The democratic experiment is in tatters
President Uhuru Kenyatta greets Nasa leader Minister Raila Odinga during the Centenary Celebration Service at All Saints' Cathedral Church, Nairobi on November 5, 2017. PHOTO | PSCU
What you need to know:
Dialogue is important but to reduce the nation’s crisis to a personality clash and power struggle between the big two is exaggerated and inaccurate.
The failed police reform process epitomizes the decline of the State and the world has witnessed that rot since early August.
A failed reform process has endangered police too, as shown by recent killings in Pokot, Lamu and Turkana counties.
Raila Odinga and Uhuru Kenyatta should meet, talk, shake hands and launch a process of national reconciliation. Then tension will be reduced, strife ended and we can all prepare for a happy Christmas, wave goodbye to 2017 and look forward to a more prosperous New Year.
That is the mantra currently doing the rounds. It has replaced the ‘accept and move on’ tune of 2013. It is gaining momentum with support from every sector.
Dream on. This latest solution to the national crisis is naive, simplistic, escapist and unworkable. It may give relief but not resolution. Be warned.
Dialogue is important but to reduce the nation’s crisis to a personality clash and power struggle between the big two is exaggerated and inaccurate.
NATIONAL UNITY
Yes, the two protagonists are huge obstacles towards national unity but there is a greater threat to the nation’s future and that is the imminent collapse of the democratic experiment. The nation’s institutions and constitutional commissions that should provide a bulwark in times of conflict are collapsing right in front of our eyes and we can’t see it. The dream of a free, inclusive, tolerant and cohesive nation has turned into a nightmare of ethnicity, mega corruption, inequality and repression.
The rule of law has been supplanted by the rule of order; civility replaced by public insults and the Constitution discarded to the archives for the next generation to research on where we went wrong.
The failed police reform process epitomizes the decline of the State and the world has witnessed that rot since early August.
POLICE
Beginning with the killing of Baby Pendo and culminating with the death of seven-year-old Geoffrey Mutinda on Inauguration Day, the Kenya police killed up to one hundred of its citizens and President Kenyatta remains silent.
The position of Inspector General Joseph Boinett is clearly untenable. Yet, retaining him in office confirms Executive support for police killings and the likelihood that the purge is planned to continue. A failed reform process has endangered police too, as shown by recent killings in Pokot, Lamu and Turkana counties. Norway has not witnessed a police killing since 2006 and less than ten people succumb to gun deaths per annum in Japan — few of these at the hands of police — in a country with a population of 127 million.
EXTRA-JUDICIAL KILLINGS
The government funded KNCHR half-heartedly condemned the extra-judicial killings, indicating that its ranks were divided over such a critical matter.
The anti-corruption commission (EACC) chose a retired reverend as its chair.
He then disappeared to rest only to resurface to congratulate President Kenyatta’s re-election but not a word uttered on the corruption agenda.
The integration commission is weak, ineffective and lacking substance and identity.
JUBILEE
Jubilee looks all set to use its numbers in Parliament to curb any opposition or threats.
The democratic experiment is in tatters. Yes, the militancy of Nasa and the repressive nature of Jubilee are dividing the nation.
But the saddest part is that every institution that should respond to their militant aggression and contempt for the law has either taken sides or been reduced to mere bystanders and reporters. That is why Kenyans needs to talk, not just their party leaders.
Fr Dolan is a Catholic priest based in Mombasa. [email protected] @GabrielDolan1
