Kenya: Peace Caravan returns to Nairobi

The Kenyan Chapter of the World March of women would like to take this opportunity to sincerely thank each and every one of you out there for your prayers, well-wishes and generous contributions that enabled a group of 19 women from Kenya to attend the closing event of the 3rd International action of the world March of women in Bukavu (province of South Kivu) in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) as part of a global action to campaign for an end to violence against women. This gesture of solidarity is one that has been lacking for a comprehensive and vibrant movement in the country.

As many women, organizations and movements organized to be part of this historic event, the Kenyan Chapter was not left behind, and we did organize a peace caravan from Nairobi to Bukavu. The caravan which had stop over’s along the way while sensitizing the larger public on the importance of solidarity and bringing an end to violence against women, also had two international stop over’s in Kampala ,Uganda and Kigali, Rwanda. This global action which took place from 13th - 17 th October, attracted women from over  160 countries who travelled to the DRC to express their concrete solidarity with Congolese women and all women struggling against poverty and violence.

Why a PEACE caravan to African Great Lakes Region was inevitable
With the theme PEACE AND DEMILITARIZATION, The third International action of the World March of women was perfect with a pece caravan to a country where  rape is being used a  weapon of mass destruction on women’s bodies , and most of the people who do it are militarians.

The eastern part of DR Congo has been labelled the rape capital of the world, with an estimated 250,000 cases of reported rapes and up to one million unreported cases. In addition, up to two thirds of girls and women between the ages of 10 and 30 have been raped since 1996, human rights organisations estimate.

Wars over DR Congo’s invaluable natural resources are ravaging the east of the country, where an estimated 5.4 million people have been killed since 1996 (IRC, Crisis Watch). Armed groups from inside DR Congo and from neighbouring countries are fighting to control land rich in natural resources such as diamonds, gold, copper, uranium, tin, tungsten and coltan from which tantalum is derived.

The ‘3T’s’ (tin, tungsten and tantalum) are found in everything on the World’s  high street - from mobile phones, laptop computers, and iPods to light bulbs. About 80% of the world’s  tantalum used in mobile phones comes from DR Congo.

We don’t want our light bulbs, laptops, mobile phones and iPhones to fund the rape of women in DR Congo, to be the cause of human right abuses and to be forcing people to flee their homes and become refugees.

We stand in solidarity with women in Congo, particularly women in Mwenga who are continually raped, and their vagina’s ruptured using gun butts  and sticks, and then buried alive, and we stand in solidarity with all our sisters  and brothers around the world who denounce rape, and all forms of violence against  women. We shall be sharing a full report of the trip and we also have a documentary of the entire journey. There is also a documentary on the plight and struggles of the women in DRC. Any organisations or individuals who are interested in these reports and documentaries, kindly get in touch with the World March of women Kenya.  worldmarchofwomen_kenya@yahoo.co.uk,  more information can be found on the International website:  http://www.mmf2010.info/

We sincerely want to thank the following people who responded positively to our call to action and support for the Peace Caravan. Without you, we would not have made it to the Democratic Republic of Congo. What you saw as very little, went a long way in supporting and saving a life of a woman in DRC.Thank you very much for your support
 
i)  Grassroots International  for paying for our accommodation and meals while in Bukavu
ii)  World March of Women International secretariat -Brazil
iii) The Anglophone African head office (Wilhelmina Trout ) -South Africa
iv) Abantu for Development –Dr. Angie Dawa
v)  FEMNET- Norah  Manovu
vi)  Priscilla Nyokabi -  Kituo cha sheria
vii) Akiba Uhaki  - Kepta Ombati
viii) CREAW –Ann Njogu  & Jane Nyambura
ix) Ujamaa  Center Mombasa  - Patrick Ochieng
x) Otieno Ombok – Chemi chemi Ya Ukweli
xi) Muzikazi  - Ken Kabeberi
xii) CSUDP - Steve Kariuki  & Diana Njoroge
xiii) Abdulhamid Slatch - Young Muslims Association
xiv)  Comm.Jane Kiano – National Cohesion & Integration Commission
xv)  Alice Wahome
xvi) Jayne & Mwalimu Mati –P4C
xvii) Happy Kinyili - UHAI
xviii) Bunge la Mwananchi – Gacheke Gachihi & Kelly Musyoka
xix) KCOMNET  / DAOCOMEDIA – Ezekiel Akwanah
xx) Otieno Aluoka
xxi) Jedidah Wakonyo –LRF
xxii) MEGEN

We also want to sincerely thank the following people and organizations for their exemplary support in kind

i) Pen International – Khahinga Okwemba (the sound system during the dinner fundraiser, the video coverage and the story covered in the Nairobi Star )
ii) Tony Mboyo (Kasmall) and Gatonga ( for the beautiful pro bono performance at the dinner fundraiser and the donation of the giant puppet to Bukavu for the March)
iii) Khamisi Ramadhan – ( The translation of the 3rd International Action brochure into Swahili for wider readership in DRC and Kenya)
iv)  Kibera women for Peace – The gifts you donated for the women in DRC and the anti- Malaria medication donated to the delegation
v) 5Cs – MC Toothbrush for the support on the dinner fundraiser
vi) FK Restaurant –Hazina Towers, Their support all through has been massive

Thank you very much, we look forward  to a continued solidarity partnership, and your support in helping build strong social movements in Kenya

Sincerely

Sophie D. Ogutu
National Coordinator
WMW -Kenyan Chapter