Former first lady of Mozambique and South Africa, Graca Machel, urged Kenyans to avoid the slippery slope toward ethnic chaos. “Do not let your country go the ethnic way, because if you do, you are going to boil each other. Then there is going to be
Wife of former president Nelson Mandela, Machel is part of the mediation team that includes former Secy Gen. Kofi Annan, among others. She herself took part in armed struggle in pre-independence Mozambique through her active participation in the Mozambican Liberation Front. “Our anger should be against injustice and the inability to recognize our rights.
Anger is being thrown towards the wrong direction which can throw the country into an ocean of bloodshed,” she said. Addressing a group of women leaders, she lamented the absence of more women at the negotiation table. Saida Ali, head of the Young Women’s Leadership Institute, echoed her concern.
“Where have the women been since the madness began? Why did we wait so long for women and children to die before we could step in to help?” she said. “As women,” said Machel, “we are the ones who carry the child in our wombs, who give birth, who go through the same pain. We know that all the children we give birth to are born equal, (despite ethnic origin).
That is why it is up to us to demand that the children of this nation be treated equally. That should be the voice of women in bringing peace in this country,” said Mrs Machel. About 1,000 people have died and up to 300,000 have been displaced since the disputed reelection of Mwai Kibaki on Dec. 30.
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