Official Opposition Must be Addressed by the Koffi Annani Team

Multiparty Democracy might be in jeopardy as the nation focuses for a permanent solution to the election violence through the Koffi Annani led team. This aspect has been left in abeyance and should Raila’s Orange Democratic Movement and Kibaki’s Party of National Unity agree to share powers in a grand coalition. If Vice President Kalonzo Musyoka, of ODM Kenya is also maintained in the power sharing arrangement, then we shall say bye to the official opposition in Parliament. What has put many Kenyans in a quandary is: even if we are desperately in need of a permanent remedy on the post election violence, the Koffi Annani team should play a tangential role to address the issue of leader of official opposition in Parliament instead of being silent about it. In PNU and ODM, each side is riding a high horse for the best deal out of the Annani led team, but nobody has come out openly to address how multipartism will suffice in Kenya in the event of a power sharing arrangement between the two parties. As prospects linger to get our Country out of the political impasse, we need a strong opposition in Parliament to hold the executive and the cabinet to account on the aspects of accountability and transparency. We wonder what will happen to the political parties’ bill and even the many registered political parties in the Country. I am sure each party even the non parliamentary ones will struggle to pledge their allegiance to the ruling elite; a big blow to multiparty politics in Kenya . I personally don’t have any legal knowledge to provide an alternative on this aspect but those with legal and constitutional expertise should not shy away from addressing this vital matter that has shaped the growth of democracy in our motherland since December 1991 when multiparty politics was reintroduced in the Country after the repeal of section (2A) of Kenya ’s constitution. Many Kenyans expects legislatures like honourable James Orengo, a panellist for ODM party in the Koffi Annani led team not to focus only in the power sharing arrangement without due consideration on multiparty sustainability; an aspect he fought for and almost lost his own life. We also expect honourable Gitobu Imanyara and Anyang ’ Nyong’o to mention but of a few of the multiparty advocates of the late 1980s and early 1990s not to assume this very important aspect. Kenyans are watching if our leaders are only fixated on power instead of building structures that will sustain our democracy in this 21st Century for posterity. Indeed, who will hold the government accountable without the official opposition in the multiparty era? There is no guarantee of multiparty sustainability if the power sharing arrangement is effected without a framework on the creation of a government watchdog in Parliament. The future of multiparty politics lies solely on honourables Martha Karua, Moses Wetangula, Mutula Kilonzo, Professor Sammy Ongeri of PNU and James Orengo, Dr. Sally Kosgey, William Ruto and Musalia Mudavadi of ODM. We shall applause these brothers and sisters for a lasting remedy to the current quagmire in our nation, but we shall however hold them accountable if they let this Country degenerate to a single political system just under the aegis of power sharing in a grand coalition.

Poor Leadership escalated post election violence in Kenya

Many questions linger in the minds of many Kenyans why the recent violence spread like bush fire culminating into the worst mayhem in the history of our Country when we have superb men and women with the knowledge to prevent it. The violence has put the African Continent on the memory lane of the Rwandan genocide of 1994 which started slowly only to culminate to the death of a half a million people. Therefore, the challenge starts with Kenya as a nation and touches the entire nature of African leadership. When shall the Continent of Africa produce another Nelson Mandela; the former South African President whose defied greed for power and ruled for only one term even after being jailed for 27 years? No African Country has come out strongly against President Mugabe’s policies which has subjected his people to suffering in Zimbabwe . We also wonder why President Yoweri Museveni of Uganda think there is no other leader who can do even better for what he has done for the Country. The recent African Union heads of States summit in Addis Ababa failed to tell President Kibaki the truth even when Kenyans were slaughtering each other like chicken. Instead, when Kibaki rose to speak, his speech appeared business as usual in the country. Our Continent needs leaders of Nelson Mandela’s calibre in order to realize our respect globally. We can’t afford being a Continent littered with greedy, dictatorship, injustice, indecisiveness and ethnicity. We want leaders who see a problem and even if it doesn’t affect them directly will move swiftly to find a solution. Leaders who see a problem coming and do nothing about are condoning and justifying that problem; the biggest impediment in African leadership. As a Continent, we need to show the World that we have eligible Africans who are ready and with the capacity to do better. This can be realized if our leaders will rise beyond self, be patriotic and strive to bequeath to the new generation, a positive legacy. Under this aspect, problems like the recent post elections violence will be prevented as leaders will focus on the positive aspects they will like their subjects and even the World to remember then for even if its 100 years to come. The key question Kenyans will always ask is why we are embroiled in a post election tussle without any remedy from our local leaders. We expected former President Moi, the professor of politics; and current peace envoy for Sudan, former MP Njenga Karume, a moderate in Kibaki’s past government, the Nobel Laureate Professor Wangari Mathai to mention but a few for failing to swiftly work for a solution to the crisis which has destroyed many lives and property as well as displacing thousands of people. The Swahili saying ‘panapo wazee habaharibiki neno’ has totally lost meaning. We have many wazees who have not only failed to provide direction, but they have also shown indecision, lack of empathy, human love and seriousness in a national catastrophe. Members of the clergy will never be spared for their passive approach to find a lasting solution to the crisis. They are all aware that the Church is the moral authority of any nation. We expected Bishops Gitari, Njoya, Raphael Ndingi, Timothy Njoya, Zachaeus Okoth, Cornelius Korir, and Arthur Gitonga to mention but a few to be steadfast in working for a remedy for the nation over the post election violence. Even Bishop Pius Muiru, failed to apply the skills he would have used if he became President to make any peace initiatives and end the violence. It’s regrettable that many members of the clergy in Kenya are coiling on the Biblical prophecy envisioned in the book of Isaiah 13:14; justifying the current crisis as God’s Prophecy. This is totally irrelevant. What happened in Rwanda in 1994 was not a Biblical prophecy; it could have been prevented before it escalated into genocide. Church leaders should stop the trend of praying for their own tribesmen to rise to national leadership instead of praying to let the will of God to be done as his anointed servants. Anything beyond this is egocentric, greed, and selfish. God is a god of all people and will never answer such prayers. That is why we are seeing what we see. We applause the National Council of Churches of Kenya (NCCK), for being bold to declare that the umbrella body failed the Country by taking a partisan stand even during the election campaigns by openly reflecting tribalism. Besides the Christian faith, other religious organizations like. The Hindu Council of Kenya, the Supreme Council of Kenyan Muslims is equally to blame for taking a back seat when our Country was on fire. The civil society organizations which are good at soliciting funds from donors also failed to make any initiatives to quell the violence. Failures of Kibaki and Raila during the early days of the violence was when they decided to issue messages of peace from Nairobi, Their first meeting at County Hall in Nairobi could have been followed by using the same limousine or jet to travel to all the affected towns together; imploring the citizens to stop the mayhem; reflecting their commitment to a just and peaceful Kenya.

