Radio

Indymedia meeting in Kenya in Response to Death of IMC activist

February 22, 2012
 
Dear Comrades,
Yesterday afternoon we had a meeting to deliberate on the way forward after Nyash's passing on. Also present in the meeting was Molefi from South Africa and it was great having some preliminary discussions with him about how we can collaborate more concretely and creatively as IMCs. The meeting resolved the following:
 
- In the short term, Kenya Indymedia and global Indymedia comrades will channel all funds that are mobilized through us to Nyash's immediate family (his wife, three year old daughter, ten year old son and mother). This funds will be given to them in a visit that we shall make to Nyash's home after his funeral. This way, the funds will assist the family in issues like school fees or even small business start-up since Nyash was the only bread winner not just for his nuclear family but also for the wider extended family.
 
- In the long term, we shall mobilize resources towards a project that will address the three issues that Nyash cared deeply for - Justice for the oppressed particularly in the slums; peace at the community level and economic empowerment and protection of young people. Within the next two weeks,there will be a more concrete outline within this general framework. We also decided that this project should encompass other parts of Africa that go through these same challenges. 
 
In light of the above, we suggest that we have an online meeting after two weeks so that the wider Indymedia family can have a chance to to deliberate on these issues, particularly the third point. In the meantime, you are welcome to contribute to the short term goal of providing support to Nyash's family. We can have a two week time-frame for doing this so that whatever is raised will then be submitted together to Nyash's immediate family after the burial. 
 
We thank you all for your support during this difficult time. 
 
John 
 
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Bwakali, David John
Sustainability Consultant
Writer, Film Maker
www.bwakali.org

Cell: +254-720-792390

 

Dear IMCistas

Thanks for showing your love and support in this moment. Nyash' death is a terrible loss, one way to cope in the short term is to help his direct family in Korogocho.

My current paypal account is not working, but I will create a new one with the following email address. Please send your PAYPAL contributions to:
fagim564@newschool.edu

On the long term, as mentioned by John Bwak and fellow media activists from Koch FM, it is important to continue to support the work that Koch FM, Ghetto film, Ghetto Hope, and other initiatives in which  Nyash was deeply involved, are doing to better the lives of people in Korogocho and beyond.
The feeling of being left alone, and being unprotected has started to sip into people's minds in these shocking times. It is important to show support and presence from the global network in any way possible with our own resources. More on this later.

Giving thanks and greetings from Nairobi, 

Monica 

 

It is with great sadness that Indymedia Africa announced the death of Shephen Nyash: Dear Comrades,

I am very sad to inform you that last night, our friend, comrade and colleague Stephen Nyash was shot dead in Korogocho where he lived and worked for most of his life. Nyash was one of those who represented Kenya Indymedia in Senegal last year. He was one of the founders of Koch FM and we have been working very closely with him, with the latest activity being the Conference of People that was held in Korogocho in December. It is still unclear who did this but we will inform you more when more details emerge. The struggle continues,
John Bwakali

Stephen Nyash took part in the Indymedia Convergence that was held in Dakar, Senagal during the World Social Forum in 2010.  That conversgence was sponsored by Deep Dish TV and Global Indymedia.  Stephen's contribution to the convergence was very important as his first hand experiences with Koch FM were useful in the discussions about building community radios in Africa.  After workshops in Dakar, a group of Indymedia activists traveled to Mali tolaunch a station there.

 

Dear Comrades around the world,
Thank you all for your thoughts and prayers. A meeting of Kenya Indymedia is scheduled for later this afternoon where we will discuss more on how to best honour the legacy of Nyash both in the short and long term. We will then share with you the outcome of the meeting.
 
I had recently done an audio interview with Nyash. You can listen to this audio and download it at this link http://kenya.indymedia.org/

In this interview, Nyash spoke very candidly about some of the injustices that he was fighting against. Also find below a tribute that I have written about him. Feel free to share these both the audio and this tribute widely on different platforms. 

NYASH’S LIFELONG COMMITMENT TO A BETTER LIFE FOR SLUM DWELLERS
Nyash almost always had a big smile pasted on his face. 
 
But lurking behind this smile was a deep passion for the less fortunate people and against the injustices that they suffer. The injustices of the State both locally and globally together with the many injustice of poverty. 
 
Earlier this month of February, I had lunch with Nyash in Korogocho ghetto, where he spent most of his life. We had agreed to meet at Othaya, a popular nyama choma (roast meat) restaurant in Korogocho. 
 
