Post by miguna on Dec 17, 2005 5:24:18 GMT 3
Folks: my articles will be appearing in a regular column in Sunday Kenya Times. Watch out for a column in the EA Standard as well. Happy Kwanza everyone!
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PREVENTING KENYA’S COLLAPSE REQUIRESCOLLECTIVE VISION
By MIGUNA MIGUNA* - © 15 December 2005
KENYA HAS NOT (YET) EXPLODED into multiple fractures like the former states of Somalia, Yugoslavia, Czechoslovakia and the United Soviets Socialist Republics (USSR). By the grim look of things, we should keep praying very hard for some divine intervention.
The country is not united because Kenyans are made of titanium. Neither is it because this country is incapable of tearing itself into little pieces. Two possible reasons may suffice here, albeit speculatively. First, Kenya has not (yet) produced a ruthless demagogic warmonger capable of wrecking serious havoc on its lofty claims of national unity and peace. This has been a good thing. Except for the implosion of the USSR, which was spectacularly supervised by the American CIA and Michael Gorbachev (although cynics believe that it was perestroika and glasnost; essentially liberalization and freedom, that resulted in the break up), all the other state collapses occurred with the emergence or continued arrogant strut of demagogues.
And second, until very recently (and with a few exceptions, including those who participated in the independence armed struggle), Kenyans are generally very cowardly and precociously selfish, until they are provoked beyond restraint. Then their roar becomes fierce and ruthless. Kenyans are afraid that they may not fully recover from any major conflict. I am not so sure whether this fear has been good for the country.
Some people have argued that Uganda had to experience civil war before it could come to terms with itself. It is also said that but for the fractures in both Yugoslavia and Czechoslovakia, the tiny states that emerged from them would not be enjoying peace, tranquility and development in their solitudes. Yugoslavia broke up into five tiny states while Czechoslovakia broke up into the Czech and Slovak Republics, before peace became a reality in that region. In a way, Vaclav Havel and Mandela had to suffer unjustly before the Czech Republic and South Africa could live peacefully and prosperously. But this argument is a slippery slope. Parts of Uganda are still in flames despite the implied “redemptive” interventions of civil wars. Havel and Mandela didn’t have to suffer if human beings were able to learn without forceful cajoling.
However, thanks to the current prevailing arrogant attitude at State House, Nairobi, Kenyans’ resilience is being tested to the breaking point. Although Kenyans have weathered many turbulent political, economic and national storms in the past, they are well aware that the only ship that was permanently insured against storms, bad weather, excessive weight, human error and technical mishaps was Noah’s Ark, or so the Bible tells us. The reasons for the marvelous Titanic’s capsizing at high sea – magnificent sinning of unprecedented proportions – are also here with us. The sins of Anglo Fleecing; Goldenberg Scandal; unsolved political murders and assassinations; unexplained, unjustified and yet-to-be compensated detentions without trial (not that anyone could ever be able to fully compensate for them); environmental and cultural degradation and destruction; and the hegemonization of elitist ethnic jingoism – yes, the complete, thorough, reckless and total destruction of everything we should cherish as a people, have gone on like a train that has derailed and is now careening to a crash. This government’s sins surpass any we have known before. Things are actually getting worse by the day. It is almost inevitable that this run-away train will crash.
Kenyans know that even the Titanic, which was supposed to withstand all turbulence, disappeared in mid-sea, with all its celebratory exuberant revelers. The premature merry-goers sunk with the ship, never to tell the tale. Those ensconced within State House, Nairobi, may actually believe that a miracle may salvage them from the impending crash of the run-away presidential locomotive. This might explain why an otherwise sinning lot troop to various churches every Saturday and Sunday, in search of salvation. They realize that their collective fates have been sealed.
President Kibaki is reported to have stumped his foot down during the swearing in of his second set of grouching cabinet and warned some imaginary politician not to think that he is invincible. We suspect that the president was trying to scare Raila Amolo Odinga, he of the Agwambo fame. Although he did not say what he would do to this un-named politician, his choice of language appeared deliberately targeted. Why would the president want to scare Raila? Why do I get the feeling that the president is either celebration the fantastic referendum loss of 21 November, as if he wanted all along to lose, or he is trying to provoke Raila so that the latter can fall into his traps? Is it possible that the president’s warning was intended for the entire Orange Democratic Movement (ODM)? Why warn the victors? Is he really capable of scaring ODM?
