Followers

Tuesday, August 26, 2008

Can We Have A National Day Of Forgiveness?

  • I want to invite each of you to take a harrowing walk with me.
Our walk must start in Eldoret, only because when I was a student at the University of Eastern Africa, Baraton, I loved going to that town. It was there that, like I revealed here once, I met the late Bishop Alexander Kipsang Arap Muge. He left a permanent impression in my life. Every day of my life I wake up and hope that I can have the courage and dignity that he projected. Even these many years later, I still miss him.
  • But that's not gonna be the focus of our conversation as we walk.
We are taking this walk because I want to demonstrate the power of forgiveness. Let's start our walk right in the town center. As we walk, you and I know that an army of seething men is ahead of us with arrows and spears. They've painted their faces black and are carrying twigs. You and I have been warned that these furious warriors have been tasked to drive out of their land anybody from the Mt. Kenya Region that they encounter. Whoever refuses to leave must be killed.
  • As we follow these warriors, we see them approach a church where we know that women and children have sought shelter. You and I hold our breath, wondering what's gonna happen. We freeze when we see one of the warriors hurl a can of paraffin at the church. We didn't even know they had paraffin. Now we do. Then we watch in horror as another warrior tosses a red-hot object at the church and it explodes in gigantic flames.
The church is burning.
People are burning.
Your nose catches the smell of raw flesh burning.
You hear children crying.
Women wailing.
  • And within minutes, there is quiet. The church crumbles. And we stand there wondering whether this is a dream or reality. But we don't have to wonder long because the warriors start to move on, sounding off war cries. They are ready to drive out all the Kikuyu!
I turn to you and say, "I can't handle this. We have to go back to town."
  • We go back.
Two days later we take a walk in Naivasha. This time we follow another group of warriors who seek out the Luo and the Luhya and the Kalenjin. This group slashes and burns people. They destroy homes and property. But when they approach a home and we see them slash a man and his wife, then set their home on fire and the couple burns to shells, you and I decide we can't take any more walks. We are traumatized by what we've seen.
  • A week later we are strong enough to ask what happened in Eldoret and Naivasha. We are told that in Eldoret and in Naivashsa people died cursing those who killed them. We don't hear a single story of anybody who died with these words on their lips: I forgive you!
Being human, as you and I are, we know that it's never easy to forgive those who do us wrong. Yet there is nothing that feels as good as taking the moral high ground, forgiving those who don't deserve forgiveness from us. Take Nelson Mandela for example, how would South Africa have turned out if he'd come out of prison seething and intent on exacting revenge?
  • Wretched things have happened in Kenya. There have been assassinations. Deceit. Corruption. Name it. But I also know that we all retain the capacity to look deep inside ourselves and make amends where we went wrong. It's in this vein that I call for a national day of forgiveness. Kenya desperately needs to start afresh. We all need to hear the agonizing cry of those kids in that Eldoret church and seek each other's hand in forgiveness and a pledge to never let anything so despicable happen in Kenya again.
In like manner, I hope that our brothers and sisters held in prisons across the nation because of the post-election clashes can be released. I'm not calling for amnesty here. I'm saying they should be forgiven. Yes, let Kenya forgive them so we can all move forward as brothers and sisters bound by a common destiny.
  • I'm waiting for the day when President Mwai Kibaki, Prime Minister Raila Odinga and Vice President Kalonzo Musyoka will invite Kenyans to Uhuru Park and lead the nation to a place of heartfelt healing on that national day of forgiveness.
Let the blood of our brothers and sisters bind us together in love and unity.

53 comments:

  1. Sam Okello
    You are the Hero in my eyes to come out and say what you have posted here? is beyond words and this is what out leaders need to do today! not tomorrow today, so that the path for forgiveness may begin.....

    Sam you are 100% correct and I hope they all read Kumekucha and have us all at Jamuhuri park to start the national day of forgiveness.

