Why do people share these sorts of stories? One reason, it occurred to me, was that by telling them, one brings home to one's opponents the consequences of their position. One might also hope for sympathy, charity or understanding from them. But all these require that one's opponents share the thought that one is equal to them: the lives of Njoroge's  relatives matter just as much as those of the guys wielding the panga (or those supporting the guy wielding the panga). If sympathy is feeling with Njoroge, then it demands seeing that the lives of his loved ones are just as valuable as mine; charity and understanding likewise; and it is impossible to understand the magnitude of his tragedy without seeing it as something that could happen to one.

Those who read Kumekucha will know that it takes what might charitably be called a robust line with PNU supporters in general, and Agikuyu in particular. In the thread where Njoroge posted his story, anonymous at 7.42 referred to PNU supporters as cockroaches (the slower among you will need reminding about Rwanda), and Sir Alex said that he was unable to sympathise with Njoroge's plight because, since Agikuyu have been finishing other communities, all is now fair in love and war. There have been many other attempts there to justify the violence, some embarrassingly badly thought-out. 

Njoroge must have known this would happen: his pain would be disregarded, and the murder of his father and brother excused, minimised, or explained away. But he still thought worth his while to share the story. Did he really think that confronting the commenters with the enormity of his tragedy would be sufficient to get them to engage? And there's a more general point here: when the reconciliation begins in earnest, there will be many more stories like this. Victims of the violence will tell us of their tragedies, and many of them will be laughed at, or told that they deserved it. A friend of mine just suggested that it is better to speak, kufungua roho, than to be silent, especially about these things. But then, one can speak about these things and choose not to say them to a hostile audience. The victims of the violence will show great courage when they share their stories; they must hope that those who tormented them, or supported their tormenters, are able to see them as human. I can't decide whether that hope is foolish or heroic.