The State of the Nation: A Call for Accountability and Change

 

 This is the “State of the Nation” show. The approach I use is to step back and take a bird’s-eye view—no emotions, just a clear observation of where we are. And right now, I can see that we are in a very sad place. The family of the late Sergeant Keeper Gono is still mourning, and many of us feel their pain. Even though I didn’t know him personally, I feel deeply affected by his death, and I know many of you do too. But what saddens me further is that this tragedy is becoming a political issue, which is not just insensitive but evil.

A young officer was killed, and all we want is to know who did it. That’s it. Politicians should stop using this tragedy for political gain. Imagine what the family is going through. If we, who didn’t know him, feel this pain, imagine the pain of his loved ones.

Now, let’s look at the bigger picture. When there’s a fallout in a marriage, it’s always messy. In this case, we’re looking at a political marriage between the President of the Republic of Kenya and his deputy, William Ruto. This union, which swept them into power in 2013, developed irreconcilable differences. And much like in any relationship, when the two fall out, the truth about their weaknesses starts to come to light. The deputy president made it clear in 2022 that he was capable of outshining the president, even while the president was still in office. When he says, “When we were forming the government, where were you?” what he’s really saying is, “I was central to the formation of this government. Without me, there would have been no government.”

This kind of talk doesn’t sit well with the President, and by nature, he’s a calm and reasonable man. But even he couldn’t ignore the growing tension. The handshake between the two further solidified this rift, making the deputy president more determined to prove his worth.

In any political marriage, the breakup is painful, and the people who suffer the most are the children—the citizens. We are the ones who are caught in the middle of this ongoing conflict. Recently, one of us lost their life, and instead of focusing on this tragedy, the two sides are busy pointing fingers at each other. We may argue about who is at fault, but the fact remains that a precious life has been lost, and it seems the political class is more concerned with winning than with the life lost.

The solution to all of this is painfully clear: the entire political class needs to step down. The Jubilee government, the President, the Deputy President—everyone in power needs to go. I know this sounds simplistic and impossible, but it is the only way out. Look at Sudan. Despite all their issues, the people made the impossible happen, peacefully. We don’t have to resort to violence. Kenya can find a better way to move forward.

In the end, we—the ordinary people—are the real losers in this political battle. Whether the Deputy President wins or the President’s camp prevails, we will be the ones to suffer. The political class may go home with their victories, but we’ll be left to pick up the pieces.

I’ve seen the tactics used by both sides. The Deputy President’s camp has a well-oiled propaganda machine, which has worked to project him as the most popular candidate. But it’s all smoke and mirrors. The reality on the ground is different. In one region, people were saying that if the Deputy President wasn’t so aggressive, he would easily have ascended to the presidency without a struggle. But his confrontational approach is only making things harder for him.

Both sides are at fault. There’s no denying it. But the handshake, which initially brought peace, has failed to address the real issues facing Kenya. The political marriage between these two leaders may have brought peace, but it hasn’t solved the problems. I’ve changed my position: the handshake was good for peace, but it’s time for both sides to step down. That’s the only solution.