    ReplyDelete
  2. This is actually a lie- there is a resident with pictures with a mobile phone showing army damping the bodies?? can some explain that?? the pictures will be posted on youtube since the kenyan coalition government seems to be working together to deceive kenyans- (comment on the Video check that lady shown back do background on her claim- the bodies do test on when the deaths occurred- definitely not 8months ago!! it is in between January and April 2008 (facts) I will proof you right on here! My question is why if we have a coalition?? how come nobody is fighting for the dead?? This is ridiculous!! if the truth is not out this time! next time more kenyans will be killed in a different part of the country maybe central this time and I bet you the rest of kenya will look on and laugh!!!! the way they are laughing now after kibaki and his army slaughter our youths! and husbands!!

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=36ixsnI8O5w

    ReplyDelete
  3. and we expect Kenyans to be forgiving??? lies lies lies everywhere ECK and Kibaki full of blood on their hands... this people should be in Jail!! I hate it when people walk free after being part of what brought bloodshed to kenya! why?? are they walking free and pumping their chest on how they cheated?? ati they ECK advised not to use Computers?? that was a kibaki rigged plan from the beginning period -- why lie?

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vJTY-bkzdMQ&feature=user

    ReplyDelete
  4. Lofty ideals eh? Maybe in Utopia this would be possible.

    The way I see it, no one has come out and taken ownership of any wrong doing. Even Mandela came out and admited that the ANC had a terrorist wing designated to burn and bomb white churches and property. De Klerk took ownership of the injustice meted out to Mandela and black South Africans.

    That is how the healing starts. So aas long as Kibaki and Raila don't own up to anything, how do you expect the mwananchi to start hugging one another in forgiveness?

    The GNU has moved quickly to cover the simmering discontent and hatred within kenya. Am telling you this problem is a huge iceburg. 4 years is not a long time to forget. Only this time people will be better prepared.

    ReplyDelete
  5. the kumekucha mandarins who always blame Kibaki for rigging better read todays standard...let me just quote one paragraph from a returning officer in mvita constituency..
    'Another Returning officer, Mr Nicholas Ombasa, who was in charge of Mbita said he saw nothing unusual with some stations recording a 100 percent turnout.

    He said some polling centre in Mbita saw all registered turn out while in some, one failed and in two others only four did not cast their votes.

    He said he also did not find it usual that Raila got more votes than the party’s parliamentary candidate Mr Otieno Kajwang'

    now thats how ODM rigged and killed just to get a foot into power...they should repent or their readers continue dying in bizarre ways...


    eti we forgive the murderors????
    go tell the IDP's okello and stop chorusing molasses pitiful song!!

    ReplyDelete
  6. Forgiveness is a wonderful idea. But can Kenyans rise to the occassion?

    ReplyDelete
  7. Sam,

    Can you really have forgiveness without JUSTICE?

    This is the (so far unanswered) question ODM has been asking since January this year.

    We have been repeatedly told to look at the first stanza of the national anthem. It talks about HAKI IWE NGAO NA MLINZI / JUSTICE BE OUR SHIELD AND DEFENDER.

    For instance, eight whole months after grossly mismanaging the general elections that killed, maimed and made thousands of Kenyans homeless; unapologetic, unrepentant, arrogant and egoistic Kivuitu and company are still in charge at ECK apparently drawing salaries and hefty allowances on the very tax payer account. They are also still supervising byelections and continuing to annouce additional fraudulent elections - like happened in Embakassi and Kamkunji recently....and they are due again to supervise Bomet and Sotik by-elections in the next few weeks!

