This week, Kenya has their elections. Much respect for Kenyans who faced long line-ups to cast their vote:

..and made it meaningful, truly Kenyan:

The reality is, there is extreme poverty and unemployment in the day to day life of many Kenyans.  Even though Kenya has one of the most robust economies in Africa, with vast natural resources (coffee, tea, sugar), a population of 48.5 million and 90% enrolled in school,  more than 42% of Kenyans still live in poverty.

Despite reports in the international mainstream media, people of different tribes, of course, make friends, work and live together  in peace.  (Just as Catholics and Protestants do in Northern Ireland, despite reports). No one wants violence.  People want shops to open, they want to feed their families.  Like the vast majority of people, Kenyans just want a functioning democracy, so they can live.

A friend in Kenya says,

You do not know what peace is, until you do not have it.

Kenyans want peace.  Democracy brings hope.

And no matter the results of this election, I’m thinking about my students:

…and praying for peace, justice (and some soda) for them.

Tuonanne.