Saturday, January 05, 2008

...Another Idea: Why Kenyans should not fight each other

BREAKING NEWS: Citizen TV says US have commended Kibaki for extending olive branch to Raila as he (Kibaki) prepares to form a government of national unity. Chris is preparing a post about this which will appear shortly.

By GUEST WRITER
From the onset, I wish to state that I’m a Kikuyu and I voted for President Kibaki on Dec 27, 2007. I voted for him thinking he was the right man to lead Kenya. But times have changed. I have seen another character in Kibaki, which, like most Kenyans, did not know of.

If the laws of the land allowed voters to recall their votes, I would have been the first to do so. The man I voted for has ashamed me and I regret why I wasted my fuel driving back to the city from my rural home to the city centre to vote for him. I voted for him to win a clean election but not to steal an election he had lost fairly.
Kenya has been bleeding for the past five days and the blood of innocent Kenyans – butchered by state agents and angry voters protesting the election theft – will haunt all of us for many years to come.

Why are Kenyans fighting each other? The blame squarely lies under the feet of Emilio Mwai Kibaki and the small clique that surround him for stealing an election in broad-day light! Newspaper commentators have argued that Kibaki and his clique should have used a little intelligence. I wholly agree with them.

One would have expected Kibaki to be somehow remorseful after stealing the election from Mr Raila Odinga. But the Kibaki we saw on TV on Thursday evening did not show any signs of being remorseful. He was maintaining his usual arrogance and daring those who do not agree with him for a fight.

Kibaki has been happily following the slaughter of innocent Kenyans from the confines and comfort of his State House bedroom. To him, the blood that is being spilt is just like the water you can fetch from a stream. This is the same contempt he has ruled Kenya with for the past five years.

I’m not shocked by Kibaki’s actions. Kenyans should be wiser. What does Kibaki stand to lose even if the violence escalates? Nothing. He has all the wealth and his children and grandchildren are well taken care off. The only thing they would do if the worst happened is to jump into a plane and take off and leave the rest of us swimming in our own blood.

Those who are expecting Kibaki to resolve the current political crisis, which he is squarely to blame for the election robbery, are badly mistaken. How is expected to resolve a national crisis if can’t solve his own domestic problems with his wife? Kenyans know the public dramas – leave alone the private ones! - staged by his wife. And the man maintains the same gloomy face through out as his wife had done nothing!

Kibaki has no business being the President if he can’t for once present himself as a leader. Those who have been in Kenya for the past five years know Kenya only had a figure-head President and not a leader.

For instance, Kibaki watched in the past five years as NARC, the party that swept him to power in 2002, disintegrated and finally died without making efforts to save the situation. Perhaps, he’ll wait in the same manner until Kenya disintegrates from the current violence right under his eyes!

I appeal to my fellow Kenyans to become wiser and know that Kibaki cares less about their plight. All he cares about is to be called the President of the Replic of Kenya! Is this a man worth dying for? The answer is NO. The people who voted were not enemies. The people who voted for Raila or Kibaki were not enemies. Their common enemy is Kibaki – he refused to form a party and refused to go out to campaign early knowing he would steal the votes even if Kenyans rejected him.

Kibaki has the guns, the police, the military and other state agents at his disposal to kill and maim anyone who does not tow the line. Mr Odinga has the Kenyan people right behind him.

I appeal to my fellow Kenyans that instead of killings each – which is what Kibaki wants – we should allow the illegitimate Kibaki administration to cling to power. We are now more wiser. Five years is not a long time. The entire Opposition can opt to back Mr Odinga in 2012 and we collectively ensure the Kibaki clique does not pull another surprise on us.

We’ll then deal with Kibaki as an individual and not punish the entire Kikuyu community for mistakes done by a single man who has no control of his wife.

History will judge Kibaki harshly. Kibaki’s actions and conduct are unacceptable to any right-thinking Kenyans – except for his few fanatical Kikuyus who reason like him.

30 comments:

  1. Neo-colonialism is what is affecting Kenyans.

    After the effects of colonialism.

    Kenyans are colonising themselves.

    Kisii, Jaluo, kikuyu Turkana, we are all Kenyans "BLACK PEOPLE" and should work together.

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  2. Am sorry but the guest writer is just shading corcordile tears. Listen to him

    "we should allow the illegitimate Kibaki administration to cling to power. We are now more wiser. Five years is not a long time. The entire Opposition can opt to back Mr Odinga in 2012 and we collectively ensure the Kibaki clique does not pull another surprise on us".


    when does he mean by "us" and yet he said he voted for kibaki?

    my friend wake up and smell the coffee. no one is naive enough to wait five years for another stealing

    then wait again for another five years

    dictators must be shown the dooor and now for africa to progress

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  3. anon 4:44 - can you come back to reality and get more specific.