Civil society organizations should focus on real issues

Many civil society organizations in Kenya especially those that champion youth and women issues have failed to effectively focus on their Vision and Mission . While we acknowledge the role they play especially in fighting for democracy and social justice besides philanthropic roles, the way they conduct their activities is wanting.

 Kenyans crave for the strength and focus that once dominated the civil society before the inception of political pluralism in 1991, especially now that our country is littered with myriad problems ranging from corruption, nepotism, tribalism and the widening gap between the rich and the poor. Poor management, duplication of roles, mushrooming of organizations without proper operational frameworks has spoiled the functional capacity and reputation of the civil society which are viewed as watchdogs for the citizens.

 It doesn’t make sense to keep launching organizations if the old ones are left to go extinct. This is what has affected political party system in Kenya and the same virus seems to have spread to the civil society. One of the oldest civil society organizations; National Convention Executive Council (NCEC) and Citizen Coalition for Constitutional Change 4Cs, have always played pivotal roles in fighting for justice and democracy but many Kenyans are left wondering what went wrong.

 When Reverend Timothy Njoya and Kivuta Kibwana were at the helm of NCEC, Kenyans used to see their efforts and resolve to fight for justice. It’s ironical that those who took over have abdicated their responsibilities by killing the spirit that once dominated the organization. We want to see the past vibrancy of NCEC especially now that the Country desperately needs a new constitution. Something must be seriously wrong with the civil society today.

For example, the Youth Agenda, which is the only active Youth movement in Kenya, has been doing well; bringing together young people for trainings and chatting the way forward for our Country. However, the movement’s current activities are carried out in the boardrooms instead of decentralizing it. Many resolutions made in forums lack follow-ups for implementation.

Last year in August, the Youth Agenda in partnership with other civil society organizations convened the third National youth Convention (NYC) at KICC with about 1200 youth from all over the country. The resolutions passed in the three days event were encouraging. These included the formation of an umbrella body that will amalgamate women and youth efforts to capture as many civic and parliamentary seats as possible since it was an election year.

One of the convenors, who is also an activist Ms Ann Njogu, came up with Youth and Woman association (WAYA) which was accepted by delegates in the plenary to hit the ground and campaign for women and youth. If you meet Ann Njogu today, she can’t even remember about WAYA. While at the Bomas of Kenya this September, for another National Youth Convention with over 1500 youths, the resolutions passed last year dominated the floor.

This is a negative trend of recycling issues of yesterday as if we don’t have new challenges in the country. It’s wasteful to spend huge amounts of donor funds for intangible functions. Seminars, conferences and conventions should be reduced to actual working on the ground to sensitize Kenyans especially on civic education. Poor selection criteria for participants and agenda for the convention must be looked into by convenors.

Calling over 1500 youths to Bomas to talk about capturing political power and how the youth have been marginalized by the ruling elite is mere crap. Political leadership is not the only avenue to bring positive change in our country since God has endowed us with different talents. Not every one will become President, MP or councillor. I am not being prejudicial to those who came to Bomas but the convenors should pick youths who are capable of articulating issues that face this country.

You can’t select a goat keeper from a marginalized community to teach him how to run a political campaign for MP and convince donors that your organization is working to empower the youth. We live in a representative democracy and not every Tom Dick and Harry can make it in political leadership.

 The huge amount of money spent at Bomasi of Kenya was enough to conduct a five day road show to preach harmony and reconciliation throughout the country after the post election violence or even conduct civic education campaign which would have made a bigger impact. On other hand, online blogging initiatives that disclose government inequities like the one by Mars Group of Mwalimu Mati, are excellent but not many Kenyans can access the internet.

It would have been better to use the donors’ money to pay for airtime in radio stations and Television in order to reach a wider audience. Problems never end in the society. Activism for social justice, democracy and human rights will always be there because they ever exist even in advanced democracies. I urge donors to be strict in the programs that they fund.

They must monitor civil society organizations which purport to fight for social justice when in fact they are concentrating their activities in Nairobi and enriching themselves under the aegis of fighting for change in Kenya .