Voices from the Mountain

Masinjila, Masheti and Okoth Okombo (eds.). Voices from the Mountain. Kenya Oral Literature Association (KOLA), 1998. 170 pp.

Voices from the Mountain is a piece which gives space and opportunity to residents of Mount Elgon district to share with readers their personal emotions, experiences, reflections and histories. The voices here include those of the elderly as well as of the youth; the male as well as of the female and those who are perceived as indigenous as well as those perceived as immigrants. Just as varied are the topics discussed. The range broadly encompass social, economic and political aspects.

The social categories have preoccupied themselves with education, ways of life, religion and hobbies. Economic issues on the other hand discuss women and youth projects, agriculture, livestock, employment, business ventures and means of transport.

Finally, the political dimension tackles colonialism, achievements of Kenyatta's and Moi's regimes as are perceived in Mt. Elgon as well as the cancerous topic of tribalism. There are some topics which straddle the above categorization. They include ethnic clashes, health, security and environment.

Education as a topic is discussed by various interviewees. They include Bera, a primary school teacher who was born in 1960. Bera discussed western education as well as its traditional counterpart. Being a young man, he takes us through mainly the western education in Mount Elgon. Bera's feelings about the adverse effect of what has come to be branded ethnic clashes of 1991-2 and the role of teachers in stopping them are important. On page 9 Bera explains that Sabaot teachers gathered information from pupils regarding their parents' attitude towards non-Sabaot community resident in the area and used such information to counsel such pupils and by extension their parents and guardians to avoid attacking non-Sabaotas a means to facilitate good learning. According to Bera, Sabaot teachers directed aggrieved Sabaot to seek redress in the rule of Law instead of in engaging in clashes. Perhaps Bera's effort may not have been seriously effective during the conflict season, nonetheless, the possibility of using professionalism in reducing ethnic hostilities could be a very important aspect which all sectors should consider reinforcing before situations worsen.

Kaipei also born in 1960 and professionally trained as a teacher gives a different perception to the impact of the clashes. Though a schools inspector in the Elgon area, Kaipei's focus in the formal education seems to glorify the role conflicts seemed to have played in the Sabaot area. He argues that through conflicts against non-Sabaot, especially Babukusu between 1963 and 1964, the Sabaot were given their own constituency in 1963, their own chiefs, and their district in 1993 (pages 50-53). Given such an attitude, one would notice that Kaipei advocates the use of force to achieve what people desire. Here emerges a Fanonian approach to conflict resolution. But does this augour well when it is advocated by a person in the teaching profession? Does this serve as a model to the pupils who are supposed to learn so as to defend their rights more effectively in an increasingly complex and enlightened world? What kind of world-view does Kaipei seek to inculcate into his youth? Does he expect them to enter the 21st century with that crude warrior mentality? Or does he also have room for sophisticated crusaders?

Kakasha who was born in 1938 explains his struggles in acquiring western education against the background of Sabaot disinterest in Western learning and his family's inability to raise school fees whenever he wanted it. Of importance in this testimony is the role of non-Sabaot, especially Babukusu in encouraging both Kakasha and his father to value western education. This dimension of interdependence between Kakasha's family and Luyia members led to Kakasha being able to learn and even train as a P2 teacher. Indeed he taught up to 1991 when he retired.

Kakasha explains the obstacles which he encountered both from his own Sabaot and Bukusu communities. But like his fellow Sabaot,he has internalized a strong hatred for Babukusu. He says on page 71 as follows: `We (Sabaot) have hard feelings against the Bukusu and there should be no pretence that we shall one time be able to live together in peace' Certainly such views demonstrate pathological hate which quickly obliterates what benefits Kakasha himself benefitted from Babukusu and other Luyia friends in his early efforts to go to school.

This exposure to readers from various persuasions is crucial. It makes people who wish to reconcile such pathologically hostile people with fellow compatriots to seek proper approaches to bring about harmony. To this extent, the editors of this text have done a great job. For through it, we know generally the emotions and tensions which ultimately resulted in the conflicts. However, I feel that the editors needed to occasionally intrude by footnoting for corrections so as to guide readers against wrong information the interviewed conveyed.