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UBUNTU
CONCEPT OF UBUNTU
• Africans are the source of the concept of Ubuntu
• Desmond Tutu arose as a prophet of life with his message of hope found
within the concept of Ubuntu and somehow peace was found. Tutu is a
South African activist and a retired Anglican Bishop who became famous
worldwide as an opponent of apartheid. He provided an alternative to
apartheid which was Ubuntu. Ubuntu poses responsibility to everyone to
work for healing and reconciliation. Peaceful coexistence is everyone's
responsibility and not just a few leaders in the societies.
• Ubuntu is a Bantu term that means “humanness” or person(s) with
humanness.
• Ubuntu is an indigenous African concept which derives its identity from
community rather than individuals.
• The key idea of Ubuntu is interconnectedness.
• Ubuntu does not take the individual for granted, the individual is as
important as the community. The community's role is to produce useful
individuals, and this is a collective responsibility that starts from family,
teachers, friends, religious leaders, security agencies, and others.
• Tutu also agree that, “A person is a person through other people”. The
idea of brotherhood and sisterhood and equality are some important
characteristics of Ubuntu
• If the collective spirit brought about by Ubuntu can be focused on peace
building activities, then Ubuntu will pose a responsibility for everyone
to work for peace because everyone will be involved and this is an
advantage to peace efforts.
CHRISTIAN THEOLOGY
• In a Christian sense, improving relationship with people goes hand in
hand with improving our relationship with God. These two kinds of
relationships are vertical (with God) and horizontal (with creatures) and
are inter-dependent.
• As the Bible says in Christ Jesus “There is neither Jew nor Gentile,
neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in
Christ Jesus”
• The gospel of Christ which is in line with Ubuntu should always inform
the church to rise above theological, race, ethnic, and class divisions and
instead embrace unity in all our diversities.
KENYANS VIEW
• Ubuntu is all about humanity, compassion, and goodness. If these are
expressed to others, peace would be the result (Meshack Kosgei)
• Ubuntu encourages self esteem in people, enhances unity, and its a
motivation for a peaceful living
• Equality is the base of Kenyan idea of Ubuntu
• Ubuntu is an alternative response to our existing conflicts as it is against
any form of oppression, discrimination or manipulation. On the contrary
it helps us to connect with one another and build healthy relationships.
• In Kenya, Ubuntu is practiced in many ways. One of these ways is
through Harambee. (Jomo Kenyatta)
• Harambee is a Kenyan term for “community self help event” or “pull
together.”
• Harambee is when a group of people gather to accomplish a task. The
task vary from raising funds for education purposes, health bills,
weddings, funerals, construction of schools, churches, clinics,
community bridges, water projects, cattle dips, afforestation and other
related projects.
• The spirit of Harambee invokes the participation of collective efforts
amongst Kenyans
HOW UBUNTU IS THE FIRST STEP TO
CONFLICT TRANSFORMATION
• A person with Ubuntu is “welcoming, hospitable, warm and generous,
willing to share, such people are open and available to others.”
• These virtues promote peace if everyone can put them in practice.
Similarly, the person with Gods spirit is characterized by the fruit of the
Holy Spirit which is “love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness,
faithfulness, gentleness and self-control”
• This is Ubuntu expressed in the Bible. If parties can come with these
virtues in mediation process is likely to succeed.
• In the political dimension Ubuntu demands the cooperation of all.
• In the management of businesses Ubuntu demands the same cooperation.
When a business is understood as a community it not only benefits a few
at the top but everyone working with the firm. Ubuntu philosophy in
management can help reduce worker’s strikes and promote the well-
being of the firm.
• If properly applied Ubuntu can reduce the tendencies of corruption.
• The concept of Ubuntu can also be used on matters of environmental
conservation and issue of climate change. A collective effort by
humanity could help save our environment from degradation and
pollution. Collective initiatives like Harambee in Kenya and Omuganda
in Rwanda can be promoted to focus on environmental conservation as
well.
• As people of Ubuntu are “welcoming, hospitable, warm and generous,
willing to share, such people are open and available to others.” They are
“willing to be vulnerable, and affirming of others...” These are qualities
that are needed for successful mediation process. Mediation provides an
opportunity for conflicting parties to dialogue their differences and
resolve their conflict.
• Ears that do not listen to advice, accompany the head when its chopped
off. - African proverb.
• In ancient Africa and even today especially in rural areas elders are still
tasked with the responsibility to resolve conflicts arising in their
communities.
• The Lokiriama Peace Accord is an example of elders mediation
initiative. This accord involved two major communities the Matheniko
from Uganda and the Turkana of Kenya.
KENYAN VIEW ON MEDIATION
• Mediation provides room for self-control, it brings conflicting parties
closer and eradicates boundaries between them- mediator keeps balance
of communication during mediation.
• Mediation can promote peace and Mediation is like the neutral platform
where disputants meet to address their issues
• Mediation provides informal opportunity to resolve conflicts and
promotes equal power sharing, participation, and dialogue
• Mediation can contribute to peace-building in a manner that, people who
do not like to change their ideas, can probably be convinced by an
independent person (mediator) who is neutral