Courts, elections will not cure Kenya

Kenya Conference of Catholic Bishops Right Reverend Alfred Rotich addresses a press conference at Silver Springs Hotel, Nairobi, on November 1, 2017. They said that regardless of the outcome of the Supreme Court petition this country needs to dialogue. PHOTO | DENNIS ONSONGO | NATION MEDIA GROUP

What you need to know:

  • Kenyans are discovering that a menu of weak institutions and overdependence on the courts cannot address the nation’s major concerns.
  • However, before setting the agenda it is essential that Kenyans start listening to one another everywhere.

Maybe it’s the end of year feeling but the fatigue, lethargy and gloominess of the nation are tangible everywhere.

Even the seasoned and hardened campaigners have found the demands, divisions and uncertainty of the year overwhelming.

The energy level is dropping, yet there appears no clear road map or quick fix solution to the nation’s problems.

JUDGMENT
The Supreme Court Petition on the Presidential rerun has a déjà vu feeling about it, regardless of Monday’s ruling.

The absence of Raila Odinga from the ballot led to an abysmal turnout of 38 per cent and there will be even less enthusiasm for another quick election should the Supreme Court annul the October 26 one.

Kenyans are discovering that a menu of weak institutions and overdependence on the courts cannot address the nation’s major concerns.

Another route is required even if it proves to be arduous and unpredictable.

DIALOGUE

This was well put last week by the Catholic bishops who said that regardless of the outcome of the Supreme Court petition this country needs to dialogue.

Put another way, elections or the judiciary on their own will not resolve the current crisis. 

The bishops believe that only dialogue can put the common good ahead of individual ambitions that threaten coexistence or lead to autocratic rule.

The Bishops went further and declared that they have resolved to organise a National Dialogue Forum with the aim of bringing every sector on board and setting a national agenda.

DISPUTE
Of course to get the principal players to acknowledge the crisis and to sit at the same table will be quite a challenge.

We will have lots of chest thumping and unreasonable preconditions tabled before any progress is made.

Jubilee just want to have the swearing-in over and done with and life goes on in their characteristic ‘accept and move on’ mantra.

Nasa, on the other hand, through a variety of civil disobedience activities, want to remind the nation that they have not gone away and that they have many grievances that need to be addressed.

DESPAIR
The Bishops presented a variety of issues for the dialogue agenda ranging from reform of the IEBC to poverty eradication.

However, before setting the agenda it is essential that Kenyans start listening to one another everywhere.

Listening begins by acknowledging that a huge proportion of the nation’s population feels angry, alienated and victimised because of their ethnic identity.

Whether all of that hurt is fully justified is neither here nor there.

Firstly, it has to be heard and acknowledged.

RESISTANCE

Calls for secession in the Coast or elsewhere together with peaceful boycott of products cannot be dismissed as sour grapes for losing the presidential ballot.

These protests manifest a deep feeling of not being accepted or belonging in the land of their birth.

Then there is the culture of ‘mtado (what will you do)'? that treats with contempt and arrogance any complaints about impunity and corruption.

Accountability seems well nigh impossible under the current Presidential system.

GOVERNANCE

In a Parliamentary system at least we would have regular question time and accountability forums.

Dialogue, yes, but first a cooling-off period of silence and deep listening far away from the airwaves.

Then we can talk with open hearts.

[email protected] @GabrielDolan1