Picha Mtaani

Picha Mtaani (Swahili for “Street Pictures”) was a traveling photography exhibition in Kenya, spearheaded by Boniface Mwangi, to spark conversations about the 2007–2008 post-election violence. The initiative aimed to confront collective amnesia by showcasing raw, unfiltered images of the chaos, destruction, and human suffering that followed the disputed presidential election.

Why It Mattered

• Kenya, like many African nations, has a history of political violence being swept under the rug—leaders move on, citizens “forget,” and the cycle repeats.
• Boniface Mwangi, as a photojournalist, captured the horrors firsthand and felt a responsibility to force Kenyans to reckon with their past.
• The exhibition traveled to various towns, engaging communities in open dialogue about ethnic tensions, justice, and reconciliation.

Impact

• Many Kenyans had never seen such direct images of the violence; it was a wake-up call.
• The project pushed national conversations on accountability, peace, and leadership.
• It cemented Boniface Mwangi’s role as an activist willing to confront uncomfortable truths.

Legacy

• Picha Mtaani wasn’t just an art project; it was a form of activism.
• It influenced youth movements and discussions on governance.
• It set the stage for Boniface Mwangi’s later activism, including his work with PAWA254 and his political career.

It was a bold, controversial, and necessary project—because silence would have been complicity.