As Kenya ramps up for their upcoming elections in March, the DJs at Ghetto FM radio have elected to fast to promote peaceful voting.  The participating DJs will be Mbusii, Solloo and Essie.

Every year Ghetto FM hosts an event called ‘Serious Request (SR) Kenya’, where they raise awareness around a social issue of great importance.  The event has been running for 5 years now (every December 19th – 24th) and entails the DJs being locked in a Glass House where they broadcast nonstop for 6 days without food.  The fasting is to show their dedication to the social issue at hand.

Serious Request was started in the Netherlands in 2004 and run by public radio station 3FM in cooperation with the Red Cross. Belgium, Switzerland and Sweden soon joined in, and in 2008, Serious Request reached Kenya, the only African country that stages Serious Request.

The previous issues addressed were refugees/IDPs, malaria-prevention and education, HIV tests (2,140 were tested during SR 2010, a record number), and a blood-donation drive.

People will be able to get their ID cards and get involved in a voter registration programme and workshops about democracy for young voters right outside the Glass House. There will also be daily “hang out” sessions (which you’ll be able to watch live via Google+ and YouTube), with participation from all the presidential candidates.

Ghetto FM radio dubs itself the official Sheng (the local ‘pidgin’ language that draws form English, Swahili, and local languages) station  and won the award for Radio of the Year at the 2012 Kenya Premier League Media Awards.

Music requests will be taken live and people will be entertained by some of Kenya’s best artists.  To learn more about Ghetto FM, become a fan on Facebook or visit their website.