    Personally, I shall never forgive Kivuitu for what he has done to this country.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Forgive and forget this Kenyatta asked Kenyans to do, Moi did the same, Kibaki and Raila is asking Kenyan to do the same. How cheap is Kenyan life, how cheap.
    South African were asked to forgive and forget, how long as the cal m be recently we witness how SA reacted, Zimbabwe is another story forgive and forget. Now tell me who is being kill in Zimbabwe is the zim himself.
    When Hitler and his SAS men gassed 6 million Jews this was on top of several killings that been going on for centuries This when the Jews community said enough is enough yes we can forgive but never forget and justice has to be done. List we forget out brother r blood it shall soon happen again.
    Kenyans first justice must be done, we shall never forget and forgiveness can only come once justices were done.
    If KENYAN IS TO PRIVAIL THIS THE PAINFULL, DIFFICULT PART WE MUST TAKE, EVERY KENYAN BLOOD IS PRICELES, IT CANT BE POURD THAT CHAEPLY

    ReplyDelete
  9. I think you got it wrong once again, Sam.

    If you suggest that we need to search our souls, own up for mistakes we made and PUBLICLY ask for forgiveness, we are on the exact same page. Now that doesn't mean that that forgiveness must be given; no, that plea becomes a possibility to be explored alongside many others.

    You cannot have lunatics come to your home, Sam and hack to death your beautiful wife, Helen, proceed to kill your two beautiful children, set on fire the house you spent such a fortune on--all because you voted for someone they didn't like. You will have to stop lying to us. Any suggestion that such primitive animals deserve forgiveness is plain ridiculous. They should be hanged, it is that simple.

    What the focus should be on, Sam is avoiding a repeat of the mediocrity that gripped or country. The most important step towards that end is meting the most corporal punishment on those who broke the law. And we will have to try some honesty here. Any politician that plotted the murder of INNOCENT helpless Kenyans deserves a lifetime in jail. Any hood, guided by stupidity, who hacked his INNOCENT neighbour to death, deserves to die.
    That in my opinion would be a very significant step towards the avoidance of a repeat of the chaos. You should get back exactly what you give.

    ReplyDelete
  10. Okello, forgiveness for what? Do you understand what the meaning of forgiveness is? If you don't know, let me help you. Forgiveness is the process of ceasing to feel resentment, indignation or anger for a perceived offense, difference or mistake, or ceasing to demand punishment or restitution. And in practical terms, it can only apply if the offender offer some form of acknowledgment, apology, and/or restitution, or even just ask for forgiveness, in order for the wronged person to believe they are able to forgive.

    And it's you who should be you asking for forgiveness first, you the self-appointed preacher of righteousness for all the crap you wrote in the beginning of the year.

    I think you realised amnesty is not gonna happen in your desperate bid to see criminals released and so you thought of forgiveness, forget it. The criminals will face the full force of the law!!!
    Forgiveness does not come cheap and you should steer clear out of this highly emotional issue.

    Justice is what is needed in Kenya. Prosecute all perpetuators of crime against humanity and where necessary the death penalty should apply.
    You don't take another human life and expect to be forgiven. No country or society in this world would allow that!

    ReplyDelete
  11. Sheer and utter nonsense. Let the law take its course without fear or favor.

    ReplyDelete
  12. The problem is that we still have KILLERS in the cabinet. I say let's start dealing from the top to bottom. It's only in Kenya where crime pays big time. Want a cabinet post, 1.5M per month, Mercedes Benz, armed guards and lots of allowances? Just finance jobless youths to cause mayhem, kill, loot and rape and you shall get a red carpet welcome in State house as a Mheshimiwa! The joke, unfortunately, is still on us!

    ReplyDelete
  13. bwana okelo....

    did i not hear Ntimama bragging the other day how they finished 600 kikuyus?
    isn't he the same fellow who during moi era took killing of kikuyus as a sport?
    now molasses was there when those words were uttered but he was tongue tied since their secret had been let out!!
    did they offer any apologies for the careless statement? of course not.
    so we forgive such arrogant cold murderors??? pray that you do not witness your 2 kids and helen being emboweled infront of ua eyes and slashed to tiny pieces. then u are told to forgive the murderors who do not even feel anything abt doing it!!!think abt that..

    we are still condeming allowances to be paid to the second lady and the fat lady. let their husbands feed their wifes like all men do..