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  4. I don`t trust multi millionaire's Raila and Kibaki.

    Rev. Njoya should be the president of Kenya and Imanyara the Prime Minister.

    NOT RUTO.

    Ruto should be in jail as we speak.

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  5. This article sounds like a red herring. Yes, it's Kibaki, not the Kikuyus but hey, let's just let him stick it out for the next 5 years. Noble thoughts - but try telling that to the aggrieved at a time when the country has almost had a meltdown.

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  6. Sofie, more noble thoughts, but it does not help the current impasse. Hopefully, there will be young tigers running in 2012 and we won't have to worry about incompetence then.

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  7. I think the writer has a point.First the whole world knows he stole the election.second it is not compulsury that odinga becomes president to accomplish his goals.
    Odinga has done his best in bringing multiparty politics and ultimately showing the world what the kibaki and previous regimes have been doing.
    I think it is upto the kenyan people to decide now or forever hold their peace,and by so doing acknowledge that they will never ever have a say in running of kenyan affairs.
    Odinga has persistently told the kenya people that democracy has an ultimate price to pay.If kenyans are fed up of standing for their rights they should forever hold their peace or make unisom and overwhelming support for the change they want NOW.There is no TOMMOROW, it never comes.

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  8. The Kenya people don't have much of a say right now. They had it on Dec 27th. It's now the political elite who will determine if Kibaki remains Head of State.

    It's now up to the ODM Pentagon to decide if they should continue to resist the incumbent at the cost of more tension - supposedly democracy - or go ahead with a unity government and perhaps alienate a large portion of their support base.

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  9. At the moment, we have two types of politicians, the incapable and those capable of anything,... take your pick.
    The damage is already done, for now lets look for a way back to where we were by Reconciliation.
    Reconciliation should be accompanied by justice otherwise it will not last, while we all hope for peace. It shouldn't be peace at any cost but peace based on principle, on justice and so far there are reasons to be optimistic.

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  10. I think Chris could be under hostage.

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  11. Our country gets "raped" and all we can do is stand by and watch. This is what the illegimate government of Kibaki wants us to do, standby and watch as they know the resolve of Kenyan people will diminish over time. This is not the time to do that, the Kenyan people must not let Kibaki and his cronies get away with this "rape".It is sad and unfortunate the innocent are getting killed because of the arrogance of this government! Either we stand together and ensure that this government cannot stand on its two feet, and is voted out, or we stand to loose everything we believe in the rights of the people of Kenya! If Kibaki and his cronies are allowed to stand, then we Kenyans have done injustice to our children and the future of this country. This is no time to let down, this is the time increase and strengthen the resolve between all of us and get this "thieving" government out. The longer they stay, the more damage they will cause to this country.

    The innocent must not die in this fight, and I am hoping that the opposition does find ways to get the message to the people of kenya to stop this killings. However, they must find ways to paraylze the illegimate government.

    Democracy has a price to pay! Just ask the US how they got their democracy underway! Our WAR should not be against the people of Kenya or against each other, Our WAR should be against Kibaki and his cronies!!! They must go, one way or the other!

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  12. Kibaki stole the election no doubt about that. The world knows that and the only option right now is not for violence to end which it will not, rather its for a transitional government as AU wanted to tell Kibaki but failed then re-election called in 90days. It will clear the political fog once and for all!

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  13. I don’t agree with this thought at all. Our democracy, the only way Kenyans are able to express themselves, is stolen and then we keep quite as though nothing happened?!!!!!! No, no and no!!!! Remember that the greed of Kibaki and the desire for the US to see their wishes taken care of (war on Terror) has resulted in all these, at the expense of our cherished democracy!!!! My idea would be that we keep on fighting through other peaceful means. One idea may fail but we must not stop thinking. The police and the armed forces may through battering and killing people repel and discourage mass action but we could employ other ways. Just for the purpose of frustrating this man we could even got for nationwide strike for a long time, let’s get the system paralyzed tukaengumu for some time. This is a difficult one but for the sake of getting what we want, we could sacrifice.

    May Kenya find liberation.

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  14. Kibaki is a gentleman and a Christian who believes in the rule of law.

    Raila, Ruto and other Pentagon guys are ruthless and violent thugs who relish bloodshed. Their supporters are busy looting, raping, killing and burning down churches without a word from their greedy leaders!

    I commend the GSU and Flying Squad for being tough on these rioting savages. Surely there's away of resolving your grudges except through barbaric acts.

    Raila the violent thug will never rule Kenya. He's a spent force already. Only a mad person would dare invest in Kisumu from today due to mindless hooliganism coming from the once prosperous city.

    Thanks God the million man march flopped and life is slowly coming back to normal. Well done to our brave forces for doing their very best, but the job is far from over.

    I believe chaos would still have reigned had ODM won the elections because these guys are complete lunatics!

