Cartoons stimulate dialogue

Emmanuel Mwendwa

For decades, graphic depictions and satirical cartoons have played a significant role across the free world, stirring up constructive debate on wide-ranging public and political issues.

Cartoonist’s exhibition Picking Up the Pieces was mooted early in the year in the wake of the post-election violence.

But other than serving as a platform from which creative minds expressed their views, the showcase provided a robust forum where the artists could provoke a sense of soul-searching to stimulate dialogue.

The theme running through the pieces, like a thread, was an attempt to find out the root cause of the political stalemate, which triggered the violence, displacements, arson, wanton bloodshed and destruction of property.

From the pool of cartoons submitted, some were featured at the exhibition and the best short-listed for publication in a special compilation book launched recently with the support of Katuni Association, Friedrich Ebert Stiftung and the Goethe Institute.

Life sized images

These include an eye-catching piece by the overall winner Mwaura Kirore. It boldly depicts the ‘life-sized’ images of President Mwai Kibaki and Prime Minister Raila, running after torn but patched up soccer ball.

Fierce determination is etched on their faces; each appears intent and focused on scoring the prized goal — access to the top office.

But the cartoonist also subtly highlights unfolding mayhem, captured as a backdrop that illustrates fighting mobs, and a seemingly burning church, complete with a symbolic cross.

Leafing through the compilation, the bulk of cartoons appear to encapsulate in an interesting way, pertinent and core issues that triggered the post-election violence.

Cartoonists Kennedy Kaburu, Elli Maloba and Alphonce Ochieng submitted the other winning entries. Amateurs not published elsewhere presented most pieces, alongside established and international cartoonists.

These zeroed in on key forms of creative expression popular locally: political, satirical, humour, comical strips and caricature.