    ReplyDelete
  14. Oh yes, including innocent victims who were pulled out of PSV vehicles and killed by mobs in Naivasha, those families torched alive in the same vicinity, plus those who were shot dead by police and UPDF soldiers in ODM strong holds.

    JUSTICE is not just for those killed in Rift Valley...

    ReplyDelete
  15. phil, we see which blood really matters to you....

    and i thot u were different from all the insulters in this site.
    am ashamed for having supported you in the past.

    ReplyDelete
  16. Every life in Kenya matters. And choosing the ones that deserve justice show one wobbly childish character.

    ReplyDelete
  17. I wonder what happened to the majimbo debate since they were the catalyst to the killings that followed the botched 2007.After the ODM had secured their positions in GCG the calls for majimbo had to left to die down as they were no longer of any use to anyone but you will be kidding yourself if you think we have heard the last of it,its just lying queitly waiting for the time our selfseeking politicians will feel its time to re-awaken the dragon.By the way,was that YK 92 Ruto and Sprinter Balala smiling ear to ear welcoming Ubaku to Mombasa?The guys just stopped short of hugging him

    ReplyDelete
  18. Phil,

    Justice is the easy way out. The problem with it is that it's nothing but government-sponsored revenge. There are poeple who think that if they take out my eye, I'd be glad to see the state take out their eye. I can see where for the sake of deterence, this approach has been what's acceptable and practiced worldwide.

    But in a nation where so many wrongs have gone unpunished, where selective justice has ruled the day, where the blood of innocent people was shed and now the wrong people are in jail for, I propose that nothing short of forgiveness will work.

    No, forgiveness is not easy. Like my good frined Vikii say, would I forgive somebody who kills my beautiful wife and destroys my property? It would not be easy, but I also know that for me to free up my spirit, move my approach in life from bitterness and defeat to grace and renewal, I would have to look at that person who harmed me in the eye and utter those three words...I forgive you!

    Kenya is at the point where a massive rally of goodwill at Uhuru Park is long overdue. We've all done wrong in one way or another. How about we forget the vengeance angle and go for forgiveness?

    I don't know what goes on through the mind of the poeple in Eldoret or Naivasha who watched a family member hacked to death. They are bitter and I understand that. But I also know that they can let that bitterness go by wholeheartdly embracing that man who they saw hack a loved one to death and extending a hand of forgiveness.

    Forgiveness.

    It is the sweetest form of justice.

    It frees!

    ReplyDelete
  19. Papa Plus,

    You call forgiveness a lofty idea? Am I right to think that as far as you are concerned vengeance is a better alternative? It seems to me like admitting we can never forgive makes us no better than animals.

    Forgiveness.

    It frees!

    ReplyDelete
  20. Okello, and who are you to ask people to forgive. Let them do it out of free own will.
    It's God who give the grace to forgive NOT the politicians or because Sam Okello says so.
    But justice must be served. Killers, rapists, hooligans, arsonists must face the full force of law.

    Now you are calling for massive rally at Uhuru Park knowing all to well the implications of such a rally. If you don't have anything good to write why do you just shut up!

    ReplyDelete
  21. anon12:38 AM

    Good vikii
    Let us start with Emilio Kibaki should we give him corporal punishment or hanging??

    Kibaki come to my house raped my wife and slaughtered my whole family!!

    I prefer Kibaki to be hanged.

    ReplyDelete
  22. kwale,

    You want to know who I am? I'm just someone who is worried about the degree of bitterness that's in my country. Look, each one of us come to a point where decisions have to be made. Kenya is at that point. There is one road we can take. It's called vengeance. There is another road. It's called forgiveness. We all know where each one leads. Which one will we take. That's the question.

    Forgiveness.

    It's the best form of justice.

    It frees!

    ReplyDelete
  23. anon2:50 AM

    Get Kibaki to tell you about his bragging at the Golf clubs how he
    EXECUTED MORE THAN 1000 MUNGIKI YOUTHS!
    that my friend is slaughter in cold blood!

