Remember, BBI is for and about Kenya, not Uhuru, Raila or Ruto

Today is today, to borrow from local parlance. It could turn out to be a defining moment in Kenyan politics, or maybe ultimately amount to just one big damp squib.

When, or if, President Uhuru Kenyatta and foe-turned-friend Raila Odinga finally receive the much-awaited report of the Building Bridges Initiative task force, it could be the beginning of a messy, noisy political confrontation.

Kenyans could be divided on the usual political, ethnic and regional fault lines that all too often lead to violence and destruction.

But it doesn’t have to be that way. It could also be time for calm, sober, dignified and thoughtful conversation.

A national dialogue aimed at crafting a new Kenya has been long overdue. We all know that, even heading to 56 years of independence, Kenya has still never become a nation.

It is a mere geographical entity; an unwieldy collection of competing ethnic sub-nations instead of the united, stable and peaceful country where every individual and group enjoys equal opportunity to develop to full potential.

TURN THINGS AROUND

The advent of independence in 1963, the “Second Liberation” in 1992 and promulgation of the new Constitution in 2010 all failed to address and resolve the injustices and grievances that provide the fertile breeding ground for regular eruptions of violence.

It is a country where competition for leadership has been reduced to a mad elite scramble for national resources and wealth, and where citizens have, like sheep, been reduced to automatons blindly following a few warlords to death and destruction.

Chances are more than even that, instead of sober examination, the BBI report, once unveiled, will be reduced to usual supremacy battles between just three individuals: President Kenyatta and Mr Odinga on one side and Deputy President William Ruto leading the “opposition” from the other side.

Rabble-rousing politicians will be funded and dispatched across the country on destructive missions, spreading vile messages of hate, violence and ethnic division.

The rest of us will be the mindless cheering and jeering squads, foolishly tying our fate to the selfish missions of those willing to use us as cannon fodder in their pursuit of political power.

It is time we turned things around. We have it in our power, as citizens, to set the agenda for our leaders rather than remain mere tools to be used and discarded.

REJECT EVIL DESIGNS

We could do well to remember that BBI is supposed to be about what is good for Kenya, rather than about what is good for Mr Kenyatta, Mr Odinga or Dr Ruto.

If any of the trio tries to direct us to accept or reject it simply on the basis of their individual political designs, we can rebuke them.

If they go around spreading destructive narratives aimed at exploiting ethnic divisions and inciting hatred and violence, we can firmly reject their evil designs and pursue the path of honest dialogue, respect and tolerance.

We can firmly reject their sponsored “Kieleweke” and “Tangatanga” mercenary squads that aim at nothing more than lining their pockets with money obviously stolen from public funds.

I have no doubt in my mind that the BBI was a good thing when it was launched by Mr Kenyatta and Mr Odinga.

It correctly analysed the issues that have blocked our evolution into a modern, prosperous nation.

It, however, started off on the wrong note when it became a Uhuru-Raila project rather than national dialogue.

The ensuing competition based around the presidential succession and the place of Mr Odinga and DP Ruto in the scheme of things did not help.

RESTORE TRANQUILLITY

We cannot, however, keep crying over spilt milk. The release of the BBI report and its recommendations give us the opportunity to correct that early misstep by launching a serious “Kenya we Want” national dialogue.

A good start would be to remember the original rationale for that famous handshake between President Kenyatta and Mr Odinga, the self-proclaimed “People’s President”, on the steps of Harambee House last year.

First, it brought to an instant end the threat of violence and instability in the wake of another disputed presidential election.

It then pledged to resolve the issues that divide us, often with violent consequences, and unveiled a nine-point agenda.

The BBI was supposed to address the related scourge of ethnic antagonism and political and economic exclusivism.

It was to find a way out of divisive and violent elections, tackle the monster of corruption and ensure shared prosperity.

No one in his right mind would argue against that agenda. We all know our problems and, surely, should play roles towards solutions that guarantee a Kenya we can all be proud of.

[email protected] @MachariaGaitho