Uhuru and Ruto should stop whining over sealed Waki envelope

Justice Waki is a reputable judge. In his judicial career, he survived the purge that brought many judges down over allegations of corruption in the Judiciary after he was proved innocent. That is why; the finding in his report on post election violence has ignited more fire than Kriegler’s and therefore, must be handled with utmost seriousness our politicians and even the general public.

 Waki understands the consequences of any unfounded allegations to persons. That is why most of the purported perpetrators of the post election violence who are aware of his judicial integrity have developed butterflies in their stomachs even before the sealed envelope is opened.

 Kenyans can’t buy the latest stand by PNU, ODM and ODM Kenya for rejecting the Waki report in total. It’s better to sacrifice the future of 100 politicians so long as we safeguard truth and justice for 37 million Kenyans. Despite Thursday’s chorus of rejection from the two ODM parties, it has been nationally observed that the report hit the nerve centre of key leaders in Central and Rift Valley Provinces the hard way. They have openly shown a guilty conscious through their public utterances.

 I therefore disagree with many of the MPs in the Rift valley led by William Ruto and those from Mount Kenya led by Uhuru Kenyatta for dismissing the Waki report. By calling the report shoddy and mere hearsay will not bring justice to the thousand of Kenyans who lost their loved ones in the post election violence. The killings in Naivasha were done by power saws; men were “circumcised” with testicles tied on electric poles, women died while on labour pains while hiding in tea plantations in the Rift Valley. Leave alone those who perished in an inferno inside the Kiambaa Church in Eldoret.

 Are these forgivable crimes? The truth must stand. Perpetrators can’t be left to go scot-free. When the Waki envelope is finally opened, those mentioned must stand in the dock alone to face justice, just like Charles Taylor of Liberia and former Yugoslavia President, the late Slobodan Milosevic.

This must be locally or in The Hague . As a Country, we should not be the first to point fingers at Kabuga of Ruanda to face The Hague when our own Kabugas who masterminded the mayhem and destruction of property early this year are left free. The alleged perpetrators should defend themselves with facts and the outcome will encompass three verdicts: The hangman’s noose, life imprisonment or forthright acquittal if found not guilty. This is the true measure of justice in any Country.

 Honourables Uhuru Kenyatta and William Ruto with their ambition, vigour and vibrancy should remember that they are on the sunrise years of their political career. Wanting the Waki report thrashed will jeopardise their future completely. Kenyans are tired of political cronyism; Ruto and Uhuru must stop hiding behind their tribal enclave and sycophantic cronies to justify inequities as it will not take them far in terms of national leadership.

 Uhuru Kenyatta almost won the Presidency in 2002 and this was not because of his Kikuyu Community but many Kenyans across the Country. Simeon Nyachae buried himself in an ethnic cocoon in Gusiiland, and his quest for the presidency in 2002 was a disaster. The way Ruto and Uhuru are currently behaving does not portray them as true nationalists.

 And as new generation leaders, Kenyans expected Uhuru Kenyatta, William Ruto, and Ababu Namwamba amongst others to be the best friends of the Waki report if they love Kenya and if they want a positive revolution of justice in our Country.

 They must slow down, show leadership and act with sobriety instead of jumping into conclusions especially to a thorny issue that almost brought our country to total collapse. They both braved the circumciser’s knife and they must brave the “political knife” on the Waki report.

If it touches them, they have a right to defend themselves. Those who value the sanctity of human life must relish and cherish the truth. We therefore wonder who will protect the average Kenyan if our leaders want to perpetuate the culture of impunity that has bedevilled this Country since independence. How can our leaders preach reconciliation and harmony when they want to shield justice and truth?

 This is a clear indication that even the laws they pass in Parliament cannot safeguard the interests of Kenyans and therefore, we can’t trust them. The Waki report unlike others which have gathered dust must be implemented in totality. This will spur our institutions of justice which have boggled us for so long. All alleged perpetrators of the post election violence in the sealed envelope must face the law.