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  15. Kibaki has proved he can work with no one. While I don't condone violence, I think this is one of those situations where it really doesn't help to turn the other cheek. I think the international community should be brought in to mediate. Since there have been complaints that both sides "rigged" the elections those results should be thrown out and a new election allowed - not based on the constitution in the sense that Mutua guy wants, but one that will have independent observers, done under media scrutiny, and with no Kibaki allies solely responsible for the outcome! If Kibaki won fair and square, he should not be concerned about losing this time around. But we all know his fears.

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  16. This is a sober writer writing from the ground and I agree almost entirely with him.

    The only exception is hoping that the elections in 2012 will be different. WE NEED TO REFORM ECK URGENTLY.

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  17. The claim by the nameless Kenyan that "Raila, Ruto and other Pentagon guys are ruthless and violent thugs who relish bloodshed." is a serious abuse not the the person of the individual but the more than four million Kenyans who veted them. How unfortunate. Please face the facts, got back to the news reports I doubt whether you are reading them.

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  18. We have a senile president in the State House. He is totally out of touch with reality.

    KENYA IS BEING RULED BY KIBAKI'S NANNIES.

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  19. The only reason i read this blog is so that i can inform my relas what the ODMORONS are thinking in their next genocidal/ majimbo plot. You people are absolute shits with blood stained keyboards. The fucking anti Kikuyu crap you write here is unbelieveable.

    Fuck raila and ruto and odm.

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  20. This post is ok except where it says that we should let kibaki cling on to power. That completely dilutes everything else in the post. Kibaki should not stay in power at all costs. This will be a very bad precedent

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  21. Thanks for your comments,and also for trying to educate as us on how bad Kibaki is.My question to you is, are you five years old? When you were driving all the way to your rural area,did you not first sit and think why you`re driving all the way to vote for man you refer to as a president and not a leader,a man who does not even have control of his own wife to you!You talked about waiting for next five years, while you waited for last the last five years to vote for him.My dear fellow kenyan, to my opinion you are not of any difference to all these politicians.I hope you use your next five years knowing that we do not need any of this arrogant leaders including Odinga,but some better people who will be there for us as kenyans and not be there because their father did not make it up there.Tou better be ashamed of yourself. Peace!

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  22. Nonsense! move on! As a kikuyu-- I'm ashamed of the "guest writer"

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  23. This guest writer is most thoughtful and honest. Unfortunately, those who most need to hear his message continue to consider themselves superior to all other Kenyans.

    Kenyans not only have to deal with the superiority complex issue, they also have to deal with the denial that comes with it.

    THE REST OF US ARE WATCHING.

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  24. anon@6:41pm ... Kibaki is a gentleman and christian who believes in the rule of law? You're the biggest kidder I've come across! If God's miracles still took place, you'd have been struck dead by now and would be as dry as a stick in the desert! Because your statement tips over the cliff of blasphemy!!!

    While you commend the GSU and Flying Squad for killing people in Kibera etc ... your kinsmen are dying in the hundreds in the most horrendous manner possible! Dying by the bullet is better than being hacked to death anyday. So I suppose the folks at Kibera had an easy way out.

    Anyway, I digress.

    My sober comment is that if we give KIBAKImanics another five years in office, what stops them from shafting us in 2012 and forcing a drunk such as Uhuru on us? As it has been deduced, most Kikuyus (notice I used 'most' because I know some sober Kikuyus of sound mind and emotions) fall into the category of the proverbial sheep who follow any sheep that happens to be in the lead. So it is no wonder that they'd never vote for any other leader who does not come from their tribe. Heck, I am even sure that if in the year 2012 KARUME runs for presidency, they'd all vote him in even though they know that the poor idiot cannot spell his own name, let alone write it down.

    Such is the idiotic masses that they are and the fact that I have to put up with it for another five years just feels me with disgust.

    Yesterday, KTN ran an opinion poll asking if Raila should form a GNU with Kibaki and there was a resounding 'NO' from 88% of the respondents; I am sure that the comments accompanying those 'NOs' drove the point home so candidly that they felt it went against Michuki's directive of the media telling Kenyans honestly what is going on.

    It is sad that I have all along never given any thought as to what tribe I am and what tribe my neighbour is. But as it stands right now, I am so acutely aware of fellow Kenyans and Kikuyus. I don't see a Kalenjin, Kamba, Luo, Kisii, Kipsigis etc in terms of their tribe; but whenever I come across a Kikuyu, I see them as just that 'KIKUYU'. I wish we could all go back to the days of our innocence when we were all friends and only differed because so-and-so sliced me over some gal, or decided to snitch on me to the discipline master and that was as far as it went. But the situation right now as it stands is appaling; and those 'loose cannon' comments from our Kikuyu brothers/sisters are not helping because as usual, they are being their 'arrogant' self.