    Kibaki in the eyes of kenyans and the world is a cold blooded murderer !period. na nimesema....

    ReplyDelete
  24. anon4:12 AM

    Kwali


    go tell that to Kibaki it seems to all kenyans the only human life's that mattered to Kibaki on 27th December and onwards were the kikuyu's he was rigging the elections for to protect their stolen wealth and looting...

    kibaki went on the rampage ordering the police to shoot and kill other tribes in kenya!!

    Kwale go tell it to Kibaki that all kenyans life's matter not only one tribe!!

    ReplyDelete
  25. Kwale

    the only Killers, rapists, hooligans, arsonists that must face the full force of law, and will eventually after we throw Kibaki out of statehouse is

    1. kibaki himself
    2. his cronies Uhuru with his mungiki murderous gang
    3. Saitoti, michuki, Commissioner Ali and the head of the Army for following through with kibaki's orders to shoot and kill innocent Kenyans

    4. Note: Martha Karua who at the Mungiki meeting before and after elections at Kibaki's residence when they send the mungiki gang to Nakuru and Naivasha
    Martha karua's comments from very reliable sources and I quote :

    " bring me a kihii head for a trophy and anyone who beheads more kihii heads gets double the money" end of quote...

    so any kenyan that votes for martha karua will be voting for a woman who begged mungiki gang to bring her a Luo head for a trophy!!

    READ MY LIPS I CAN NEVER FORGIVE THE ABOVE PEOPLE AND I WILL SEE THEM IN HELL!

    ReplyDelete
  26. the kumekucha buffons who always blame Kibaki for rigging better read todays standard...let me just quote one paragraph from a returning officer in mvita constituency..
    'Another Returning officer, Mr Nicholas Ombasa, who was in charge of Mbita said he saw nothing unusual with some stations recording a 100 percent turnout.

    He said some polling centre in Mbita saw all registered turn out while in some, one failed and in two others only four did not cast their votes.

    He said he also did not find it usual that Raila got more votes than the party’s parliamentary candidate Mr Otieno Kajwang'

    now thats how ODM rigged and killed just to get a foot into power...they should repent or their readers continue dying in bizarre ways...


    eti we forgive the murderors????
    go tell the IDP's okello and stop chorusing molasses pitiful song!!

    ReplyDelete
  27. the kumekucha buffons who always blame Kibaki for rigging better read todays standard...let me just quote one paragraph from a returning officer in mvita constituency..
    'Another Returning officer, Mr Nicholas Ombasa, who was in charge of Mbita said he saw nothing unusual with some stations recording a 100 percent turnout.

    He said some polling centre in Mbita saw all registered turn out while in some, one failed and in two others only four did not cast their votes.

    He said he also did not find it usual that Raila got more votes than the party’s parliamentary candidate Mr Otieno Kajwang'

    now thats how ODM rigged and killed just to get a foot into power...they should repent or their readers continue dying in bizarre ways...


    eti we forgive the murderors????
    go tell the IDP's okello and stop chorusing molasses pitiful song!!

    ReplyDelete
  28. Sam Okello and so you think by forgiving killers and rapists the bitterness will go away? Like I said, it's God who give the grace to forgive not because you say so. Forgiveness requires deep spiritual healing that takes an awful long time and it cannot be rushed or speeded. I am sure you have heard "time is the best healer" and in time people will begin to forgive no matter how long that will it. Get that!

    ReplyDelete
  29. Anon 5:51 and what are you waiting for? Go and serve them with justice.

    ReplyDelete
  30. Sam Okello:
    Stop that cheap philosophizing and face the real issue. If people cannot uphold some very basic norms of interaction in society, they must be reminded that there is a law that has been purposely crafted to maintain order and to structure interactions in society. Let that law be applied dispassionately. And let us take some decisive steps AWAY from impunity.
    Sadly, my Dholuo skills are primordial, otherwise I'd have translated these few words to promote a shared understanding.

