Call to Peaceful Refenderum -August 4th

19 08 2010

The Kenyan Chapter of the World March of Women Calls for a Peaceful Referendum

Aug 3rd, 2010 by Mars Group Kenya

PRESS STATEMENT

The Kenyan Chapter of the World March of Women Calls for a Peaceful Referendum

World March of Women – Kenya Chapter is part of the International women’s Movement that connects grassroots groups and organizations working to eliminate the causes at the root of poverty and violence against Women. While struggling against all forms of inequality and discrimination directed at Women, our values and actions are directed at making political, economic and social change. Our values are Solidarity, Equality, Freedom, Justice and Peace.

We, the World March of Women –Kenyan Chapter, hereby state as follows:

Acknowledging

i) That Kenya belongs to all Kenyans

ii) That all Kenyans must co-exist peacefully

iii) Whenever there is chaos in Kenya, women suffer the blunt of the consequences

iv) In the past, Kenyan women have not stood in solidarity with each other

v) That women have previously not been very vocal on issues of preventing violence

vi) That all Kenyan Citizens were brought into the world by a woman and

vii) That any loss of life or limb brings grief, pain and deep sorrow to a woman

Respecting the fact that every Kenyan has a right to exercise her/his democratic right of choosing how the country should be governed through the vote

Believing that the women of Kenya are the backbone of this nation, Call upon;-

All Kenyans to ensure that the forthcoming referendum is peaceful.

All Kenyan women wherever they are reach out to each other by holding hands as a gesture of solidarity as women for peace.

All women to ask their spouses, sons and neighbours to remain peaceful and demonstrate respect, tolerance and accommodate each other’s opinion. Kenya is greater than all of us and we all belong here where we should be proud of our diversity and the ability to participate in a peaceful exercise of our democratic rights.

Whenever Kenya has experienced political unrest, it is we the women who have suffered more. It is we the women whose homes have been broken. It is we the women who are left to nurse our sons and husbands. It is we the women who have lost our precious husbands, sons and daughters. It is we the women who are raped. It is our children who are defiled. It is we the women who have to carry the burden of the wrath of our neighbours who think we participated in one way or the other and it is we the women who have to carry the guilt of our sons, daughters and husbands as we nurse their broken egos.

We World March of Women Kenyan Chapter are NOT going to sit back and watch. We call upon the police to ensure that there is security and the rule of law prevails.

We ask all Kenyans to remain vigilant and watch out for those who may want to use this historic moment to cause mayhem or unrest.

We thank the International Secretariat of the World March of Women and all the other International chapters for standing in solidarity with the Women of Kenya during this historic moment

Issued at Nairobi, 3^rd August 2010

Kenyan National Coordinating Body