    As I finish; I got some reliable intel that the government already knew by how many votes Kibaki would win (after stealing them); they swore Kibaki in even before 'traitor' Kivuitu announced the rigged results (notice that it was still shining during the swearing in???); the certificate that was presented to Kibaki had already been signed the previous day.

    If this is the kind of person you expect me to accept as my president, FORGET IT!!! I HAVE ALWAYS BELIEVED IN FAIR PLAY AND I WON'T MAKE EXCEPTIONS THIS TIME OR ANY OTHER TIME.

    On Tuesday, I will be finding my way to Uhuru Park amid those tear gas cannisters. Hell, I think I'll just toss one right back at those GSU fellas dressed up like Ninja turtles! :)

    Peace!

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  25. The nation needs to be CLEANSED by a new presidential election. Pros:

    a) As soon as it is agreed on, the violence will stop instantaneously.

    b) It is indeed to hold elections in a matter of a few months with an interim govt. in place.

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  26. The author of this article is not fooling anyone, maybe the dumb!
    He's an ODM die-hard who voted ODM and is still upset and bitter about Kibaki being in state house.

    We know some ODM foot-soldiers have embarked on a 'strategy' to "isolate Kibaki" by making it sound like Kikuyus are upset with kibaki because of the flawed elections. That's the reason why some ODMers are now pretending to be kyuks and posting BS about Kibaki to try and change kyuks minds about Kibaki.
    So, @author, you are not fooling any kyuk, DUMB-ASS!

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  27. All those who begin with am a Kikuyu or a Luo for that matter are actulaly from the opposing tribe.

    It would be more helpful if you just said that you are a kenyan who voted for Kibaki.

    Tyring to pull the tribe card wount work with us.

    We wont buy the TV that you are selling as it was got from a burning Kenyan shop.

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  28. no.. mokimohead kikuyus (hardline kibaki supporters) need to to let go their getheri..mentality,

    ati oo we have suffered long (all tribes have)
    oo ati moi rigged, its ok for kibaki to rig.
    ati kikuyus have died from the clashes so a re-election should not take place as their electorate has been slashed
    ati courts are there for ODM to petition the election..

    all this is alot of nonesensical nonesense-kibaki ni mwizi!

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  29. we ishia maji yamemwagika its so sad ppeople have lost lives but that the price they paid for our democracy.so to appease them we cannot just cease fire yes we have mediation im hoping they will address the prtinent issues e.g loss of democracy in kenya.But as i have always said kibaki ni mwizi en whoever he is protecting siku zao arubaini zitafika all kenyans need is a balanced economy let them feel the economic growth.Kibakis allies lost but he is still using them as his emissaries kenyans wake up we are in deep shit .so how can you tell people to relax.The best way out as i hjave always said is to have a presidential re election to heal the wounds i can assure you whoever wins kenyans will support him.But let the KENYANS HAVE A SAY IN THERE OWN COUNTRY.kIBAKI EXPECTED TO LOSE jst like in 2002 when he won kenyans gave him a chance en he betrayed them he had to leave.Ican assure you kikuyus will suffer all the 41 tribes dont want them just coz of Kibaki how will they survive in other provinces op they all fit in central .we live in suspicion of each other we have to address the root cause of the problem orelse we shall soon become a police state.Thats not the kenya we new.so both leaders should come to table en accomodate each other .Not saying you should forgive en forget or else....

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  30. To me this isn't about Kibaki or Raila or who supported them. It is about respecting the people and their will as well as their willingness to participate in the process of democracy. They want to have a say in their own future. I don't know if Raila was going to do better than Kibaki but that choice was up to the voters and everyone participating campaigned on their own behalf. The incumbent of course always has that advantage.

    People are allowed to disagree with the person that gets elected that is part of living in a society where you can chose leadership. You can agree to disagree and state the disagreements.

    The disappointment to me is that like other disappointed Kenyans the process was not respected and yet Kenyans showed a deep respect and wanting for it by coming out in record numbers and peacefully adhering as required. Our leaders have let us down; Kibaki, Kivuitu, Wako, the Chief Justice, and all the rest of them.
    Being a Kibaki supporter is OK --- in fact it doesn't matter, even Kalonzo got close to a million votes. But, the process has to be fair for the sake of the people. And by that it not enough that it is “declared” free and fair, it has to be SEEN by such by the people that voted – the electorate, the reason all this was held in the first place.

    I am extremely disappointed. And, I know other Kenyans are too.

    But I will not be cynical nor will I despair. In fact, this is the time to put all that away. Kenyans have a special way of being able to muddle through --- we are ambitious, we believe deep down in our country (that is part of why we are so disappointed), we are innovative and entrepreneurial and we have social capital. More than ever we need to prove these things.

    Kenya will prevail.

    Judith Onyango

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