Civil society should up opposition mantle

Last week, several media houses carried a report that 17 MCAs from Nairobi had been robbed in a Mombasa hotel. The news was greeted with laughter, applause and high-fives in the company I was with.

“Now they know how we feel when they rob us right, left and centre with their junkets, allowances and tenders,” was the general consensus.

On Jamhuri Day Uhuru Kenyatta addressed the nation from a half empty Kasarani Stadium. In a crowded lounge of over 200 travellers I noted that not more than three followed the proceedings on the big screen. Kenyans are sick and tired of politics and politicians. Resistance is targeting all sides and that will soon evolve into anger and cynicism. Kenyans may be divided on many issues but most agree that the current political class is the greatest single obstacle to the development of the nation.

CONSOLATION

Of course, since politicians divided the nation, they should hardly be entrusted with the responsibility of reconciliation and putting humpty dumpty together again.

Yet, if Mr Kenyatta had apologised for the slaughter of his citizens by his police then bereaved families might have received some consolation. Right now, we can expect the bloodbath to continue and not just eliminating the poor and protesters.

Nasa contributed towards the burial expenses of the victims of the police brutality but gave nothing to those whose businesses and livelihoods were destroyed during their protests. Just spare a thought for the thousands facing a miserable Christmas resulting from the reckless behaviour of the political class.

What next? Despite threats to the contrary, Nasa MPs will take up their positions in parliamentary committees and any other posts that pay allowances.

Thereafter, Nasa will disintegrate and Jubilee, left with no significant opposition, will continue to rule with impunity for the foreseeable future.

VINDICATED

IEBC may feel vindicated but if its current team remains in place, then the outcome of 2022 is already assured.

Civil Society may then be reluctantly pressured into becoming the official opposition to tyranny and authoritarian rule. Human rights groups are perhaps the one section of society that remained united, consistent and not torn apart by ethnicity in the past year.

Veterans of integrity and courage have remained steadfast even in the face of hostility and deregistration. But now they face their biggest test.

They may have the vision, capacity and integrity to advance a reform agenda, but they currently lack a constituency.

They need to move beyond the conference rooms, press conferences and academic reports and find a home at the grassroots if they are to resonate with the real needs of the majority.

UNWIND

They may live, unwind and work among the 20 per cent middle class, but must humble themselves to listen and learn from the 80 per cent of Wanjikus.

The country is at a crossroads. It needs new faces and thinking. We may choose to think ‘inside the box’ or ‘outside the box’ or perhaps more boldly still ‘think without a box’. This is the time to think bravely without limits, what Thomas Friedman calls being ‘radically inclusive’ bringing on board as many groups and processes to develop a new road map for the country we call Kenya.

Fr Dolan is a Catholic priest based in Mombasa. [email protected] @GabrielDolan1