- Poor people do not spend time contemplating their quality of life.
To them life is basically about survival. And for rich people, quality of
life revolves around consuming as much as possible.
By Nina Kammersten
|
|
| KOIGI WA WAMWERE: Resting and recovering in Norway, and will visit ISFiT in March. (photo: Ørjan Ellingsen, Klassekampen) |
- Do you think the concept of quality of life is different in Kenya from Norway?
- Of course it is. Kenya is a class divided society where the majority of the population does not think about quality of life, but is mainly concerned with staying alive. The rich on the other hand seem to be mostly concerned with two things: Consuming and consuming more. You would be surprised to know that wealthy people in Nairobi seem to be more into fashion than affluent people in Oslo and London. So in a Kenyan context quality of life is only for the wealthy.
Heaven and hell
- Given the significance of these economic differences - how then do you relate to Norwegian students and the Norwegian setting of this festival?
- I hate to say it, but for young people in Norway and Kenya the situation is as different as heaven and hell. It seems to me that Norwegian students strive for a job, car and house, and are given the opportunity to do so because education is a guaranteed right here. I think they ultimately reach for what is a «good life» in Norwegian terms, which is basically one of large-scale consumption. Every single student in Kenya envies Norwegian students their political freedom and vast opportunities. Take politics, for example: Norwegian students are politically active because they have the opportunity to be so. A Kenyan student leader was killed a few days ago in Nairobi, from a bomb that was planted in his room by the police...
No freedom, no life
- What are your expectations for the ISFiT festival?
- If the festival were to be held in the Third World, it would not deal with the same things. My first reaction to the programme was that I do not belong in it. These discussions are not about my life.
- But freedom is surely a basic requirement for quality of life?
- Freedom must come before quality of life. There is no life without freedom. People and societies are at war over freedom, and people are willing to die to be free. Today freedom and democracy define quality of life. And still the greater part of the world is politically enslaved.
Moi as a higher god
- What do you think is essential for Kenya's president Daniel arap Moi's quality of life?
- You have to remember that Moi is not just a dictator. His highest ambition is to be a perfect god, with powers of life and death over the Kenyan people. He has got all the properties in the world, and still wants more. For him quality of life would be godly influence, I think. And he is working on it.
- Will you go back to Kenya, and if so, what do you think will happen to you?
- I will go back to Kenya as soon as I have rested enough and recovered.
If international pressure on the Kenyan government persists I will hopefully
not go back to prison, but continue my work.