Welcome Comrade Zuma, SA’s first African ruler

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Kenya is an opposition country; kick the government in the teeth and you will have the masses eating out of your hand. There is no reference, there is no record, there is no consistency in politics.

An arch-conservative hawk of today morphs into a revolutionary seeking to change society tomorrow. Kenya has some of the most cynical and sickening hypocrisy of any country in the world.

Former Justice Martha Karua resigned last iweek, saying she can not serve in a government that was blocking her reform efforts.

She spoke about her disappointment at Parliament’s refusal to change the Constitution to clear the way for a local tribunal to try the masterminds of election violence.

I recall from the debate in the House that one of the most vocal opponents of that Bill was Danson Mungatana, the secretary-general of Ms Karua’s party, Narc-K, who has also resigned as assistant minister in sympathy.

I don’t expect that the party is so disorganized that the secretary-general assumes positions on major issues without the consent of the party.

If Mr Mungatana was expressing the views of the party, that is, a local tribunal is not desirable, then, by Ms Karua’s yard stick, Narc-K is anti-reform. In my opinion, one of the biggest obstacle to reforms in Kenya is, of course, parliament.

When it is not dragging its feet on important legislation, it is taking the most awful decisions, as with the tribunal.

It therefore follows that if Ms Karua wants a clean break from anti-reformers to become a true champion of the people and of change, she should also resign from her party and Parliament.

I also can’t reconcile her contempt for the Judiciary and the way judges are appointed and the fact that she is one of the most litigatious politicians ever. Is the tail wagging the dog, again?

Mutuma Mathiu is the managing editor, Daily Nation; mmutuma@nation.co.ke