    ReplyDelete
  31. 5:54 AM

    IDP's?? what a laugh go tell them to start by asking Kenyatta's Son Uhuru to given the IDP's back the land his father stole...

    1. Kibaki =IDP's because Kibaki employed and paid Killers, rapists, hooligans, arsonists and in due time they must face the full force of Proper law that will be put in place with the new constitution not kibaki law in the courts packed by his own boot licking judges!!.

    Go tell your kikuyu IDP's to go back to Othaya ....

    ReplyDelete
  32. Sam

    from the rather colourless discussion above, the answer to your question is No, not just yet.

    UrXlnc

    ReplyDelete
  33. Sam,

    In the case of Kenya, ordinary civil behavior and such concepts appear as lofty ideals. So yes, I call forgiveness a lofty idea.

    In a country where lying, cheating, stealing, killing and other social evils are condoned and accepted; how does one turn around and offer sophisticated and nuanced concepts like forgiveness? For a long time we engaged in mob justice Okello.

    Why is that?

    You are attaching a high level of civilization to Kenyans while the truth is that we are still very much in touch with our primal survival instincts. It's a dog eat dog world.

    Before we can start forgiving others, we have to strengthen our justice system to be equitable to at least the majority if not everyone.

    ReplyDelete
  34. anon5:54 AM
    Wishful thinking but it ain't working

    let me remind you of the facts!!

    1. kibaki employed and paid the Killers, rapists, hooligans, arsonists and who were this people??

    the Police, army and the Mungiki murderous gang...

    Beheaded , slaughtered raped, burned, raped, killed in the name of their leader "KIBAKI" the rigging thug.

    ReplyDelete
  35. And one more thing, the whole idea of forgiveness is 2 part;
    1) You accept wrong doing and ask for forgiveness as Vikii said
    2) You accept the consequences of your wrong doing

    Let's be honest. All the killings and burning and evictions were masterminded and funded by personalities in the higher echelons of power including the GSU and police who killed with impunity.

    So I hope you are not saying that ordinary Kenyans should forgive each other while the big wigs go scot free. They must also admit wrong doing and leave public office ASAP. You ask yourself why Ntimama is still walking free after admiting to killing 1000 Kenyans. Where is the law?

    Otherwise having villagers sit under a tree admiting mistakes in the name of unifying the country is mere window dressing that will not ensure a repeat of these events.

    ReplyDelete
  36. Sam,

    My 2 cents. What is required is re-education of the population on civility. Forgiveness will be a natural outcome.

    ReplyDelete
  37. anon6:10 AM

    Kwale!!Kwale - wake up, just like ODM refused to use kibaki's kangaroo courts why should any kenyans??
    Juctice will be served when all kibaki's Pimps and malaya don't run the courts and the Ministry of Justice(Malaya Martha Karua)

    Kwale my friend yes indeed Justice will be served soon- watch this space:)

    ReplyDelete
  38. Sam Okello, I have this final question to ask you, you know in America (US), the issue of race has been going on since slavery days but yet they have not been able to overcome it, why don't you write to the New York Times or LA Times and tell Americans this message of forgiveness. Why don't you tell the African-Americans to forgive and let all racists Ku Klux Klan killers walk free, or even forgive the white supremacists who are trying to assassinate Mr. Obama? You are writer, you can do that!

    I would like to settle this matter with you once and for all, and mark these words, ALL perpetrators of post election violence, killers, rapists, arsonists, yobbish thugs their financiers and supporters WILL ALL face the full force of the law, like it or not. Kenyan law must be upheld and as nation will not allow the jungle law to prevail. I hope you get that and move on.

    I agree with Jeff @ 6.50, kenyans need education on civility and that's what you should be doing here.

    ReplyDelete
  39. Sam your intentions may be very noble about mass rally at Uhuru park. But pray whether we haven't been that path before. Kenyans are not little devils becasue of lack of PREACHERS - they choke us instead. While preying into our collective insecuty, preachers are often SELFISH.

