Ocampo Six shouldn’t run for high office

In a truly civilised and democratic society, anybody who is under investigations, or who has been indicted for crimes against humanity should never be allowed to stand for any elective public post.

And even after the suspect has been legally absolved in a court of law, he needs to stand aside for some time, to allow society to took at him afresh, just to ensure he is truly innocent.

The recent example in point is that of Dominique Strauss-Kahn, the former French head of the IMF who was accused of raping a hotel worker in New York.

Although Kahn was earlier to contest the French presidency, after his imbroglio in the rape case, he immediately withdrew from his earlier political plan.

Or take the case of Herman Cain, the black American who had intended to fight for the Republican nomination.

He was doing well in the nomination polls, but soon after he was accused of involvement in adulterous relations with several American women, he was forced to withdraw from the contest.

The Europeans have learnt that caution is ideal in handling individuals with alleged anti-social proclivities.

Take the case of Adolf Hitler and his gang in the 1920s and 1930s, when their anti-social activities were tolerated and were even cheered by so-called Deutsh patriots.

On January 30, 1933, he seized power and began to eliminate political parties and opponents.

As the “Fuhrer” of the German Reich, he forced officials and soldiers to swear an oath of allegiance to him.

The rest of the German history until the end of World War II, is open history, which the entire Europe has not forgotten.

In our case, looking back at the crimes which William Ruto, Uhuru Kenyatta and Henry Kosgey have been charged with, we have been puzzlingly over-lenient in allowing them to carry on, politically, as if the charges do not concern us.

Just to jog your memory, these Kenyans are suspected to have organised the murder and brutalisation of thousands of innocent fellow Kenyans over the contested post-election violence.

Why have we allowed them to campaign freely amongst us as if nothing is amiss?

What would happen if either Ruto or Uhuru became president and was later confirmed by the International Criminal Court to be guilty? Would we have the guts to tell either to step down?

A lot of bad things have happened in Kenya since independence, but we have rattled along like we did not know anything.

Indeed, we know who were involved in the Tom Mboya, Robert Ouko and J.M. Kariuki assassinations.

Have you ever sat aside to ponder the many extrajudicial killings that have taken place in this country every year?

Like the many bodies of so-called criminals who are often thrown to Ngong Hills for the hyenas to feast on? Do you know these killings have been going on since the time of Jomo Kenyatta?

Although we agree that democracy is the best form of governance because it permits human rights and open discourse, democracy can also be the breeding ground for wayward extremists.

My advice to Kenyans is that we should stop supporting the Ocampo Six until we are double sure of their roles in the post-election violence.

And remember, doing nothing seems easy, but what you don’t do can hurt you.

Prof Ochieng’ teaches History at Maseno University.