Backlash over 'Harmony for Haiti' concert, some Kenyans plan on converting it into a protest

According to Foreign Affairs Principal Secretary Korir Sing'Oei, the concert, which was to be held in August, will instead be held on 8th September, as organizers planned to 'expand participation of artists'.

"Harmony4Haiti Concert postponed to September 8, 2024, to allow for further awareness creation and expand participation of artists from different jurisdictions," he tweeted.

The entire idea, however, has failed to impress a majority of Kenyans many of whom see it as a futile attempt by the government to appease a foreign nation while Kenya was still currently grappling with a myriad of unsolved political challenges.

Those opposed to the concert have called out the absurdity of holding a show to call for the peace of a far-flung nation when, just several weeks ago, Kenya itself was almost brought to its knees by a series of national demonstrations which saw thousands of Kenyans hit the streets in opposition of their own government's hardheadedness.

Despite the more than 60 deaths recorded and hundreds of injuries and even disappearances, the Kenyans opposed to the Harmony 4 Haiti concert say that the Kenyan government did not, at least, host such a show on its own soil, in honour of its own people.

"How can we be supposed to attend a concert to pray for the peace of a nation that is not even in Africa? A nation that is not even in East Africa? Yet we lost lives right here in Kenya and the government never bothered to honor those souls? Who needs that concert more? Kenyans or Haitians?" someone asked on X.

Others, who pointed out the ridiculousness of the entire affair, failed to understand what the concert was meant to eventually achieve, wondering if a musical show would be enough to appeal to the battled-hardened Haitian gangs.

"So, you want to tell me that an Arbantone artist, thousands of miles in Kenya, has the power to bring the Haitian gangs to the negotiating table? So, you mean to tell me that all it takes for Haitian gang leader Barbeque to drop his weapons is Nyashinski? Come on now!" Mariah Nzioka said on X.

While the government appears hellbent on hosting the concert, some Kenyans have vowed to take advantage of the concert to stage an anti-government demonstration, right within the crowds.

Popular activist Hanifa Adan said, "I’ll mark my calendar when this event is supposed to happen. We will turn it into a protest and carry pictures of our fallen comrades." 

Fellow activist Shad Khalif, who has been arrested severally over the last round of protests, also agreed to the idea, saying, "If this shit actually happens, carry your water bottle, flag and a mask. We have the date and venue for the next #RutoMustGo protests!"

Nakuru poet and Matatu civic education sensation Willie Oeba also threw his support behind the idea of turning the concert into a protest.

"Sitawafunza kila kitu. Carry a flag, placard & bottle of water. Next week protest iko Uhuru Gardens! This is a joke!" he wrote.

The sentiment was universal, even with individuals who are not necessarily activists. One such Kenyan agreed too, saying, "You're planning to spend our taxes to commemorate peace in Haiti when you mercilessly maimed and killed peaceful young Kenyans in their own country? On a second thought, let’s turn this event into a Maandamano. Beba maji, Kenyan flag and all your #RutoMustGo placards and t-shirts!"

Other Kenyans have now called upon veteran rapper Khaligraph Jones to rethink his decision and not to hit the stage for the planned government-sanctioned show.

Earlier, Sing'oei had announced that Khaligraph Jones was one of the first artists who had been booked for the concert. Photos of the rapper, while signing the deal in the PS's offices, were also shared.

"The best thing Khaligraph can do right now, to save his career, is to walk away from that evil deal. Kenyans, let's cancel each and every artist who sleeps with the government and dances on the graves of the 100+ Kenyans who lost their lives!" someone said on X.

The concert appears to be the government's way of showing moral support to the Kenyan police officers currently patrolling the streets of Haiti in pursuit of everlasting peace.