Uhuru, Raila should go to jail if political violence boils over

Kawangware 56, Nairobi, locals barricade a road on November 19, 2017 on the eve of the presidential poll petition case ruling. Senseless violence tends to take on a life of its own, and become very difficult even for the sponsors to restrain. PHOTO | DENNIS ONSONGO | NATION MEDIA GROUP

What you need to know:

  • They reign over one delirious half of the country, while another unhappy, sullen, discontented half looks on.
  • President Kenyatta’s most urgent task should be to extend the hand of national reconciliation.

The Supreme Court decision on Monday settles the legal conundrum on the 2017 presidential election, but contributes absolutely nothing towards the resolution of the very deep-seated issues that pollute our political and socio-economic environment.

The ethnic fissures and the very real threat of violent breakdown that have played out in the days leading up to the verdict have not been addressed.

The genie of ethnic killings uncorked in Nairobi over the past few days represents a dangerous escalation of the violence that has hung in the air since the disputed outcome of the August 8 elections.

NASA
The opposition will obviously be dissatisfied with the Supreme Court verdict, but will have little option but to respect and accept it.

It would be churlish, hypocritical and irresponsible to reject the verdict or demonise and cast aspersions on the judges simply because of an unfavourable ruling.

If it was wrong and a dangerous interference in the independence of the Judiciary for President Uhuru Kenyatta to orchestrate Jubilee Party threats and assaults on the Supreme Court after being on the losing end in the first petition; it would be equally wrong for Mr Raila Odinga and his National Super Alliance to react in similar fashion.

SWEARING-IN
With no recourse to further legal challenges, the door is now open for President Kenyatta to be sworn in for his second and final five-year term. That is a reality we must accept.

Confirmation of a fresh term for Mr Kenyatta and Deputy President William Ruto, however, does not translate into an undisputed endorsement.

The fact is that the Jubilee duo still face serious legitimacy questions.

They reign over one delirious half of the country, while another unhappy, sullen, discontented half looks on.

RECONCILIATION
President Kenyatta’s most urgent task should be magnanimity in victory, to extend the hand of friendship, healing and national reconciliation.

Unfortunately, the President is captive to a bunch of venal, greedy, short-sighted types more attuned to dictatorship than to democracy.

They will take the fresh mandate, however, tainted, as licence to go into repressive mode and forcibly crush all dissent.

Some will take it as an opportunity to resume unchecked looting and plunder of the national coffers to build their war chests for the 2022 elections.

DISSENT
We are already seeing worrying signs of tendencies redolent of the one-party Kanu dictatorship.

We saw in the past few days, for instance, Inspector-General of Police Joseph Boinnet unleash violent and undisciplined officers against legitimate opposition gatherings.

Police have used deadly force on Nasa protesters and associated hooligans, but looked on with arms folded as Jubilee mobs have gone on murderous rampages.

Just as outrageous was the totally illegal edict from the boss of the Communications Authority of Kenya, Mr Francis Wangusi, purporting to bar live television broadcasts of breaking news events.

MEDIA
That is a directive all the media houses must ignore with the contempt it deserves.

It reminds us of the danger of allowing political hacks at the Communications Authority to usurp media regulatory functions that properly belong to the Media Council of Kenya.

These officials and others of their ilk, like the NGOs Coordination Board chairman Fazul Mahamed, need to be reminded that they are public officials sworn to serve all without fear and favour, and not Jubilee youthwingers.

GANGS
President Kenyatta will take office, but he will not have peace as Mr Odinga is likely to scale up his campaign for reform and electoral justice.

That is a just and noble cause that must be relentlessly pursued.

However, Mr Odinga must equally be reminded that his cause is not at all helped by the violent actions of some of his supporters.

Thugs who accompany his processions cannot have the right to rob, plunder and burn with impunity.

Violence begets violence, and this applies whether initiated by police bullets, by Mr Kenyatta’s bloodthirsty panga-wielding gangs, or by Mr Odinga’s frenzied stone-throwing mobs.

DIALOGUE
Senseless violence tends to take on a life of its own, and become very difficult even for the sponsors to restrain.

Hence the urgent need for dialogue to resolve our ethno-political divides.

But if it gets out of control and degenerates into full-blooded ethnic warfare, let us hope both Mr Kenyatta and Mr Odinga end up in handcuffs somewhere very, very far away.

Email: [email protected] Twitter: @MachariaGaitho