Artistes train their melodies on lasting national peace

BY NIKKO TANUI

At the centre of Rwanda's 1994 bloodbath was Simon Bikindi, a former pop musician whose anti-Tutsi songs were often aired on Radio Television Libre des Mille Collines. Although he was later charged for war crimes committed during the genocide, what strongly came out is the power of radio and popular artistes.

In his music, Bikindi had implored the Hutu to take any weapon and eliminate the enemy (Tutsi) — and the people followed his advice.

Music and musicians can be used to incite people against each other. However, this can be changed — to use music to make peace and urge harmony among people.

SINGING FOR A CAUSE: Lillian Rotich sings her heart out at the launch of her peace initiative. [PHOTOS: NIKKO TANUI /STANDARD]

It’s with this in mind that more than 40 gospel artistes drawn from local communities in the Rift Valley have come together to spread the gospel of peace through music concerts ahead of the General Election.

Peace ambassador

The musicians led by Lillian Rotich — of the Som nyoetabkat (Ask for Forgiveness) fame — launched Amani Kwanza (Peace First) initiative at Eldoret Sports Club on Easter Sunday. At the event that drew more than 3,000 people, Rotich was made a peace ambassador.

For some time, Rotich had been preaching the peace message in Kericho and Nakuru counties during her live performances. Indeed the slogan, Amani ni mimi, na mimi ni amani (I am peace and peace is me), she has been using has become the peace initiative’s motto.

After campaigning for a while, she met other artistes, individuals and corporates with whom she shared her vision. She wanted them on board to ensure her peace message reached every corner of the region.

"Music connects people across religious, political, social and tribal lines. It is the best platform to pass messages of peace and reconciliation," says Rotich.

Joseph Shisia Wasira from Western and famous for his song Omundu Omulosi, says the artistes have come together because "without peace people cannot enjoy God’s blessings".

Betty Bayo, the Eleventh Hour singer from Central, says with election around the corner, it is the duty of artistes to go beyond entertaining and ministering through music and start planting seeds of peace.

"Elections come and go but the nation remains. We are reminding everyone that elections is not a matter of life and death," she says.

Maryanne Naipasoi Tatuma, from Kajiado and she of Aira Magilani (You’re Mighty God), says music has the power to make people forget about their ethnicity and other backgrounds. Infusing messages of peace between performances is a powerful way to communicate.

"If every Kenyan pledges to maintain peace no matter what happens in the political scene, the country will never again see the loss of life and destruction of property, as it happened after the last General Election," says Rotich.

Negative ethnicity

To end negative ethnicity, says Rotich, the work begins with each Kenyan, young or old. If everyone strives to be an instrument of peace, hostilities among communities will be diffused.

Amani Kwanza involves artistes and ordinary people, not politicians.

Rotich says they chose to launch the peace initiative in Eldoret as the town suffered heavily from post-election violence.

Among the guest artistes who performed during the launch were Joel Kimetto, Hellena Ken, Moses Sirgoi, Geraldine Oduor, Shiela Mark and Ben Bahati.

Besides the action-packed free music concerts, the artistes will also organise Amani Kwanza marathons, soccer tournaments and inter-schools music and drama competions.

They also plan to record a song whose theme will be peace and reconciliation among local communities.

Rotich appeals to all people to help, in any way possible, spread the peace message across the country.

The initiative will soon be heading to Kisumu and Central. At both venues, concerts will be performed.

By the time of elections, the artistes hope they would have covered the whole country.