WITH POWER COMES GREAT RESPONSIBILITY
Analysis of the current political quagmire in Kenya is very difficult without first going to the basics. To do that we have to first, delve into the different facets at play, their different roles and intended responsibilities. I believe this is something even a GHC student in class four is able to do.
The above can help us understand who is solely responsible for the situation that is currently Kenya.
ROLE OF THE OPPOSITION
The main role of the opposition in any country is to question the Government of the day and hold them accountable, challenging the policies of Government and producing different policies where appropriate. We have to realize that they can only do that because they don’t have the same resources that Government wields.
www.decisionmaker.co.nz/guide2003/hgw/oppose.html#mmpROLE OF GOVERNMENT
A proper government’s only responsibility is to protect the rights of the individual, by banning the initiation of force, thus making all relations between man peaceful, i.e. free from the threat of violence and fraud
PURPOSE OF THE CONSTITUTION
To ensure no despot, may usurp powers of Government and turn its Machinery upon its citizens
www.capitalism.org/faq/government.htmNow a brief historical perspective in relation to the definitions we have been given:
We all remember the euphoria in 2002 and when NARC came to power and the promises made, including a new constitution in 100 days. We also remember the MOU and the NARC summit which had representatives from almost all sectors of the country and the hope they represented as the supposed main decision making organ of the party (read government)
No one expected what was to happen next and it’s on record afterwards Michuki stating that there was no need for any constitutional amendments showing that to the new cabal (MKM Mafia), the summit had become a major hindrance in accumulating power. This statement heralded the existence of two competing factions within Government; the power hungry hyenas and the ones fighting for the rights of the individual (ROLE OF GOVERNMENT?)
Enter Yash Pal Ghai who in my opinion started the constitutional revolution, by spearheading a draft constitution in one of the most democratic processes ever witnessed in Kenya with representatives from all over the country plus civil service and even religious representatives. Then Kibaki and his cabal rewrite it giving himself even more powers and present it to the people for a referendum (ROLE OF THE CONSTITUTION?)
Thanks to Raila and co. the Banana camp was defeated and Kenyans were not subjected to a constitution tainted by the interests of power.
Some eventually blame Raila for lack of a constitution, failing to realize that after the defeat, Kibaki unceremoniously ushered them out of Government into the opposition benches. The move by Kibaki rendered the pro reform team useless in the effort of installing a new constitution and all they could do was to push for the Bomas draft by parliament and mass action and through the civil society. What we are forgetting is they did their job as an opposition but it still was up to the Government of the day to implement it. (AGAIN READ ROLE OF OPPOSITION?)
As an opposition, ODM and Raila did very well by questioning and bringing to light various issues bedeviling the Gova of the time and I don’t have to mention the Mamlukis, Anglo leasing Mobitelea, pushing for the Bomas draft e.t.c . It was up to the Government of the day and it was their Job to do the right thing, which they didn’t.
Fast forward to the election period:
Some quarters state that ODM pre-planned the violence and the rhetoric Raila used played a role in PEV. Raila is also blamed for failure to put an end to “his people” killing Kikuyus. After the Annan accord some quarters are still shouting Hoarse that Raila did the wrong thing and he should have done something else like ask for a new Constitution. And what was the Kibaki and the Government doing? I ask.
IT is on record that Raila was asking for peaceful protests. We even have Ruto issuing a moratorium to Kalenjin warriors to put an end to the killings. Meanwhile the Government whose sole responsibility is to protect its citizenry was issuing shoot to kill orders and mass blackouts in the media. It is also on record that Raila and co were reaching out to world leaders for a solution while the said Government was snubbing them and saying they came for tea while the country was burning. They tried everything in and out of the books to scuttle the peace process while people were still dying.
KNHCR did a survey and one of the questions asked was; what are the most important ways to stop future violence? The top two answers were, to stop tribalism and to conduct free and fair elections. Doesn’t that answer a lot of questions on where the problem lies.
KNHCR further states that it was mainly the failure by NSIS to provide information on the possibility of violence or the failure of the Government to act on the info given that led to the level of violence witnessed post election.
All in all and by definition, regardless of political affiliation or race or even tribe the Government was supposed to protect all and sundry but they were busy sending troops to Kisumu and Kibera while the worst atrocities were happening in Rift valley. It is very silly to blame Raila for the things, by job description, a sitting Governemnt with all the state machinery is supposed to do.