    Making forgivenss an objective is a no-win venture. As Jeff aptly says RE-EDUCATION will automatically result into forgiveness. So it must be a a result to a process and not the process itself-no cart before the horse.

    Papa Plus is very right about lofty ideas. It is typ[ical Kenyan style of life when confronted by a challenge we dust up theories and mouth high-sounding philosophies with the sole intention of doing nothing. Reducing reasoning to its bare dichotomous dimensions (FORGIVE/REVENGE) is cheap philosophy.

    You only forgive to free your mind once the source and result of of your grief has been OWNED as Vikii says. So far many carts ahead of no horse-wo will pull them?

    ReplyDelete
  40. Sam Okello

    I want to congratulate you on this.

    On another level, I as a none-kikuyu cant help but notice how the Kikuyu-Selfishness is towards their IDP's and their poor.

    Seriously, if kikuyu-leaders like Kibaki, Uhuru or Saitoti cant even help their own (donate land and seeds), why shoudl I as a none-kikuyu ever imagine a kikuyu leader will take care of other none-kikuyus???

    im sorry but seeing how Karua, Kalonzo, Saitoti, Uhuru have ignoered IDP's and focussed on next elections is proof of LACK of LEADERSHIP in kikuyu community.

    sorry but MOI was better 100 times.

    ReplyDelete
  41. Sam Okello

    I want to congratulate you on this.

    On another level, I as a none-kikuyu cant help but notice how the Kikuyu-Selfishness is towards their IDP's and their poor.

    Seriously, if kikuyu-leaders like Kibaki, Uhuru or Saitoti cant even help their own (donate land and seeds), why shoudl I as a none-kikuyu ever imagine a kikuyu leader will take care of other none-kikuyus???

    im sorry but seeing how Karua, Kalonzo, Saitoti, Uhuru have ignoered IDP's and focussed on next elections is proof of LACK of LEADERSHIP in kikuyu community.

    sorry but MOI was better 100 times.

    ReplyDelete
  42. KWALE SAID!
    ""I would like to settle this matter with you once and for all, and mark these words, ALL perpetrators of post election violence, killers, rapists, arsonists, yobbish thugs their financiers and supporters WILL ALL face the full force of the law, like it or not. Kenyan law must be upheld and as nation will not allow the jungle law to prevail. I hope you get that and move on"""".

    end of quote!


    Clap clap Kwale now you are talking

    Kibaki, Uhuru, MIchuki, Martha Karua, Saitoti and their mungiki murderous thugs will indeed face the law!
    but
    wait a minute - not the law that is in place now controlled by Kibaki and his cronies!! no !no!no!no! the law that will be put in place with the new constitution and the law without the kibaki goons called the seating judges- the law when the minister of justice is not Martha Karua who's hands are dripping with innocent blood....

    Yes the law that kenyan people accept to be fair and not the law that kibaki uses to swear himself in illegally!! yes Kwale you are right on the money on this one....

    ReplyDelete
  43. Well, its clear folks on this blog are not ready to forgive. You are not alone. Let us not be surprised to witness/indulge in the final massacre.

    I am the greatest proponent for the death penalty. I strongly believe that killers and violent offenders must hang until dead. It is for this reason that I fully supported commissioner Ali when he fed the lions of Ngong on Mungiki bodies. He however did not finish the job.

    I've told you before, the culture of violence will surely breed only violence. When Kibaki institutionalized violence (just like his predecessor) by allowing groups like Mungiki to flourish (running slum 'security' and matatu business), he inadvertently also provided reason, cause and confidence to the RV militias.

    After all, if Mungiki can be allowed to run rampantly skinning the heads of Luo babies in the slum, hosting goat eating and blood drinking oathing ceremonies in plush mansions, tax the gazillions from assorted slum dwellers, form a political party, host fund drives attended by the who's who in central Kenya politics, forcibly circumcise women all over the place while raping those in miniskirts…….all these evils while Kibaki is sitting pretty on that red chair with the Kenyan court of arms.