But if truth be told, it is none other than our laid-back Emilio who believes that he is politically invincible. We have been able to gather this much from the way he has completely refused to communicate with Kenyans. Politics, after all, is essentially about communication. It is also about trust and public confidence. The ability of a leader to inspire his people is integral to the leader’s survival or failure. An effective politician must be able to coherently hold conversations with his or her people; explaining his policies, ideas and visions for them. A leader is required to be able to talk with his people about national and international issues than can inspire them; giving them hope, faith and confidence in the leader, their country and its future; and making the people feel good about themselves and proud in their leader’s abilities. Without effective communication between a leader and his people, the latter would not know what the leader believes in. Absent this understanding, the people cannot follow or support the leader. Yet without the people’s support, the leader will never win or survive politically.
So how does Emilio Mwai Kibaki expect to survive without the support of the majority of the Kenyan people? And why is he bragging that he will reign up to 2007? What makes him so sure?
President Kibaki has had many opportunities of bringing Kenyans together after the great duel that he lost miserably to the Orange Democratic Movement on 21 November 2005. He lost this fight, partly because of his inability or refusal to communicate with and inspire his people. He also lost the fight because the people no longer trust him. The referendum result was not merely the people’s judgment over the Wako Mongrel Draft. It was much more than that, and Kibaki knows it. The people feel betrayed by him. President Kibaki’s record since taking over power is only filled with broken promises and unfulfilled dreams. No one should blame the Kenyan people for being miffed with their president. They have been very patient with him as he broke promise after promise without offering any apologies to the people.
Rather than examine his record to see where he parted ways with his people, Kibaki has become like the Titanic crew; arrogantly petulant and prematurely exuberant on the seaworthiness of an untested ship – his Democratic Party of Kenya (DP). The Kenyan media have reported that his DP lieutenants are taking over all Narc party offices, facilities and resources and irregularly converting them into DP’s new election machine for 2007. Apart from the criminality or illegality involved in this exercise, Kibaki also deludes himself that taking over buildings is synonymous with organizing around ideas, visions, issues and programs for an election. Empty buildings, however magnificently refurbished, have never won an election.
This illegal unilateral conversion of public property into personal ones – to be used exclusively for parochial gain is a recipe for chaos. It can lead to feuds or even war among citizens. Trying to provoke sectarian violence as a way of getting out of the political log-jam Kibaki has found himself in is not a very clever strategy. The rising political tension in the country cannot be calmed by arrogant stamping of feet, chest thumping, threats or unilateral illegalities. It is remarkable that Kenyans have restrained themselves in the face of such provocative moves. But it might not last forever.
Kibaki’s declaration that Kenyans should leave politics until 2007 is insulting to our intelligence. His is primarily a political job. We elected him in office so that he can steer Kenya politically. From his vision, ideas and policies, if he has any, Kenyans would reap economic, social, cultural and other gains. However, without proper political leadership, there will never be positive economic gains in the country. Economic growth that makes a difference in the lives of the majority of people can only result from their participation. Kibaki, or anybody else for that matter, is incapable of forcing economic growth or development on an unwilling, uncooperative and unsupportive majority.
Even the president of the only super power left, George W Bush of America, has learnt this eventually. For the very first time today (December 15th, 2005), Bush leveled with the American people and acknowledged that he relied on faulty intelligence when he invaded Iraq. He has also agreed to support legislation that would ban torture and other violations of the Geneva Convention. This is progress, however limited and late these concessions have come.
Apparently, Kibaki has also told Kenyans that they will be “allowed” to make “changes” to the Wako Mongrel Draft as a way of ratifying a new constitution. This is the same draft that was overwhelmingly rejected by the people of Kenya on November 21st.
This leads me to ask: Has Kibaki learnt anything from the referendum results? Is he capable of pulling Kenyans together? Is he capable of reaching out to all Kenyans rather than continuing to engage in incestuous tribalism? Does Kibaki have what it takes to lead and to introduce policies that can generate positive economic development; that can eliminate corruption; and that can bring about the constitution Kenyans want and deserve? Is this man Emilio capable of inspiring all Kenyans?
The future of Kenya hangs in the balance as Kibaki sings his ding-dong with the Muthaiga Club members.
If Kenyans were not a party to the MOU and therefore shouldn’t complain about its abrogation, why should Kibaki reap all the MOU’s benefits?
We wish Kenya a long and prosperous life. Yet if we are really serious about this life, we should try and prevent Kenya from getting too close to the precipice…
Those in State House, Nairobi are looking at our country through jaundiced and jaded eyes. They have no new ideas or visions that can inspire. ODM must not wait for Kibaki to recall parliament. ODM should gather courage and initiate a recall of parliament by virtue of its majority command. After all, ODM members are still elected representatives of the people, notwithstanding Kibaki’s cowardly suspension of parliament. If ODM cannot do it, then ordinary Kenyans must assume ownership of the country and move it along. Our beautiful country should not be left alone in the hands of those jaded heads at State House. To do so would spell catastrophe.
