Political Developments in Kenya Under the Uhuru and Ruto Presidency
Kenya Under Uhuru and Ruto
One time my Prof.
decided to argue that it was clear to him that with the election of Uhuru and
Ruto as President and Deputy President for Kenya, with the failure of the Independent
Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) to deliver credible elections, and with
the supreme court's ruling which followed a wrong legal precedence, it will be illogical
to make any such conclusion that democratization process and institutional
reforms are still going on in Kenya. According to his thinking therefore Uhuruto’s
election marked the official end of democratization process in Kenya. In a similar
tone another Prof. argued that if Kenyans are expecting this country to be better
five years down the line let them reconsider their view. Reading Makau Mutua, I
realized the democratic decay in this country and listening to Haron Ndubi then
I realized that the struggle for judicial reforms has been thrown to the dogs!
And who am I to refute the arguments of experts. I only stood at a safe
distance and watched Kenya under Uhuru and Ruto for about three years and the
country has been moving from strength to strength in terms of democratic mutilation,
corruption and institution decay. Even to the extent of threatening to arrest
the opposition leader! Well that was the all time low since Moi’s kleptopcracy.
We the People of Kenya
A South African friend
recently told me that he believes Kenyans were created on the 8th day,
we laughed over it but later I thought about it and wondered if it could be the
case. But many things happen. That could just be one of them. The way Kenyans
think and act seems to confirm my friend's assertion! Just how do our politicians
think? Do they think anyway? A new year resolution by a section of them is to
return Kenya into a de fact one party system yet to others it is their business
this “save suspects from the ICC.” Mmh thought the agenda would be to better
the lives of the people of Kenya but I was terribly wrong.
In Kenya sometimes we argue
over and even oppose notorious facts if and when they do not fevour us
especially when it concerns ‘our own.’ It is complex to define ‘our own’ in
Kenya but even when they are thieves of public resources, they are ‘good
thieves’ of they are ‘our thieves.’ It is a sense of belonging at its best.
Bettter known to us and can better be told by us. There are people who believe’
or are ‘jubilated’ so much so that they can never ever see any single mistake in
President Kenyatta’s government simply
because he is their son and there are those who never see anything good
in this government because he is not one of ‘their own.’
Address the Historical Injustices
Unless and until the
historical injustices of this country are addressed, Kenya will be operating on
ideals and the reality will always be haunting natives. We should be thankful
that Uhuru and Ruto (formerly causing death and destruction to their opposing
communities) came together for convenience and seized power in 2013. Since then
they have been talking a lot about unity and preaching reconciliation but
perhaps in a wrong way. Action in that direction too remains almost non-existent.
But they talk fairly well. Unfortunately unity and reconciliation are far much
deeper realities way beyond empty talk. Since they talk a lot and do little or
nothing, we have not made any known strides in the direction of Kenya’s much
needed reconciliation and national cohesion.
My unsolicited advice
to our leadership is that they must appreciate that reconciliation is normally the
last tool in the tool kit of conflict
resolution and/or transformation. It is absurd to talk about reconciliation,
before, the truth is told, before justice is established, before apology is
given, before forgiveness is sought and granted, before mutual resolve to alter
relations has been reached.
What our leaders
are doing is simply called a top-down approach which is a pure attempt to push
down reconciliation on their warring communities. This up-down methodology will
surely fail. I do not know when but they
can rest assured that some day whether in this generation or the other Kenya
will explode again if and unless we tackle real issues that affect this country
and we tackle them comprehensively. Not in political rallies and state of the
nation addresses but through known structures and mechanism that involve the
people of Kenya, especially those worst affected at every stage and level. It
is absurd for us to pretend that nothing is happening and that Kenya is at
peace and that let us move on. There shall come such a time when the proverbial
donkey will be too tired to move on.
On the ICC
In regard to the
ICC, I genuinely hope that our two brothers remaining over there will cooperate
with the court because if they do not then their guess is as good as mine only
that I will not be crying as them. Again for believers, we should pray hard
that the ICC cases, especially that of Deputy President William Ruto dismissed just
as that of President Uhuru Kenyatta was. Woe unto the nations of Kenya if Mr.
Ruto gets convicted since that will certainly mark the fall-out of the big two.
Such a fall-out will have far reaching implications which no Kenyan will ever
want to imagine leave alone experience. The tyranny of numbers will be so
bitter and sour a reality to be swallowed and the consequences will leave a
lasting scar in post independent Kenya.
What Museveni Wants with Kenya?
President Yoweri
Museveni of Uganda has been so enthusiastic about Kenya of late. I wonder if it
is about Kenya anyway. After all only few Kenyans may ever understand why. Of
course the world system is anarchic and each state is interested in its own
national interest. Kenya is and should be the regional power but Uganda can
never be happy to have Kenya as a power because Museveni is a power monger who
wants to be the regional head. He certainly became so happy when Uhuru and Ruto
came to power with the hope that their cases may help throw Kenya into a pariah
state for him to ride on. He certainly
expected a slowdown of Kenya that meant a chance for the rise of Uganda. Unfortunately
things might not have worked his way and he is slowing down, we could have seen
him last Jamhuri but he is busy with the campaign. He helped broker a deal between
Ruto and Kenyatta, they must return it and so our government has been returning
a lot, sometimes painfully so, for instance, the sugar deal but more tragically
the Migingo Island which we seem to have left for Uganda. Also we must not
forget that Museveni is totally and completely uncomfortable with Raila Odinga,
he certainly cannot stand him as president and so he is a happy man.
Political Developments in Kenya Under the Uhuru and Ruto Presidency
Reviewed by Ibrahim Magara
on
January 02, 2016
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