Wanainchi, our beloved country is under siege. There’s no question the elections clearly marred in controversy, with strong public perception and evidence that the process was, flawed and rigged with impunity in favor of the incumbent/ PNU. Neither party is however entirely credible because there were also reports of PNU agents being locked out of polling centers in Raila strongholds. However, thats behind us and we are now staring down the path of civil war following the announcement that the incumbent Kibaki is once again our President.
Violence has erupted in various parts of the country, pitting neighbor versus neighbor, friend versus friend. We know where the road will take us if the situation is not contained. Our peaceful way of life may come to an end as the tribal vitriol, riots, chaos and confusion spiral and escalate into war; setting Kikuyus against everybody else.
This is not acceptable. Bloodshed will not solve the problem; it will simply fuel the incendiary and turn us into another banana republic.
I understand the consternation and betrayal felt in people’s hearts, that the democratic process was subverted at the expediency of a few consequently invalidating the wanainchis inalienable right to freely choose their leader. However, my brothers and sisters, Kenya transcends our egos and ethnic affiliations; we cannot possibly allow ourselves to disintegrate and fall because we have chosen to retaliate and let our self importance foreshadow our conscience and love for the nation.
Let us stand against tyranny and clamor for justice. Let us oppose leaders who have no moral and constitutional authority to govern, who have forcibly thrusted themselves upon us. Let us fervently protest and ensure our voice is heard from the hill crests to the valley troughs.
However, let us do so in peace and condemn wanton acts of violence that threaten to rip the fabric of our nation apart.
“Violence as a way of achieving racial justice is both impractical and immoral. I am not unmindful of the fact that violence often brings about momentary results. Nations have frequently won their independence in battle. But in spite of temporary victories, violence never brings permanent peace. It solves no social problem: it merely creates new and more complicated ones. Violence is impractical because it is a descending spiral ending in destruction for all. It is immoral because it seeks to humiliate the opponent rather than win his understanding: it seeks to annihilate rather than convert. Violence is immoral because it thrives on hatred rather than love. It destroys community and makes brotherhood impossible. It leaves society in monologue rather than dialogue. Violence ends up defeating itself. It creates bitterness in the survivors and brutality in the destroyers.”
Let us heed and digest these words of the late great Martin Luther King Jnr..
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
8 comments:
Wacha upuzi...we must get whats ours and nothing short. If justice was denied through the ballot box, then we must take to the streets and use any means nessesary to wrest the presidency from kibaki and form a government for the people by the people not for the gema elites and their sympathizers.
It looks like you had an angry one right before me. Violence does no justice, you look at how many of the ODM or PNU leaders have suffered due to this violence. Next go to Mathare, Kibera, Kariobangi, Eldoret and then Molo, then you may think twice. I also agree that something was not right and the quick swearing in was just tooo fishy, but go to court and lets get things right. PNU and ODM both did some things that were not right, but we can come to a better conclusion than what we have now. The tourism that gave us a 5% rise in economy when Kibaki took over has now gone to nothing. We need prayers!
Anonymous: wheras i respect your right of expresion, venegance is not what our country needs.
Intolerance,war mongering, bloodletting etc almost always have the same conclusion. If Raila ends up at the helm, i can assure you he will be presiding over a country of ashes.
Kambo: ODM doesn't trust the justice system of the country it wants to rule. You are right, all economic gains made over the last 5 years risk being pilfered away.
Viongozi have no empathy;they retreat to their abodes in the leafy surbubs every night and cannot relate to the mwanainchi who is maimed while "fighting" for them in the frontlines.
I can understand the first respondent's choice to remain "anonymous" I would not be too keen on identifying myself as the author of such comments.
That being said, I thank Fedha and Kambo for their level-headed and objective responses. This is clearly what is lacking in our leadership as they watch the country degenerate rapidly.
