If post-poll warriors are heroes, tell us your role in the violence
One man’s terrorist is another mans freedom fighter. This is a theme Agriculture minister William Ruto should be very familiar with.
At the weekend, the minister revisited one of his pet topics — coming out in defence of the groups that “fought for democracy” in the aftermath of the disputed 2007 presidential election.
The jury is still out, of course, on whether those who organised mass slaughter or mass rebellion, whatever the case may be, ought to be feted as heroes or hunted down and tried for murder, genocide and crimes against humanity.
Mr Ruto, for some reason, seems to have a very special interests in this matter. He has campaigned publicly for unconditional freedom for those arrested or alleged to have been arrested following the troubles.
After the vote in Parliament where the proposal for a local Special Tribunal to try perpetrators and planners of the violence was thrown out, Mr Ruto could not hide his satisfaction at the development.
He publicly declared that he prefers the next option given by the Justice Waki Commission of Inquiry; that the secret list of key suspects be handed over to the International Criminal Court for action.
It was one of the puzzles of that particular vote in Parliament the ministers and other MPs opposed to firm and speedy action, or those who had reason to believe they were on the list, preferred the Hague to a local tribunal.
One would have thought that a local tribunal would have been more appealing, judging by the extreme incompetence with which justice is dispensed with in this country.
But there was also the argument that the ICC moves at an even slower pace, and only handles the most serious of crimes, not “ordinary” murder, arson and rape.
Anyway, back to the point. Mr Ruto and many other leaders in the Rift valley and elsewhere do not at all see the need to try and punish murderers, arsonists and rapists they would rather were hailed as defenders of democracy.
One must also assume that leaders in Central Kenya who organised and funded counter-attack murder, arson and rape do need see the need to punish those they might prefer were recognised as community heroes who acted in self-defence.
LET US ASSUME, FOR THE MOMENT, that it is still to be established who were the heroes and villains in the whole sorry saga. You can make your own judgment based on which side of the political and ethnic divide you sit.
What is interesting, however, is that those leaders on both sides making public appeals for the youth they think killed, raped and looted for good cause are extremely shy when it comes to recording their own heroic leadership.
I don’t imagine Nelson Mandela would be shy about his role in the leadership of Umkhonto wa Sizwe, Dedan Kimathi in the Mau Mau or Yassir Arafat in the PLO.
If anything, their roles in organising armed resistance against occupation and repression are worn as badges of honour. Each of the three men, and countless others, made the transition, whether in death or life, from terrorist to freedom fighter.
They commanded armed outfits that may well have committed atrocities, but it was recognised that they were fighting just causes, the sort of causes where one can be allowed to, literally, get away with murder.
I just don’t understand a leader who can publicly come out and hail “soldiers” who may have committed atrocities for what he believes is a just cause, yet will be extremely nervous about admitting his own role, if any, in leading, organising and financing the war, whether it was defence of democracy or in self-defence.
If there is something glorious about the cause, should not the leaders be proud to come out in the open so that their own roles and heroic deeds can be recorded for posterity?
The e-mails and SMSs were flowing so fast and furious they overheated my mobile phone.
Those so gleefully having fun at my expense could not cease reminding me that I had posted on the Internet for the whole world a 4-1 prediction on the Manchester United-Liverpool game.
When the result turned out right but very wrong, it was 1-4, I was totally exposed to taunts from far and wide. But as Paul Ngei told us, slipping is not falling. The cup will still end up in its natural home.
