Literature and Art; Tools for Change and Empowerment towards a Peaceful Election.
The other week I received a rather surprising email from the American Embassy – Nairobi. It was an invitation to attend a program at the American Reference Centre titled, “Understanding Election and Civic Responsibility: Getting the most from your Vote.” This was important since we are approaching the polls, I had to attend this. Also as a member of the Young African Leaders Initiative (YALI), I realized this to be critical towards helping me understand more on the causes I care for.
Today as I sit to write this article, I don’t regret any bit of time or moment I spared to attend this workshop. I seriously care for literature and performing arts and through the workshop, I had an opportunity to listen and interact with the iconic Kifo Kisimani write, Prof. Kithaka wa Mberia. Arguably I had been admiring the works by wa Mberia long before I met him. He, among the likes of Ngugi wa Thiong’o , Chris Wanjala, Egara Kabaji, Augustine Bukenya, Chacha Nyaigoti Chacha among others inspired me locally to truly have faith that literature and performing arts have a key role in shaping society. Their works have been instrumentally impactful in empowering people not only in the literary world but also the society at large.
What forced Ngugi wa Thiong’o to seek asylum in his early years of writing? It was his writings. The books, Decolonizing the Mind and another one he co-authored with Ngugi wa Mirii – I Will Marry when I Want – landed him into friction with the ruling government back then. He was against the one party rule. He was tactfully empowering the people towards embracing multi-party democracy. It is what we enjoy today.
The conflict between culture clashes in the early years when colonization had arrived was clearly depicted by Song of Lawino and Song of Ochol. The two songs were written by Ugandan poetry writer Okot p’Bitek. It clearly showed what western mannerisms had done to their local culture. Kifo Kisimani, a Kiswahili play emerged later to politically fight such single party rule which propagated propaganda and dictatorship. Literature hence became a very critical agent for change.

In his presentation, Prof. Kithaka wa Mberia’s call for peaceful exercising of our democracy was key. Never the less, this exercising which is done through the secret ballot voting should not by all means be used to choose corrupt leaders. The power of the citizenry, the mighty power, are simply hidden in that one single vote the citizen has. Put together, those votes become the determining power of the kind of leaders that will run our governments. It is now clear why the citizens should be empowered so as to put into good use, collectively, the votes they have.
How do we do? Through art both in the visual and print media. The content to be used in this case is plays, poems, songs and also movies. The literary world can write short plays that show the negative effects of poor governance, corruption and violence. These, once they are brought to the citizenry’s disposal becomes very effective weapons of change.
Let us for example think of those leaders who have integrity issues and questionable character, they could creatively be acted. Later the people are made to do a proper sift of all the leaders and choose the best. The dishing out of money to the voters should be discouraged by all means. Free things are harmful to an economy. Poems and songs should be written to promote the idea of peace. Peace is very critical for the economic growth of the country. Where there is peace, businesses thrives, the citizens freely cooperate in work and acts of national building.
The lots of time and space in our visual and print media respectively used to air content that otherwise seems controversial in relation to peace promotion should be used effectively otherwise. Such programs as poetry for peace, singing for peace or even plays against violence should instead be played. These are very important things which in small bit help change society for a whole good.
We can do small acts with great love. Mark the word small. A whole plate of meal is eaten one spoon at a time. We need to start incorporating art and literature bit and by bit into our media to preach peace and fight against violence one genre at a time, bit by bit. With that done, the polls will be over without notice and we will remain Kenyans. Above all, peace shall prevail.
Copyright @ 2017.