JJ Keki Founder and Chairman of the Cooperative, Jewish
JJ Keki and his youngest son Aaron look over the Namatala River Valley, and the slopes of Mt. Elgon. Photo: Ben Corey-Moran, 2007
When did you decide that your community needed the Mirembe Kawomera Cooperative?
I decided to initiate this cooperative having been elected by many Muslims and Christians into the seat of a Local Council III leader in Namanyonyi Sib-County in 2002.
What were relations like before, and how did you unite the farmers of the Mirembe Kawomera Cooperative?
The relationships were not so bad, but the cooperating spirit was not in existence as the cooperative movement had lost direction in the country for over a decade. With the farmers they were fragmented, each one was for his/her self. As leader of course I had the foresight of improving the lives of the farmers the majority whom I lead.
I had to mobilize the farmers using my position in the community, we brainstormed and through participatory discussions we came up with Mirembe Kawomera Cooperative Society.
What did you have to do to bring all three communities of faith together?
I have had a personal and good relationship with the Muslims and Christians on top of being a Jew. This also has a firm background when I campaigned to convince them to vote for me. I had a conviction that all these groups could come to me. I had a tour that took me to mosques, churches and synagogues to tell the communities about peaceful coexistence for development in communities. So when I called them, my intentions were already clear to the communities.
What are relationships between the communities like outside of the cooperative?
The relationships in communities outside the cooperative is not so bad, people love each other, and only there are some problems with ethnicity especially on the side of tribe especially on land ownership. This is one area of conflict that can be addressed.
How did religion help to unite the farmers of the Mirembe Kawomera Cooperative?
Only we looked at common things that were reflected in the holy books that were in relationship to the values of cooperators. For example we all acknowledge that we greet with the word of “Peace,” “Shalom,” “Salam,” “Mirembe.”
What are your hopes for the Mirembe Kawomera Cooperative?
We hope to make the cooperative a model of championing peace and development in the area. We also hope that others will emulate the principles of Mirembe and bring about peaceful coexistence in communities.
What does it mean to buy Mirembe Kawomera Coffee?
It means that the buyer and the consumer want quality, peace and love, and this can be spread world over.