 This will serve as a starting point of bringing sanity in our governance as well as laying a firm foundation for a viable justice system that will liquidate atrocities and human rights violations instigated by politicians.

Rift Valley Leaders should give Raila a break

Good leadership entails taking a stand on matters irrespective of how unpopular they are to those closest to you so long as it has a sum total of enhancing the quality of life to the majority that you lead. While Prime Minister Raila Odinga’s leadership style is laudable nationally, it has not gone well with leaders from the Rift Valley where he got majority of support during last year’s general election.

Raila’s stand to relocate current inhabitants of the Mau Forest in order to protect the water catchment area as well as his initial stand on the Waki report has put him on a collision cause with many leaders from the Rift valley including his right hand man; honourable William Ruto who is also the Minister for Agriculture. Raila is a Prime Minister of the Republic of Kenya and not for Kalenjins or Rift Valley Province. They should give him a break to serve the Country whose population has now reached 38 Million people.

 The MPs critical to the Prime Minister must remember that if Raila commits a crime or a felony today, he will be subjected to the due process and reciprocally, if any leader irrespective of being a bosom friend to him, must face justice. If these leaders campaigned for Raila and in fact delivered the votes, do they expect him to lie low and compromise his leadership principles in order to appease them? Many Kenyans expected William Ruto whose political mentors survived on cronyism to change the tune and speak on his own.

Galvanising MPs in an ethnic enclave to demonise a man whose song they sung eleven months ago reflects political immaturity, and lack of leadership. Political cronyism is an old Kanu mentality that has bedevilled this Country for many decades and when a youthful legislature of Ruto’s calibre wants to perpetuate the vice, many Kenyans are left wondering if the man is worthy his weight for national leadership. The Eldoret North MP must stop inciting the Kalenjin Community against the Prime Minister.

 Ruto must stop using political amateurs like Joshua Kutuny who is always whining and attacking Raila simply because he was not appointed to the cabinet, just like his Budalangi counterpart, Ababu Namwamba.

 It’s also absurd that even a nominated MP who was rejected by voters during the ODM nomination Mr. Musa Sirma is at the frontline dismissing the Prime Minister saying he has abandoned the Kalenjin community at the point of need. Which point of need? Mr. Sirma must be thankful not only to Raila but also the entire ODM fraternity for nominating him after being rejected by the electorates. If Ruto doesn’t sober up on his brand of politics, many Kenyans will begin to think that former President Moi, an ardent critic of him, is absolutely right.

 A Cabinet reshuffle coming up soon will affect two legislatures from the Kalenjin community to replace the late Lorna laboso and Kipkalya Kones. Those who have been bad mouthing the Prime Minister like Franklin Bet, Isaac Ruto amongst others are being watched keenly. If they get silent in case they are appointed, then it will be the highest show of sycophancy and a cry for power.

 The stand taken by most ODM legislatures from the Rift valley to reject the implementation of the Waki report defying the Prime Minister who had earlier on supported it is tragic for the party seen by Kenyans as more progressive and change oriented. Rift Valley legislatures must calm down instead of laying themselves bare. They must realize that the Waki report is not intended to victimize members of the Kalenjin community since it touches all sides of the political hail- both in ODM and PNU.

 Who knows even President Kibaki’s name might be in the sealed envelope as he was at the centre of controversy following the way he was hurriedly sworn in on the lawns of state house at dusk? The Waki reports touches an alleged meeting that took place at State House to galvanize Mungiki goons. From this premise, Rift Valley leaders purported to have been involved in perpetrating the violence should stop having butterflies in their stomachs. They must carry their own Cross to face justice either at home or at The Hague .

They should not cry for Raila to protect them. In the spiritual philosophy, it’s good to be accused falsely and suffer falsely but worse to be accused rightfully and suffer rightfully. Many Kenyans however prefers those implicated to be tried in Hague, because a home grown tribunal is not likely to give justice to the thousands of Kenyans who lost their lives in the post election violence Truth and justice does not impress all people but without it, it’ elusive to talk about harmony and reconciliation in a Country like ours which was on the verge of collapse 11 months a go.