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Kwa Watoto Students Marching for Peace[/caption]Students of eduKenya's Kwa Watoto School took to the streets of Mathare to call for peace ahead of the upcoming presidential election. Calling themselves Peace Ambassadors, the students carried banners through the slum singing, "Lord, make us instruments of your peace, where there is hatred let your love increase; walls of pride and prejudice shall cease when we are your instruments of peace." Joined by two other schools, over 300 children took a stand as peace advocates.The students concluded the walk by singing songs and reciting poems as part of a concert headlined by award winning artist Eric Wainaina, well known for speaking truth to power about social, economic and political injustice through his music. Gospel artists Victor Mbuvi and Alice Kamande, Christian rapper Eko Dydda and others performed.Kenyans will head to the polls on March 4 for the first presidential election since the highly contested 2007 election that led to nationwide violence along ethnic lines that killed 1,200 people and displaced nearly 600,000 people.“The children of Mathare will not sit and wait for others to stand for peace. Through the Kwa Watoto Peace Walk, they stood up against violence and cried, “Lord, make us instruments of your peace,”” said Bob Kikuyu, eduKenya Co-Founder and Kenya Executive Director.[caption id="attachment_412" align="alignright" width="300"]

Eric Wainaina Performing at the Peace Concert[/caption]2007-2008 Post-Election ViolenceViolence erupted in 2007 following the naming of incumbent Mwai Kibaki as winner of what election observers called an impudently flawed election. Long-standing tensions between members of Kenya’s numerous tribes quickly escalated as challenger Raila Odinga alleged that the vote was rigged and his supporters targeted members of Kibaki’s tribe, who responded in retaliation. The Mathare slum was a hotbed of violence.Atavistic ethnic factionalism in politics due to a long history of socioeconomic and power imbalance between Kenya’s tribes and hostile campaigning contributed to violence waged along tribal lines. Widespread and targeted killing, home burning, sexual violence and a breakdown of security swiftly destabilized a country considered to be the democratic and economic “anchor state” of East Africa.The crisis was resolved after two months of mediated negotiations involving UN secretary-general Kofi Annan, the United States and other allies. The result was a power sharing deal between the two adversaries, with Odinga installed as Prime Minister under President Kibaki. The agreement also called for the writing of a new constitution, which was passed in 2010 and establishes checks and balances on government bodies, decentralizes executive authority, provides citizens a bill of rights and outlines mechanisms for land administration reform.March 4 - What’s at StakeThe main contenders in this year’s presidential election are Prime Minister Odinga and Deputy Prime Minister Uhuru Kenyatta. Both have a long history in Kenyan politics as sons of Kenya’s founding president (Kenyatta) and vice president (Odinga).In January 2012, the International Criminal Court charged presidential candidate Kenyatta and running mate William Ruto with crimes against humanity for orchestrating violence following the disputed 2007 election, making Kenyatta’s presidential bid controversial. Kenyatta and Ruto are set to stand trial at The Hague in April this year.Establishing a framework for democratic governance and the protection of human rights through the new constitution was heralded as an important step forward in diffusing the interethnic strife that fueled the 2007-2008 post-election violence. However, there are warning signs that Kenya is at risk of repeated violence in this year’s election. International groups including the Council on Foreign Relations and the International Crisis Group cite several factors that signal risk of repeated violence this year, including candidate mobilization of voters along ethnic lines, the prediction that the race will be close and complications surrounding Kenyatta’s ongoing proceedings with the ICC.Kenya's progress as a multiparty democracy and economic growth potential are at stake in this year’s election. If the elections are peaceful, free and fair, Kenya has the opportunity to bring its new constitution into full force, eschew tribal rivalries and mark this year’s 50th anniversary of Kenya’s independence from British colonial rule with peace and unity, not violence and division.President Obama addressed the people of Kenya on February 5, calling for peace during the election: “This is a moment for the people of Kenya to come together instead of tearing apart. If you do, you can show the world that you are not just a member of a tribe or ethnic group, but citizens of a great and proud nation. I can’t imagine a better way to mark the 50th anniversary of Kenyan independence.”Please join the children of Mathare in praying for peace surrounding the March 4 election.By Elizabeth Hopfinger Thompson, Communications Director