Post by gakungu on Oct 1, 2007 9:15:32 GMT 3
During the Madaraka day cerebrations of 2002, former President Moi noted that Kenya’s problems could not be solved this century. He predicted that Africa will continue wallowing in poverty, corruption, tribalism and diseases forever. Prior to this scary pronouncement he had predicted for as many times that Kanu was the only symbol of the pseudo nyayo philosophy of peace love and unity. He always warned Kenyans that if they elected the opposition to power the county will degenerate into chaos and anarchy that will make Somalia and Rwanda experience look like church service. Yesterday, he was in Mt. Elgon warning the residents of chaos if they vote for ODM. What an extreme mockery of the intelligence of the people of Mt. Elgon! These people have not enjoyed any peace for the past one year and you wonder what he considers chaos if what is happening in Mt. Elgon is the ‘peace’ he would like the residents to continue enjoying under Kibaki leadership.
Apparently, there are very few people who understand where the former president Moi is coming from when he charges scorching attacks on hon. Odinga in particular and ODM in general for what he terms as lack of vision and a manifesto for the country. We are simply talking of competing school of thoughts that the country has not managed to properly dissect and open a genuine discourse for the benefit of posterity.
Before we analyse Moi viewpoint, it is not rocket science to deduce that Moi prophesies that Kenya will remain poor, steeped in corruption and diseases beyond this century means that he believed that no any living Kenyan in 2002 and even today will see a prosperous Kenya full of plenty in his/her lifetime.
That brings us to ask the question whether Moi is really genuine in his support of president Kibaki re-election bid. Is it a self-preservation trick or is it that he is happy that his prophesy may remain true? It can only be a matter of conjecture! But it is rather strange that even as he supports Kibaki for re-election, he has remained so critical to the most successful NARC pledge of free primary school programme. He has dismissed it as a big flop while his successor enumerates it as his major re-election platform.
Though he has tactically toned down, ODM flag bearer Raila Odinga pledge to recover stolen loot, implement recommendation of the Ndung’u report and deliver a new constitution dispensation based on the spirit of the bomas draft seems to have sent shivers down the spines of the former president. Moi retreated to the Kalenjin land accusing Raila of staging the 1982 coup with an aim of deposing a “Kalenjin” government and warned the community of the man. He also started spreading fear and despondency among the community that Raila aim to implement the Ndung’u report and a new constitution will be to the detriment of the community. To an analytical voter, Moi opposition to these three pertinent issues is enough evidence that what he calls vision for the country is something totally different from the country’s expectations.
Few months after he exited power, Baringo district was among areas that received relief food from the Government as a result of biting famine. May be if the hundreds of billions of shillings which were allegedly siphoned out of the country during his reign would have been used to mitigate the effects of the drought in poor districts like Baringo. I therefore find it strange that he is trying to drag his community in to a war that is apparently meant to defeat the justice for same people whose money and land were stolen by a clique of a few dozens of people.
Even as he uses scare tactics by quoting the people who were actually killed by his forces while crashing the abortive coup, I wish he could get equally generous and honest and provide details on other deaths that stocked the country during his disgraced administration. The Wagara Massacre (Thousands of people died) and 1990’s ethnic clashes (Thousands died) stands out. There were other gory assassinations of; Late Robert Ouko, Late Bishop Muge, University students ( late Titus Adungosi, Late Karimi Nduthu and late Muruli).Human rights abuses in nyayo house are still fresh in many peoples mind. Also on the coup plot we need some information on the motivation behind making Kenya a de jure one party state that is alleged to have precipitated the coup plot.
There are other economic crimes that kroll and associates report chronicle outright theft of taxpayer’s money by the political class in the previous administration. One cannot forget the Golden berg scandal, businessman Nassir Ibrahim bribe saga, Soya bean scam, Turkwel george project, raid on NSSF kitty and the list is endless.
With this traumatic past we need leaders to come up with clear visions on how the country could reconcile with our sordid past. Raila Odinga vision is to establish a truth, justice, reconciliation and restitution commission so that the nation could address its past and close that chapter of impunity for sake of the future generations. Kalonzo Musyoka and Moi share a similar ‘vision’ of forgive and forget. But it is strangely ambiguous in some ways. If the principle is forgive and forget why then should Moi try to use the coup allegations against opponents? In the same breath why should Musyoka want to call others corrupt based on forgiven wrongs?
Take for instance the collapse of KCC which the current regime has helped revive. The former president was quoted in the media in year 2000 telling Kalenjin, ‘wacha niwaonyeshe pahali tutatorokea’. This marked the death-knell of the KCC, almost killing the daily Industry in the Rift-valley.
Instead of trying to interfere with the resolve of the Kalenjin community particular and Kenyans in general Moi should apologise to Kenyans having driven this country at high speed reverse during his long reign.
He must also not abuse the tolerance and rationality of the Kenyan people. Forgetting the lot that could still be beholden to tribal voting, there are distinctly four categories of Kenyan voters. Firstly, those rooting for Kibaki for having performed very well on economic reconstruction, rural electrification, CDF and providing free primary education. Two, there are those who feel Kibaki has relatively set fairly good standards but it could be improved on. Three, there are those who feel Kibaki has failed on areas of security, corruption, constitution, poverty alleviation, tribalism and resource distribution and feel he should be replaced. Fourthly, there are those rooting for hon. Raila Odinga arguing that for this country to realize its full potential, it needs someone with revolutionary thinking to address its myriads problems.
Finally, I urge all Kenyans who value the prosperity of this nation to ignore Moi unsolicited lectures since they have no relevance to a modern Kenya. His rule was a bulwark of injustice, a symbol of sleaze and an epitome of lost opportunities. There is definitely nothing to write home about it.
