I know you know that the African Union is a paper tiger if not a club for African heads of state who massage each other's egos while passing high-sounding resolutions.

I too, like Amon Mbekiza (and there must be thousands others) hoped that the AU would be at the forefront engaging with the Kenyan crisis the moment it broke out, but there was an eerie silence. Were they engaged in silent diplomacy of the kind they have been engaged in with Robert Mugabe?

And now it is the little known American envoy, Jendayi Fraser, who is being photographed with Kibaki trying to break a peace deal. Archbishop Desmond Tutu has been sidelined in the photo show, although perhaps he is little concerned about publicity himself. Also absent from the media are the religious leaders.

One recalls the likes of Henry Okullu, Timothy Njoya, John Gatu, Alexander Muge, Njenga, and David Gitari. But it seems these were yesterday's men in yesterday's church.

The current church is bogged down in personal life-style issues and the homosexuality debate.

United Kingdom