many ways and activities known to them.

After independence, there was the struggle to break the tribal barriers through Education, Development, Religion and Politics and the struggle is not over. It needs to be reviewed and renewed and intensified.

The way we have practiced politics has allowed the negative aspects of ethnicity to develop by reviving the old aspirations of the tribe.

I am not a politician. I am looking at it as a citizen of Kenya and having been involved in the peace building work.

a) The tribal grouping of political parties has contributed to the tension in the country.
b) The issues of injustices before and after independence have not been addressed and still affect relationships seriously.
c) The clashes we have faced in this country over issues of politics and power and tribe and land and wealth 1992 to 1997 and 2007/2008 have left a legacy of distrust and bitterness and difficulty of reconciliation.
d) Year 2002 was different in that the politics had changed and a kind of popular movement emerged for the first time.
e) The clashes have developed in another direction which is not good for the country. It is a direction of violence breaking the unity of the country. This has to be changed in a peaceful way.
f) The destruction of property and losses of life increases every year of election. The highest number of loss of life was in 2008. The enmity among the peoples went so deep into their hearts that forgiveness and reconciliation was very difficult. If we are talking of one nation, one people, the political style of this country has to change. That our political parties have to serve the Nation, not the tribe or the party.
g) I call upon the parties to put the country Kenya first – the whole Kenya not part of it. All religions have also to work together to build one Nation.

In the violence of 1992, 1997 and 2008, I witnessed the sufferings of our people, loss of life, destruction of property e.t.c.

• I have walked with the people several kilometers away struggling to save their lives.
• I have hosted thousands of people in the church compound, Seminary and schools.
• When the clash victims arrived, I provided them with shelter and food before the donors came to assist them.
• Lastly, I have risked my life many times.

My motto is always, All peoples are brothers and sisters. My belief is that when I see a person, I see an image of God. Don’t kill.

Negativity

• Negativity is not from God, it is from the people themselves - from the heart of the people.
• Religion has to play a major role in the society.
• The fear among the tribes.
• Displacement dates back before independence - Correct anomalies
• Equal distribution of justice for all peoples.
• Peace building from all levels such as village communities, youth, students in schools (primary, secondary, universities) e.t.c.
• And a very important priority at this time: Do not let us have bitter, untruthful, violent Referendum or General Election campaigns. That would be to go against God and to do further serious damage to all our peoples and to the nation.

I will end with a few quotes from our first President, Mzee Jomo Kenyatta. I don’t have the exact date of the quotes.

“Where there has been racial hatred, it must be ended. Where there has been tribal animosity, it will be finished. Let us not dwell upon the bitterness of the past. I would rather look to the future, to the good new Kenya, not to the bad old days. If we can create this sense of national direction and identity, we shall have gone a long way to solving our economic problems.”

“You and I must work together to develop our country, to get education for our children, to have doctors, to build roads, to improve or provide all day-to-day essentials.” Jomo Kenyatta, first President of Kenya, from an Independence Day message to the people.

God bless our Land and Nation.

*Cornelius Kipng’eno Arap Korir is the current Bishop of Catholic Diocese of Eldoret, in Kenya.

Disclaimer: Views expressed in this section do not necessarily represent the opinions of CISA.