The first under its new constitution. The first since the country almost erupted into civil war in 2008, when over 1000 people were killed and over 100,000 displaced from their homes. From the perspective of an Iowa girl who grew up on a family farm, it's hard to imagine being chased off by your neighbors, losing your sense of home and place and community.
Five years later, the two candidates running neck-and-neck with 40+% of the vote each are from long-standing political families. One lost the election 5 years ago, but some claim it was stolen from him - and he's been the Prime Minister in a power-sharing deal that was brokered by international mediators to stop the country's collapse in 2008. The other is the son of the first president and to start trial in April at the International Criminal Court for his role in the violence 5 years ago. It is complicated.
On top of that, in the new Constitution, power is to be "devolved" or moved down to a more local level, with newly established counties that will be run by governors & local parliaments. Women are to have at least 30% of the positions so there's now 6 positions to vote for: President, Governor, Senator, Women's Representative, National Minister of Parliament and County Assembly Representative.
The last weeks have been filled with full-on campaigning. It started with graffiti months ago, then came the huge bill boards, then small wall posters, some on cardboard boxes hanging from power lines, some torn down & pasted over with those of rival candidates - and vehicles painted with campaign signs and carrying speakers BLARING music or speeches or prayers - all in support of a candidate. A lot of money is being spent. Sound familiar? Trucks with TV screens showing candidate's extolling how they will change the country, the county or your neighborhood for the better. Healthcare, education, land disputes, economy, jobs, sanitation, fighting corruption, should i mention the economy again? Occasionally the mention of high speed trains & computers for every child... the promises go on.
Today has finally come. The morning is off to a rocky start. I've been worried - burdened more than necessary - as I talk to my friends and people I meet. Worried that the change promised won't come. That opportunists will use the election as a reason to cause trouble. That the future won't be as bright as it could be. Many Kenyans have told me that it is only God who can intervene. Faith is strong here & I find myself more a skeptic, wanting to tell them that God needs people to make the change.
I traveled to Nairobi this week to meet with my colleagues about the work we are doing and have been trying to shake off my gloom, remembering change takes time and that it's not up to me to solve all the problems I see. This morning our community met at 7 am to pray together. Fr John started off our Mass
with the words... Do I believe in miracles? I do. Perhaps there will not be a dramatic change in politics or in the structures I see failing the people I serve this year. But perhaps the people willing to stand in line all day in the hot sun will feel that their vote mattered. Perhaps things will look brighter once this election goes down in history. There will be a big collective sigh of relief and people will move on with their lives and laugh about how disruptive all the campaigns & noisy slow-moving caravans were.So now I'm praying not for one big miracle, but many small ones. Tomorrows filled with hope for those who have lived with despair. I have learned many things in Kenya, but one I've seen so many times is the ability to be patient and persevere.
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