He is a rock star with a difference. While fellow musicians would rate record sales and well attended concerts as their greatest achievements, Irish star and philanthropist Bono considers political activism most fulfilling.

To his credit, he was involved in the successful lobbying by civil society groups for cancellation of debts owed by African states to the tune of $70 billion.

According to Bono, the debt cancellation has kept over 35 million children in school. This does not mean, however, that Bono does not take music seriously.

Music is what made him famous first. Between his crammed schedule meeting world leaders to drum up support for initiatives against poverty and other world problems, he still finds time to record and perform with his award winning Irish band U2.

“We have recorded a new set of songs and we are going on tour in June and July. The mood in the band is good,” the singer said in a recent interview with The EastAfrican in Nairobi.

To him, being a social activist is more important, and insists that his band does not mind him indulging in activism because “everyone is equal in the band.”

Bono became involved in activism two decades ago when he was approached by South Africa’s Archbishop Desmond Tutu and former president Nelson Mandela to join the anti-apartheid movement in South Africa.

With that struggle won, he directed his energies at pushing for the cancellation of debt for developing countries and eventually fighting poverty and the HIV/Aids pandemic. Over the years, this has made him one of the world’s best known celebrities-cum-activists.

However, Bono does not consider himself a celebrity, his band’s successes — which include bagging several Grammy Awards, in addition to other recognitions — notwithstanding.

“I twitch whenever I am called a celebrity. I think I have earned the right not to be called one,” he says.

He also believes he is neither a philanthropist though he is deeply involved in philanthropic work, and instead describes his role on the world stage as pure activism. “I am only interested in justice. That’s all,” he says.

Such is the non-conformist nature of the rock star. Though he refers to himself as “half Catholic,” he does not consider religion and denomination to be a big deal.

This, he says, is informed by the difficult lessons on the sensitivity of religion in his younger days in Ireland, having been born of a Catholic father and Protestant mother in a country deeply divided by faith.
“We are suspicious of religion. Though I don’t talk about religion a lot, drink too much and use expletives, I believe in God,” he says.

His contradictory life does not end there. While he is a staunch advocate of debt cancellation and increased support for poor states, he emphasises that such gestures must be accompanied by tough conditionalities for developing countries. He considers anything short of this as “irresponsible lending.”

“Aid is a bridge and is necessary for developing countries, but is of no use if it does not reach the people it is intended for. We are not part of the old trend of pleading for aid and when it is given, no one cares how it is spent,” he says.

In her book Dead Aid, Zimbabwe’s Dambisa Moyo discusses Africa’s dependence on aid and why so little has been achieved. She charges that celebrities hold one-off gigs to raise either money or awareness and move on which is not sustainable.

In response, Bono says, “I have not done concerts for charity except Live Aid and neither am I a celebrity anyway. I understand the absurdity of a rich rock star standing next to a vulnerable child. Being a celebrity is a currency that should be used to bring change.”

To him, aid is a reforming tool through which governments can be held accountable and be made to improve governance, which would translate into investment into Africa. Therefore, everyone, including celebrities, should be part of the push to ensure that this is achieved.

Bono has been in the forefront line in pushing for the empowerment of the citizens of Third World countries; and it is not just by lobbying.

ONE, an organisation that he co-founded and is director of, honours efforts by non-governmental organisations to alleviate poverty in Africa in an award scheme dubbed the ONE Africa Award that includes a $1,000 cash award.

On his recent trip to Nairobi , where he participated in the Pan African Media Conference 2010 organised by the Nation Media Group as a panelist, the U2 lead vocalist visited Kibera slums, the base of last year’s winners, Slums Information Development and Resources Centre.

“This is a listening and learning tour where we are trying to understand the people we serve,” he said.