______________________________________________________________________
*The writer is a Barrister & Solicitor in Toronto, Canada
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PREVENTING KENYA’S COLLAPSE REQUIRESCOLLECTIVE VISION
By MIGUNA MIGUNA* - © 15 December 2005
KENYA HAS NOT (YET) EXPLODED into multiple fractures like the former states of Somalia, Yugoslavia, Czechoslovakia and the United Soviets Socialist Republics (USSR). By the grim look of things, we should keep praying very hard for some divine intervention.
The country is not united because Kenyans are made of titanium. Neither is it because this country is incapable of tearing itself into little pieces. Two possible reasons may suffice here, albeit speculatively. First, Kenya has not (yet) produced a ruthless demagogic warmonger capable of wrecking serious havoc on its lofty claims of national unity and peace. This has been a good thing. Except for the implosion of the USSR, which was spectacularly supervised by the American CIA and Michael Gorbachev (although cynics believe that it was perestroika and glasnost; essentially liberalization and freedom, that resulted in the break up), all the other state collapses occurred with the emergence or continued arrogant strut of demagogues.
And second, until very recently (and with a few exceptions, including those who participated in the independence armed struggle), Kenyans are generally very cowardly and precociously selfish, until they are provoked beyond restraint. Then their roar becomes fierce and ruthless. Kenyans are afraid that they may not fully recover from any major conflict. I am not so sure whether this fear has been good for the country.
Some people have argued that Uganda had to experience civil war before it could come to terms with itself. It is also said that but for the fractures in both Yugoslavia and Czechoslovakia, the tiny states that emerged from them would not be enjoying peace, tranquility and development in their solitudes. Yugoslavia broke up into five tiny states while Czechoslovakia broke up into the Czech and Slovak Republics, before peace became a reality in that region. In a way, Vaclav Havel and Mandela had to suffer unjustly before the Czech Republic and South Africa could live peacefully and prosperously. But this argument is a slippery slope. Parts of Uganda are still in flames despite the implied “redemptive” interventions of civil wars. Havel and Mandela didn’t have to suffer if human beings were able to learn without forceful cajoling.
However, thanks to the current prevailing arrogant attitude at State House, Nairobi, Kenyans’ resilience is being tested to the breaking point. Although Kenyans have weathered many turbulent political, economic and national storms in the past, they are well aware that the only ship that was permanently insured against storms, bad weather, excessive weight, human error and technical mishaps was Noah’s Ark, or so the Bible tells us. The reasons for the marvelous Titanic’s capsizing at high sea – magnificent sinning of unprecedented proportions – are also here with us. The sins of Anglo Fleecing; Goldenberg Scandal; unsolved political murders and assassinations; unexplained, unjustified and yet-to-be compensated detentions without trial (not that anyone could ever be able to fully compensate for them); environmental and cultural degradation and destruction; and the hegemonization of elitist ethnic jingoism – yes, the complete, thorough, reckless and total destruction of everything we should cherish as a people, have gone on like a train that has derailed and is now careening to a crash. This government’s sins surpass any we have known before. Things are actually getting worse by the day. It is almost inevitable that this run-away train will crash.
Kenyans know that even the Titanic, which was supposed to withstand all turbulence, disappeared in mid-sea, with all its celebratory exuberant revelers. The premature merry-goers sunk with the ship, never to tell the tale. Those ensconced within State House, Nairobi, may actually believe that a miracle may salvage them from the impending crash of the run-away presidential locomotive. This might explain why an otherwise sinning lot troop to various churches every Saturday and Sunday, in search of salvation. They realize that their collective fates have been sealed.
President Kibaki is reported to have stumped his foot down during the swearing in of his second set of grouching cabinet and warned some imaginary politician not to think that he is invincible. We suspect that the president was trying to scare Raila Amolo Odinga, he of the Agwambo fame. Although he did not say what he would do to this un-named politician, his choice of language appeared deliberately targeted. Why would the president want to scare Raila? Why do I get the feeling that the president is either celebration the fantastic referendum loss of 21 November, as if he wanted all along to lose, or he is trying to provoke Raila so that the latter can fall into his traps? Is it possible that the president’s warning was intended for the entire Orange Democratic Movement (ODM)? Why warn the victors? Is he really capable of scaring ODM?
But if truth be told, it is none other than our laid-back Emilio who believes that he is politically invincible. We have been able to gather this much from the way he has completely refused to communicate with Kenyans. Politics, after all, is essentially about communication. It is also about trust and public confidence. The ability of a leader to inspire his people is integral to the leader’s survival or failure. An effective politician must be able to coherently hold conversations with his or her people; explaining his policies, ideas and visions for them. A leader is required to be able to talk with his people about national and international issues than can inspire them; giving them hope, faith and confidence in the leader, their country and its future; and making the people feel good about themselves and proud in their leader’s abilities. Without effective communication between a leader and his people, the latter would not know what the leader believes in. Absent this understanding, the people cannot follow or support the leader. Yet without the people’s support, the leader will never win or survive politically.
