{UAH} UNCOVERING THE LIGHT

UNCOVERING THE LIGHT

When darkness descends on Kampala's streets these days, things that have been rather rare start to come out. Fear is to be smelt. Violence is now heard. And death is no longer a stranger.

Three weeks ago, a young man coming home down Mutungo hill into Kitintale fell among thugs. Young thugs. They beat him beyond belief. His head swelled to twice its usual size. They took all they wanted and left him in the road. A sympathetic Boda took him to a clinic.

Two weeks ago, a gang of panga wielding thugs entered a house of a retired, elderly man in Makindye. They cut him and his family, demanding money. The more he protested, the more they cut him, insisting he had some hidden away.

I know both these people personally. It could have been me. The total picture is multiplied many times over.

The community of Kyengera town, the most highly populated area of Kampala, held a security meeting a few weeks ago. The issue of violent robberies was central. The area police commander, on television, made an alarming statement. 'This is to be expected when so many youths are unemployed', he said. '75% of the young people here are on drugs.' Seventy five percent! And is that the percentage unemployed?

The death of Ziggy Wine, member of front-running Presidential challenger Bobi Wine's music group, has rocked the airwaves and the city surburbs. The initial story was that he was abducted, tortured, fingers cut off and eye torn out. Then police cleared that up; he had actually had an accident. However, the damage had already been done.

Warnings

Two years ago, driving home on Jinja Road, I was offered something for sale by a young hawker. When I showed him that I wouldn't buy, he responded, 'We are coming, mzee. Our time is coming.'

I could not disregard those words. About fifteen years ago, Kenya was struggling to find its feet after Moi. Unemployment was rocketing, inflation was rising, economic inequality was in staggering ranges. I was visiting a friend living near State House in Nairobi and was given instructions. 'Make sure you get home from town by five o'clock. Thugs can waylay you, beat up and rob you.' And this was in the highrise district! How then, was Mathare ?

This foaming, poisonous energy is part of the mix that exploded after the 2007 elections. Innocent women and children were burnt - in church. Buildings were knocked down. Businesses were vandalized. Communities were broken up. Over 1500 died, over half a million were displaced. It was a miracle Kenya was saved from its own rage.

Uganda and the Church Today

Uganda stands where others have stood. The things we see now do not talk peace, fulfillment and quiet.

Being Christian, I think the church is one of the most powerful institutions in the country today. When you add the power of prayer, it is by far the most powerful. It may be the best stabilizer for the nation today. That is, IF it wakes up.

What is the church for? Well, Jesus, ever clear and sharp, put it down to two things; it is to be salt and it is to be light in its society.

So, is the church to research and throw light on the whole business of insecurity and rising violence? Is it supposed to throw light on the things tearing Uganda apart, condensing broad, complex problems into creative, fascinating solutions?

Is the church to look for how to be salt today? How one brings peace between neighbors separated by gulfs of power and privilege? How one brings hope to hopelessness, removing fear, anger and hate?

Is it to plan how one can avail medicine, knowledge and food to communities in case of emergency? Is it to find ways to set up crisis social support funds?


I think the local churches now need to move into Alert Mode. Moving from religion to people centered, they need to transform themselves into Social Centers. They need to plan to take charge of bad situations, possibly learning from mosques.

This will mean information gathering meetings and research. It will call for strategic partnerships. It will mean training social action groups to get into the ranks of unemployed, the youth, the businesspeople, the politicians ...

It is a good thing the Inter Religious Council is talking about a National Dialogue. Lulume Bayiga, former Buikwe MP, thinks they will fear to swim in deep waters. However, if they realize the times, they may have a critical role; bringing light, and salt, to national affairs.

If Christianity is a mere shadow, the masses can learn to hate it. It could remind one of what Mordecai told Esther, 'Speak up now. If you don't, deliverance will rise from another place, but you and your family will perish.'

Robert Kibuuka

Sent from Gook's iPhone

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