    The rumors of war are with us when a president allows his ministers to transport weapons to Western Kenya using government vehicles. The signs of war are with us when Armenian terrorists shoot up our airports, misuse our first daughter and senselessly whip our policemen.

    Friends, if you want forgiveness, you must first rebuke this culture of violence presided over by one Emilio Kibaki.

    ReplyDelete
  44. Kalamari, Mungiki have been in existence since late 80s during Moi era, why did Moi not finish them. Why are you blaming Kibaki when you know he tried to deal with them in 2007 but your demi-god raila as usual cried extra-judicial killings?

    ReplyDelete
  45. Taabu,

    Forgiveness is a high-sounding philosophy? The alternative to forgiveness, like I said before, is vengeance. One thing I know about vengeance is that it's the easy way out. It's what people do when they don't want to step back and think about the cycle of violence that inevitably follows each act of revenge.

    Forgiveness.

    It's the best form of justice.

    It frees!

    ReplyDelete
  46. I've found out-not the easiest way- that it's in my best interest to forgive.

    But it's hard work!

    ReplyDelete
  47. What's up Kalamari,

    I look at the list of ills you've listed up there and I see just why some things go beyond mere justice.

    And one more thing. From the tone of the bloggers her, what you see is people determined to use justice as a club. They want to go get "them." The unfotunate thing is that after getting "them" they'll come to get "us"...then where does it stop?

    I don't pretend that it's easy to forgive, but I know that it feels sweeter that keeping ourselves held hostage to anger and bitterness.

    Give Kenya a fresh start. Give Kenya forgiveness.

    It frees!

    ReplyDelete
  48. Sam,

    Maybe we haven't been clear enough. We all agree that forgiveness is the proper thing to do. It is the moral thing to do.

    But let's be realistic. What is the reality on the ground in Kenya? Why are you refusing to acknowledge simple truths here? Kenya is not America where the people have faith in the legislative and execituve and judiaciary arm of GK.

    You harped on vegence as essentially being a vicious cycle. I agree. However, all through history, even in the Bible, vegence was a way of life. The society has to evolve towards western civilization as it stands presently.

    The situation in Kenya is like a powder keg. Things have been simmering to a boil. It is unfortunate that leaders are too myopic to recognize this. I will tell you that one prominent minister/MP told me during last year's election that they were going to run away if they did not get into power. Indeed some personalities were even spotted out of the country with their families during the skirmishes.

    So again, forgiveness is the moral high ground. it is the right thing to do. But it is a 2 way street. Folks have to accept their failings and be ready to change and repent their sins. In Rwanda they have people stand up and face their victims and narrate their actions and then ask for forgiveness.

    Are we ready to do the same and mean it?

    ReplyDelete
  49. It wont work, forgiveness comes with justice and compensation. 2012 is comming and we are getting ready for war !!!

    ReplyDelete
  50. Forgiveness must come to Kenya. Without it, we're in for disaster. Let's seek not revenge but that which will bring unity among us as citizens of the Republic which we all love and cherish so very much.

    ReplyDelete
  51. I think forgive is better otherwise KNHRC will doctor its report....like that is something new....and we will punish the wrong guys!

    ReplyDelete
  52. Clearly until ODM communities suffer a bloody nose and have their peiople in IDPs, then they might want to face up to their wrongs. right now they think what happened in Jan is some sort of victory fo9r them

    Poor fools. No We are not ready for forgiveness. Another round of blood letting then maybe ODM will be ready to talk

    ReplyDelete
  53. Forgiveness yes, but why do we have laws and prisons if we can just forgive people. Your post lack judgement and you opt to be ashamed of yourself.

    ReplyDelete

Any posts breaking the house rules of COMMON DECENCY will be promptly deleted, i.e. NO TRIBALISTIC, racist, sexist, homophobic, sexually explicit, abusive, swearing, DIVERSIONS, impersonation and spam AMONG OTHERS. No exceptions WHATSOEVER.