Journalist in picture campaign for peace

By Ally Jamah

A picture is worth a thousand words, they say. Well aware of this, award-winning photojournalist Boniface Mwangi (formerly of The Standard Group) now wants to reach out to about 500,000 youth with peace and reconciliation messages through pictures.

He says he will preach the message to youth in the streets of towns most affected by post-election violence, last year.

After winning last year’s CNN Photojournalist of the Year award, followed by a charming praise from US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice for "absolutely stunning" photography skills this year in Nairobi, Mwangi now wants to use the skills to caution youth against politicians’ incitements to violence.

For the memory

Under the banner of Picha Mtaani, a youth empowerment organisation, the photographer has launched photo exhibitions.

His week-long exhibition outside the Hilton Hotel, Nairobi ends on Saturday and will be followed by others in Eldoret, Kericho, Kisumu and Mombasa.

Mwangi, also the Director of Picha Mtaani, says he wants to give youth a space to reflect on the violence and to come to terms with what happened.

"The photos show the horror of the conflict and would make them reflect deeply on the incidents. This may help avoid a repeat of the same," he explains.

At the height of the violence Mwangi took pictures in the worst affected areas, many of which were too gory to be printed in national newspapers.

Njaramba Mutiti, a city resident, visited the exhibition and says it reminded him of how the violence forced him out of Kericho where he used to sell clothes.

By the time the fires of the conflict finally ceased, he had lost his home and a boutique. He spent almost a month at Kericho Police Station, before travelling to Nairobi to "start life afresh".

He says memories of the conflict can’t allow him to return to Kericho.

"Honestly, I was bitter about the loss of property. But I have learned to forgive and move on. Kenyans will be unfortunate to miss a lesson out of the violence," he says.

Njaramba is not alone. Many Nairobi residents have been shedding tears at the exhibition, which ends on Saturday.

"I studied the photos and realised the violence was worse than I had imagined," says Njaramba. He added: "I could not avoid asking why this had to happen and how we can avoid a repeat. I am yet to get the answer."

Political incitements

Mwangi says those are the questions he sought to raise in the minds of Kenyans when he launched the exhibition, sponsored by the United Nations Development Programme. The exhibition launch was officiated by US Ambassador Michael Ranneberger.

Abdallah Muniafu, a resident of Mumias visiting Nairobi on business, on seeing the photos asked: "How did we (Kenya) get to such animosity?"

Mwangi says it is unfortunate that after politicians incited Kenyans into the violence, they are not doing enough to enhance dialogue and reconciliation.

"Our politicians who got us into the mess have gone back to business-as-usual politics and are busy placing their tribes before the nation," he says.

Muniafu says the reconciliation campaigns should also be taken to rural areas.

"A lot has to be done in the rural areas to clear up the lingering suspicions among Kenyans," he advises.

Real change

Mwangi says he wants to use his graphic photos to create a new generation of youth who will hopefully shift the country’s gears away from tribal politics.

"We are the generation that will bring real change in this nation. It is time we joined hands for that future," he says.

Mwangi’s eerily captivating photographs have featured in leading world newspapers, such as the New York Times and the Washington Post.

He was the first African to win the CNN Photojournalist of the Year award.

Mwangi says he would build on the fame to achieve the goal of dissuading youth against violence.

"We must join hands to make sure what we saw two years ago is not passed onto our children," he concludes.