So how does Emilio Mwai Kibaki expect to survive without the support of the majority of the Kenyan people? And why is he bragging that he will reign up to 2007? What makes him so sure?
President Kibaki has had many opportunities of bringing Kenyans together after the great duel that he lost miserably to the Orange Democratic Movement on 21 November 2005. He lost this fight, partly because of his inability or refusal to communicate with and inspire his people. He also lost the fight because the people no longer trust him. The referendum result was not merely the people’s judgment over the Wako Mongrel Draft. It was much more than that, and Kibaki knows it. The people feel betrayed by him. President Kibaki’s record since taking over power is only filled with broken promises and unfulfilled dreams. No one should blame the Kenyan people for being miffed with their president. They have been very patient with him as he broke promise after promise without offering any apologies to the people.
Rather than examine his record to see where he parted ways with his people, Kibaki has become like the Titanic crew; arrogantly petulant and prematurely exuberant on the seaworthiness of an untested ship – his Democratic Party of Kenya (DP). The Kenyan media have reported that his DP lieutenants are taking over all Narc party offices, facilities and resources and irregularly converting them into DP’s new election machine for 2007. Apart from the criminality or illegality involved in this exercise, Kibaki also deludes himself that taking over buildings is synonymous with organizing around ideas, visions, issues and programs for an election. Empty buildings, however magnificently refurbished, have never won an election.
This illegal unilateral conversion of public property into personal ones – to be used exclusively for parochial gain is a recipe for chaos. It can lead to feuds or even war among citizens. Trying to provoke sectarian violence as a way of getting out of the political log-jam Kibaki has found himself in is not a very clever strategy. The rising political tension in the country cannot be calmed by arrogant stamping of feet, chest thumping, threats or unilateral illegalities. It is remarkable that Kenyans have restrained themselves in the face of such provocative moves. But it might not last forever.
Kibaki’s declaration that Kenyans should leave politics until 2007 is insulting to our intelligence. His is primarily a political job. We elected him in office so that he can steer Kenya politically. From his vision, ideas and policies, if he has any, Kenyans would reap economic, social, cultural and other gains. However, without proper political leadership, there will never be positive economic gains in the country. Economic growth that makes a difference in the lives of the majority of people can only result from their participation. Kibaki, or anybody else for that matter, is incapable of forcing economic growth or development on an unwilling, uncooperative and unsupportive majority.
Even the president of the only super power left, George W Bush of America, has learnt this eventually. For the very first time today (December 15th, 2005), Bush leveled with the American people and acknowledged that he relied on faulty intelligence when he invaded Iraq. He has also agreed to support legislation that would ban torture and other violations of the Geneva Convention. This is progress, however limited and late these concessions have come.
Apparently, Kibaki has also told Kenyans that they will be “allowed” to make “changes” to the Wako Mongrel Draft as a way of ratifying a new constitution. This is the same draft that was overwhelmingly rejected by the people of Kenya on November 21st.
This leads me to ask: Has Kibaki learnt anything from the referendum results? Is he capable of pulling Kenyans together? Is he capable of reaching out to all Kenyans rather than continuing to engage in incestuous tribalism? Does Kibaki have what it takes to lead and to introduce policies that can generate positive economic development; that can eliminate corruption; and that can bring about the constitution Kenyans want and deserve? Is this man Emilio capable of inspiring all Kenyans?
The future of Kenya hangs in the balance as Kibaki sings his ding-dong with the Muthaiga Club members.
If Kenyans were not a party to the MOU and therefore shouldn’t complain about its abrogation, why should Kibaki reap all the MOU’s benefits?
We wish Kenya a long and prosperous life. Yet if we are really serious about this life, we should try and prevent Kenya from getting too close to the precipice…
Those in State House, Nairobi are looking at our country through jaundiced and jaded eyes. They have no new ideas or visions that can inspire. ODM must not wait for Kibaki to recall parliament. ODM should gather courage and initiate a recall of parliament by virtue of its majority command. After all, ODM members are still elected representatives of the people, notwithstanding Kibaki’s cowardly suspension of parliament. If ODM cannot do it, then ordinary Kenyans must assume ownership of the country and move it along. Our beautiful country should not be left alone in the hands of those jaded heads at State House. To do so would spell catastrophe.
______________________________________________________________________
*The writer is a Barrister & Solicitor in Toronto, Canada
) to get him a prime minister job and one which is totally disconnected to the aspirations of Kenyans apart from some tribal sycophants.