World Aids Day Activities went on at the Kenya International Conference Centre in Nairobi on Wednesday December 1st. This was the culmination of a week of activities in Kenya and internationally as well as an increased focus on HIV/AIDS in the media.

KAWI participated on the day as part of the Kenya Consortium to Fight Aids, Tuberculosis and Malaria, KECOFATUMA. After a march through town, KECOFATUMA members and orphans from the Al Jiza orphanage in Kawangware slums Nairobi, with whom KECOFATUMA celebrated Idd-ul-Fitr, the procession passed in front of the crowd and the speaking area with hands bound by red ribbon.

Picture from Daily Nation 2/12/03

This act was to symbolize that many small Community Groups  and NGO that KECOFATUMA represents are 'shackled' from fighting Aids by an ineffective system. By providing Transparent, Responsible, Accountable and Inclusive leadership in Kenya Civil Society, KECOFATUMA will help unshackle people to implement effective programmes. This message was further supported by actions around Kenya in rural areas and municipalities.

At KICC the President of Kenya Hon. Mwai Kibaki addressed the crowd to call for effort from every member of society "to make it their mission to conquer the disease". He spoke of the physical and emotional suffering of individuals due to the disease and declared AIDS a threat to development itself.

During his speech the President quoted several statistics that indicated a fall in both HIV prevalence and in deaths due to AIDS in Kenya since 2001. KAWI has long criticized the statistics and 'facts' that are used in such forums for their lack of a scientific foundation and rigorous testing for accuracy.

Unfortunately, until we can test the whole population, or a least a far more significant section of it, for HIV, we cannot accurately state the numbers with the disease nor truly measure the effectiveness of our response. The reason for this having not yet been accomplished is rooted deeply in the continued stigma attached to HIV/AIDS, which the Government of Kenya has shown a concern to fight. However, it must be our priority to eradicate this stigma before we falsely proclaim to know and understand HIV/AIDS.