This archive report was first published on 14 July 2020.
On July 14, 2020, the Waki Report highlighted the devastating impact of post-election violence in Kenya, particularly in urban centers where the Kikuyu and Luo communities clashed in slums like Kibera, Korogocho, and Githurai.
Similarly, in rural areas, the Kalenjin and Kikuyu communities, as well as the Kalenjin and Kisii communities, and the Kalenjin and Luhya communities, were embroiled in violence, often fueled by shared borders or land.
Proponents of the Ruto-Uhuru handshake, which took place in 2013 at Nakuru, argue that it brought forgiveness and love between the Kalenjin and Kikuyu communities. However, this narrative has been criticized for ignoring the fact that the handshake did not address the root causes of the violence and did not extend to other communities.
Moreover, the handshake has been seen as a means to entrench separatism and marginalize communities that were not part of the agreement. The lack of formal transitional justice after the 2007/2008 post-election violence has also been cited as a major obstacle to healing and reconciliation.
It is time to stop living in a world of make-believe and confront the truth. If the Ruto-Uhuru handshake was indeed a panacea for post-election violence, then why not encourage handshakes between other communities, such as the Luo and Kikuyu, the Kalenjin and Kisii, and the Kalenjin and Luhya?