I arrived a bit earlier than him and when he arrived, he was spotting his trademark smile. He apologized for being late, noting that he had been concluding several meetings. I understood, because I knew that Nyash was either leading or deeply involved in many initiatives towards making life better for the people of Korogocho.
 
Within moments of his arrival, Nyash began assisting the waiter to serve the people who were flocking into the restaurant. He moved from table to table, chopping steaming meat and washing the hands of the people. He wasn’t doing this because he worked there but because he noticed that the sole waiter at the place was swamped with work. 
 
As he was serving the people next to my table, he flashed that big smile at me and said cheerily, ‘sisi ni watumishi wa community – we are servants of the community.’ 
 
These five words best describe how Nyash lived and died – serving the community that he loved. Serving the people of Korogocho slums to put food on their table, seal leaking roofs, take their children to school, fight crime, make better roads, leave peaceably, find decent livelihoods and speak out.
 
Nyash did all this through Koch FM, the community radio station that he co-founded and chaired; Koch Hope, another organization which he co-founded that provides bathroom, conference and recreational services to the people of Korogocho; Ghetto Films, an organization that informs and empower slum dwellers through film and Kenya Indymedia, a movement that provides a platform for community activists to find unity and clarity in their common voice for the people.
 
From the moment that he knew about Kenya Indymedia, Nyash became not just an active participant but fellow leader of the movement. Together with three other activists, he represented Kenya Indymedia in Senegal during the Indymedia collective that was held there. Upon return, he immersed himself into the vision and work of Kenya Indymedia. 
 
In our last ‘Conference of People’ event, Nyash played a pivotal role by mobilizing local activists and stakeholders. He also ensured the venue was available and later on organized lunch for the organizers. 
 
I last talked with him on Saturday 18thof this month. Because I was then in Lamu Island, we agreed to meet on Wednesday 22nd so that we could prepare a strategy outline for Kenya Indymedia’s work for 2012. 
 
Sadly on the morning of this day that we were to meet, I received text message from Roba, a Kenya Indymedia member and renowned activist musician. The text read simply that, ‘we have lost Nyash, bonge la maandamano Koch.’ We have lost Nyash and people all over Korogocho are demonstrating.
Nyash had been gunned down a few hours earlier outside his house in Korogocho. He was shot in the chest and stomach and didn’t make it to hospital. It is still not clear who committed this brutal and evil act. What is clear is that although they took away his life, they can never take away his legacy.
I will now leave you with his own words, ‘sisi ni watumishi wa community – we are servants of the community.’   
 
The best tribute we can pay to our friend, comrade and brother Nyash is to ensure that his service remains alive and active by continuing to serve the people of Korogocho slums and those in our own societies who are less fortunate.
 
NB: Kenya Indymedia will meet and consult widely on how both the local and international community of activists can best pay tribute to Nyash by contributing to a concrete project that will help his family and the people of Korogocho.
By John Bwakali, Kenya Indymedia
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Bwakali, David John
Sustainability Consultant
Writer, Film Maker
www.bwakali.org


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KOCH FM 
Who we are?
Koch Fm is the first ghetto community radio in Kenya. It was started in 2006 by a group of 10 youths in Korogocho slums. Our motto is: Edutainment - Educating through entertainment! 
Where?
The radio is situated in Korogocho slums which is the third largest slum after Kibera and Mathare. 
Why ? 
The radio was started in order to provides a platform for Korogocho people to address their issues through information sharing, education and communication to promote social, political and economic well-being of its listeners. The radio's aim is to give a voice to the voice-less by mobilizing, lobbying and advocating for human rights issues using different radio programmes. Koch FM highlights issues like gender empowerment, HIV and aids, insecurities, poor governance, poor sanitation, children's rights and youth & talent.

koch fm

Dear Comrade John; Koch FM colleagues, IMC Kenya & IMC Africa and all the beloved of our dear brother Nyash.
I would like to convey our message of condolences for these very sad news on behalf of the wider IMC network in Azania.
A lion has fallen, the son of the soil has passed, may those that he has left behind gain  solace and strength from the shining example he has set and may his spirit live forever in all our works.
May our comrades in Nairobi keep us informed on the burial arrangements as i am currently in Nairobi and would like to pay our sincere respects to one of our own. Let us know also if there is something we can do in these very difficult times.
Much respek & love.
motho
Molefi Mafereka Ndlovu

 

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