iR2P

Here is somebody who can give us hope. Since New Year’s Day, Kenyan environmental and womens rights activist, parliamentarian and Nobel Peace Prize winner Wangari Maathai has made a series of powerful statements about the ongoing crisis in her country.

On the Green Belt Movement’s website, she helps to explain what is happening by reminding us that Kenya, like many modern African states, is “a loose collection of tribal homelands”, which she refers to as ‘micro-nationalities’.

“Kenyans, and indeed all Africans need to embrace their micro-nationalities because they need culture, language, values and purpose. They do not have to melt into the Nation State: it is impossible anyway.”

“We can make a deliberate choice to move forward together towards a more cohesive Nation State, where we can all feel free, secure, and at peace with ourselves and our neighbours. In such a Nation State there would be no need for any Kenyan to organize tribal clashes against their neighbours. The micro-nationalities would begin to see the benefits of unity in diversity.”

“To get where they have been struggling to go, Kenyans need leadership. Some of it is in State House and must be willing to engage its counterpart leadership in the Orange House. This they must do for the sake of Kenya and Africa.”

“The rest of the leadership is all of us, playing our part wherever we are, and maintaining peace and goodwill. The international community will help us but we are the ones who must rise up and walk towards, truth, justice, healing and reconciliation. That is the path to a lasting peace.”

Read her full statement here.