Ladies and gentlemen,

Tonight, I am humbled to stand before you and about a campaign. This campaign is not about running for president, or parliament, or counsellor. This campaign is about building the peace that you want to see in Kenya.

It is true that Kenya was known as one of the most peaceful countries in Africa but now it isn’t.

It isn’t because we never realized how fake that peace was.  We never realized how fragile that situation was and of course for some people, it is hard to realize even how screwed the actual situation of peace is.

Nowadays just like many times ago, people laugh with and smile at each other but hiding pangas on their backs. They hug each other with one hand while the other hand was reaching out to a spear. People joke about each others values but only to realize that they mean it. People say “I love you” just like in drama where we say it without meaning it.

And now I have one question for you.

 Is that the peace you want to see?

The peace in which people believe that leadership is only for the benefit of some and not of everybody.

The peace in which people do not believe in equal opportunity, where they believe that they are given only one shot when others are given ten.

Is this the peace you want to see?

The peace in which people are filled with hatred towards their neighbours

The peace in which everybody has got to watch his own back because there is no friendship

Is that the peace you want to see?

The peace in which everybody is waiting for an opportunity to hit the person he or she is laughing with right now.

I believe not. That is not the peace you want to see. That is definitely not the peace you want to build and that is not the peace that can last forever.

Today, we are dedicated to place the first stone and start building the peace that we want to see in Kenya.

The peace in which our smiles mean what we feel for each other.

The peace in which we have the liberty to disagree, and sit on the same table to look for a common ground

The peace in which our patriotism goes beyond our tribalism

The peace in which we are able to embrace brotherhood and acceptance for each other

The peace in which we will be able to achieve the vision 2030

But one thing is sure we cannot do it except if we learn how to do it. The peace that makes us one nation, create a way for one dream, cannot be picked anywhere. We need to learn how to do it, how to make our differences our strength.

I know that it is easy to say than it is to do. Just like building, you cannot build lasting house unless you are taught how to build. That is the case with lasting peace you cannot build it unless you are taught how to.

As we all know, if you participate to a one hour class you cannot be able to build a skyscraper, you have to be taught through a process. That is why we have decided that for the next six months, we will walk around Kenya to make sure people in every corner understand how to make peace sustainable. To keep the fire burning and we cannot do it without you.

Tonight, you have shown your commitment. It has proved that we all think about peace and believe it should be restored to the people of Kenya. That is why I am asking you to stand with us, to walk with us every step of the way and help us train the youth of this country. I would love to tell you something. There is nothing like doing nothing. If you will not help us, one thing you need to know is that you are blocking the message of peace. That is why for those of you who will not be able to travel with us as we bring the teaching to every corner of this country; we demand that you help us with a simple talking to your neighbour.

At the end of this campaign, we have planned to show our commitment to building peace and we will set an example to the coming generations and to all the youths of Africa. We will build three peace villages in Kenya. Those peace villages will stand as the most powerful symbol of the commitment of the Kenyan youth to peace.

To the peace that goes beyond ethnic lines, beyond religious beliefs and of course beyond our social status. It is in this campaign that the people will not be proud either to ride in the most expensive cars or feel shame of walking on foot. But they will touch each other’s hands and be proud to belong to the same nation, to sing the same national anthem, and believe to achieve the same dream (the vision 2030.)

A day is coming. It is a day when all Kenyans will stand together and sing, “Unity, peace and liberty” to mean what it really is. It will be the day when we will all see the shield, the two spears, the black, the green, the red, the white and give to it the same meaning: Our national flag. It is a day when Kenyans will understand that we are bound by our past and cannot be separated by our future. That day comes, six months from now. I hope to see it and I hope to see you in this journey towards that day.

God bless you and God bless Kenya.

Thank you.

4/23/2009 06:47:27 pm

The time has come, the time is now.
We should build the peace we want to see.

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2/20/2011 11:46:30 am

Love is a common theme of ballads; another common theme of ballads is courage.

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