We may remember US elections a few years ago when the results were questioned and the steps that the politicians took to address their concerns; no lives were lost in the US! Anomalies or not, there is no justification for the killings and looting - it is 2008 and some elements are still thinking in terms of tribes!!! How can anyone justify this? There are mechanisms in place (perfect or not) to address the discrepancies that offer a better option than taking to the streets and taking innocent lives.
The message is right on the mark but lacking in the direction forward. here is what i have contributed to a number of discussions.
Kenyans are in agreement that the carnage must stop. Our leaders must be pressured to appeal for calm and restraint while they genuinely seek for a way forward. Riot squads and the military will only restore temporary ‘peace and tranquility’. The way forward must put JUSTICE at the very forefront; otherwise whatever they come up with will not last for long.
Injustice was committed when the WILL of the people was subverted on Dec 30, 2007. We know what triggered the violence and we know what will stop the violence now and deter it in the future. The answer is JUSTICE! Justice has no expiration date. There will be revenge killings and life long vendettas if justice is not served for the lost lives and property.
As for the way forward, the proposal that makes the most sense for me includes:
(i) Kibaki should step down to create space for an independent panel of international judges (commonwealth?) to oversee the auditing of the votes from the polling stations. I don’t trust that our judicial system can rule against a seating president who appointed most of them. This process can still move forward even if Kibaki refuses to step down. Note, I don’t refer to him as the president.
(ii) The present ECK should assist in this auditing process and be requested to resign after it is complete. The ECK officers who tampered with results should be taken to court. There must be severe consequences for such crimes.
(iii) The ballot boxes have already been tampered with (read stuffed), so no need for recount.
(iv) Power-sharing nullifies the election process. This should not be an option. Unless it is a temporary solution as we await a re-election.
(v) If this independent panel deems that the results from the audit are still unacceptable, then the presidential election must be repeated within 3-6 months.
This is basically what is being proposed by many Kenyans and it is also what we read from our media back home. I repeat, the central theme must be JUSTICE for all Kenyans.
The real problem is that the perpetrators of violence have got little to loose.
Why the government is doing nothing outside nairobi is beyond me.
Danny:Yes theres no justification for the looting and bloodshed but you can't compare the US and Kenya. When a peoples basic needs aren't met, it dehumanizes them and the consequences are dire as we have seen.
Ma2: Who is going to pressure our leaders to speak up when the clergy, professional bodies and others all seem to have acquiesced to the situation..
Why would I vote for a leader who is complacent and insensitive to the mass murder of innocent lives? I have not seen or heard of Ruto going to Eldoret to appeal for peace, neither has Raila in western. We only become just by doing just acts and those like our leaders who do not recognize the voice of their own conscience do not recognize justice and cannot seek leadership because they have failed to act in a just manner!
Kibaki to the contrary did not appoint most of our judges as you claim. 8/43(High court) & 3/11 (Court of appeal) were appointees of the past administration.
Appointees are thoroughly vetted by the Judicial service commission and the Presidents duty is only ceremonial so its foolhardy to claim that the court is filled with "Kibaki cronies" That is an excuse in itself to subvert the natural justice we claim to be clamoring for.
Gone are the days when nyayo appointees like William Tuiyot and Bernard Chunga (who had no law degrees) sat on the bench!
Our courts are not perfect but they are sworn to defend the constitution, guarantee our rights and remain independent and bipartisan. If we are cynical and mistrust the cornerstone of our legal system will fail to uphold its duty, then we have no business trying to govern the nation.
I however wholly agree with proposals (ii)-(v). Power sharing is not an option. Who will be the opposition? Every thriving democracy requires a counter balance.
Ssem:I understand that the government has deployed paramilitary troops everywhere but some are being bribed to forsake their duties. I was reading a storo about one guy who watched his house burn, cattle mutilated and wife raped as cops curiously looked on curiously!
We shall survive as a nation, am sure we will make it.The average Kenyan loves peace.
Post a Comment