If Jesus was born in the 200 slums of Nairobi ...

By: Oluoch Japheth Ogollah

[ Posted On: 2006-12-27 ]

If Jesus Christ were born in one of Nairobi’s 200 slums, say Korogocho, he would have been greeted by the harsh environment from the adjacent Dandora dumpsite.

The huge mountains of industrial, medical and domestic waste, which have not been controlled for about 10 years, would perhaps choke his innocent throat, denying him the chance to make his inaugural cry, the cry that announces a child’s entry into the world.

The perpetual cloud of obnoxious fumes hovering over him would blind his small eyes from seeing the new world, a world full of challenges and tribulations. The foul smell from Nairobi’s largest dumpsite might have interfered with his breathing. Criminals who control the site might have attempted to steal him.

However, the street children at the dumpsite would have saved Jesus from the criminal’s jaws. They would have covered him carefully with their sacks or dirty clothes and fed him with food picked at the site. The street children would pray so that lorries would dump more food from the airport and other industries to put Jesus on good diet.

Three days after his birth, the children would take him for circumcision and later baptism. Both ceremonies would have been performed at the banks of a polluted distributary of Nairobi River, which separates the notorious dumpsite with an abandoned quarry.

One of the gangs would have claimed that Jesus subscribes to their faith, circumcised and baptised him according to their ‘religious’ beliefs. A few days later, the street family would have taken him for his first outing. This would have introduced him to Korogocho slum. He would have met crowds, each preoccupied with his or her own business.

Some would be selling food on the roadside, others pulling carts; some would be spreading political rumours, while others would be doing nothing. The greatest shock, which would shake Jesus’ young heart, would be the number of drunkards wandering to the world of the unknown.

Some would be sleeping on the roadside, unaware when they last saw their families; others would be dancing to the music from several stores spread all over Korogocho. Jesus would also be shocked at the misunderstanding between two groups over the slum upgrading programme, each side alleging that it is the genuine ‘owners’ and it alone deserves the title deed. Those who do not belong are declared illegal.

However, Jesus would be relieved on learning that Korogocho is not a lost case. In the old shacks of mud and aged iron sheets, a lot of good things go on. He would learn that residents have organised themselves into several self-help groups, community organisations and income-generating and religious groups.

Through them, they initiate programmes to improve their living standards. Jesus would also learn of the awareness of people’s basic rights. This is due to years of civic education and human rights advocacy. He would learn that the youth are enlightened and responsible for the transformation, which Korogocho is undergoing — from a hopeless overcrowded ghetto to a more hopeful and planned residential estate.

But the household might refuse to welcome Mother Mary and the lords of the Dandora dumpsite to admit her without paying the access fee levied on lorries. Then Jesus would have been born in Kibera. He would meet politically instigated misunderstanding and clashes among a people who are united by poverty, desperation and commitment to improve their living standards. Jesus would face the misfortune of being born in a politically charged environment for Kibera is the hotbed of an aggressive presidential hopeful.

He would perhaps be born on the same day a parliamentary aspirant for the Lang’ata constituency would disobey a police ban on a planned political rally. The police would break it up and Mother Mary would run scared to save Jesus from the wrath of the wrangling groups and a cloud of teargas.

Jesus would be surprised that though more than 300 NGOs are active in Kibera, the living standards are stagnant if not retrogressing. He would realise that poverty is a lucrative investment and without it, some organisations would close shop. He would, however, celebrate the commitment of the ordinary Kiberans to sweat for a living.

Everyday, thousands walk to Nairobi’s Industrial Area, making a beautiful human movement. They join their colleagues from other slums to do all manner of jobs so that their families would have a piece of ugali and sukuma wiki at the end of the day. Jesus could get an opportunity to evangelise the employers.

Suppose Mary ran from Kibera wars to the vast Mathare slums. But it would be burning! A misunderstanding among illicit brewers and two proscribed groups would have caused clashes. Jesus would wonder whether destruction of the poor’s property is part of wealth creation for sustainable development.

Due to the vulnerable situation in Mathare, Mary would cross over to Kiambiu slums. Here, too, there would be instability.

Article Source: http://www.afroarticles.com/article-dashboard

About The Author: Oluoch Japheth Ogollah -- is a human rights activist in Korogocho, Nairobi. Contact him at japhol2002[at]yahoo.co.uk -- replace [at] with @

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