Witnessing from afar
On crushing our silence(s)
How does one move through important life events when they’re so separated from the actual events?
As June came to an end, young Kenyans (led by Gen Zs) took to the streets to protest against the country’s 2024 proposed Finance Bill. What began as a peaceful protest turned into a deadly event claiming the lives of several protesters as police fired back. Saddening feels too simple of a word to describe what took place last week on the streets of Nairobi.
Often when you are far away from a place that may also be an extension of your home, and witnessing the unraveling of deep injustices taking place, it can be easy to feel extremely helpless. What does one do? How does one do it? And what happens when one’s doing begins to feel as though it’s all in vain? As though one’s efforts are only but a pinch of salt in a seabed of other bigger injustices that seem to pile up on each other? I had friends and knew several people who took to the streets; with one being taken in by the police as a result. And for a country that has often seen individuals taken in or abducted, marking their forever disappearance, one is easily filled with worries when such news comes knocking at the door. I checked in with these people, urging them to seek safety first when things took a turn.
What I am realising now is that when the personal becomes political, silence can feel like being entrapped in a vacuum, desperately gasping for breath. And so being far away from the country, the only pinch of salt I felt I could add was to speak up across online platforms. Sharing and resharing helpful resources surrounding the protests and the Bill for others to continue engaging with - to learn just why it was (and still is) important to call out oppressive government regimes.
It’s been a week since the events and what it now feels like most, this witnessing from afar, is like navigating “grief from afar." Grieving alongside those who lost loved ones. Grieving the hopes that many young people had gone to the streets with, only to have those hopes sprayed and gunned down with teargas and live bullets. And in a sense, grieving proximity - one of the biggest opportunity costs that come with embracing a nomadic lifestyle; even when one has no idea what good proximity may do in the present moment.
What rings true in the marrow of my bones is that proximity has a way of granting the body a sort of reassurance(?) that only comes with first-hand experiences. Proximity often offers the much-needed closure that one may need as they grieve the loss of someone whilst being away from “home.” Proximity so easily fills in the gaps that tend to be occupied by text messages, calls, social media, and even news outlets.
Still, proximity should not always be easily equated to action or feeding that sense of yearning that may dwell beneath the skin. In a recent conversation I listened to, Colette Pichon Battle connects that idea of proximity and “being far away” to how the tragic events in one’s homeland can propel one into a deeper compassion for oneself, their history, and this world. Ultimately, into action. (Though grounded in ecological transformation and environmental justice, it’s a wonderful conversation that I’d recommend you listen to if you have an hour to spare)
At present, I will continue to simmer in these thoughts, letting the questions unravel whatever answers may await. But for now, I’d be curious to hear from you:
How do you witness (or experience) from afar? And if at all you see the need, how do you crush your silence(s) as you witness in distance?
These articles spotlighting the turn of events in Kenya this past month are worth reading:
Karī Mugo in “The Vibe is Giving Kipchoge” as featured in ‘Africasacountry’ dedicates this piece to Rex Masai who tragically passed away after being shot at by police during the protests.
William Shoki unpacks “The Uprising in Kenya” in conversation with Wangui Kimari.
And finally, for my Swahili readers, there’s never been a better time to resurface the one and only “Mstahiki Meya” by Timothy M Arege. If you’re feeling extra inspired, revisit “Mayai Waziri Wa Maradhi na Hadithi Nyingine” by K.W. Wamitila.
Till next time! #SpeakUp #BetterGovernance #RejectNotAmend