Who Holds the Key?
Posted on January 2, 2008
Filed Under African Affairs
I made a comment to a friend right after the 2002 election that Uhuru Kenyatta had set an example as to how losers in elections need be/act. Despite Kibaki’s landslide victory in that election, Mr Kenyatta, rather than engage in sideshows, conceded defeat, an act in rarity in a continent where political big men rarely ever concede defeat. My remark was largely dismissed in the euphoria that followed Narc’s unprecedented landslide victory but I hoped that many budding politicians had taken note. Besides, its relevance was not felt since the victory was without a doubt. Sometimes, it not losing that defines you, it is your conduct in a loss that bespeaks volumes of your character. That the Uhuru Kenyatta we knew then and now seem to be cut from completely different cloth is a topic for another day.
Before you get all bent out of shape or engage in a pro-government diatribe, or lecture me on the concept of free and fair elections, I am not advocating or insinuating that ODM concedes defeat neither am I saying that the elections were not rigged or that Kibaki was the majority’s choice. I am not endorsing anyone, rather I want to point out a marked contrast that exists in the political big circles. That conceding even a hard-line stance for the sake of negotiation in the name of the people, does not make you less of a man/woman. A simple lesson largely ignored in Africa, that could save countless lives if we had true statesmen in positions of power.
“An 80-year old man should not be leading a country”
Nelson Mandela
The PNU’s/Government’s supremely irresponsible utterances such as “The president has been sworn in, the elections are over, the Kenyans have to accept the results, the opposition has to accept the results” (see one Raphael Tuju) and then in the same breath proceed to support GSU and police brutality by saying that “If the tear gas doesn’t work then unfortunately they have to use live bullets” leave a mind-boggling lot to be desired. References to “genocide”, “ethnic cleansing” and the such by the government spokesman really bring to bare, the ineptitude that exists in the Kibaki government. In usual Kibaki fashion, he remains holed up in statehouse continuing to pen his voluminous encyclopedia on ineffective leadership by keeping mum or disengaging himself from reality of the situation while the country desperately needs a sense of leadership. Is this the leadership we deserve?
In the same breath when ODM claims to accept nothing short of a Kibaki resignation as a reason for dialogue we have to question whether they themselves are fit to lead us. Perhaps the illusion of power has so much so clouded their vision that chaos in the country fueling wanton property destruction and lives lost mean lesser to the ODM leadership than their quest for power. It is as if to say, ‘we will get to the top by any means necessary’. I am not saying that they should not request his resignation, but that this should not be the make or break determinant to forging a way forward for a country on the brink. Again I ask, is this the leadership we deserve?
What we have here are two factions, each not ready to concede an inch, not willing to make the country bigger than themselves. We have rich politicians acting irresponsibly while the poor mwananchi (citizen) they are supposed to represent ‘without fear or favor’ is dying on the streets as each faction tries to elbow each other in the clamor for and consolidation of power. Is this really the leadership we deserve?
“Nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a man’s character, give him power.”
Abraham Lincoln
No one seems to have a concrete answer as to the way forward. We know what got us here but we don’t know how to get ourselves out. I wonder what would happen based on the ODM requirement that Kibaki resigns. Even if he does, that does not give ODM the presidency since Kibaki was already declared the winner albeit by a fraudulent ECK count? In addition, is it likely or not that a Kenyan court, in the (unlikely) event of a petition determine that there were irregularities and order the ECK to make a decision whether there should be a recount or hold another presidential election in this era of passing the proverbial buck? Who’s to say whether a recount would be legitimate? Are we ready to believe that there has been no tampering with electoral documents between when the count was done and when such an order is exercised? Is a country on the edge really ready for another presidential election after the debacle we have just witnessed? Who would be entrusted to conduct such an election after the ECK botched the previous one? Is a provisional government a solution? How do we rebuild trust in the ECK since we don’t expect foreigners to conduct elections for us? Who holds the keys?
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Magaidi.com is the journal of the African kid. A diary of sorts, a collection of musings and a discussion point on the way forward for the motherland.
[…] Magaidi condemns Kibaki’s ineffective leadership: The PNU’s/Government’s supremely irresponsible utterances such as “The president has been sworn in, the elections are over, the Kenyans have to accept the results, the opposition has to accept the results” (see one Raphael Tuju) and then in the same breath proceed to support GSU and police brutality by saying that “If the tear gas doesn’t work then unfortunately they have to use live bullets” leave a mind-boggling lot to be desired. References to “genocide”, “ethnic cleansing” and the such by the government spokesman really bring to bare, the ineptitude that exists in the Kibaki government. In usual Kibaki fashion, he remains holed up in statehouse continuing to pen his voluminous encyclopedia on ineffective leadership by keeping mum or disengaging himself from reality of the situation while the country desperately needs a sense of leadership. Is this the leadership we deserve? […]