Kenya is too forgetful

Kenya the forgetful nation
There is no honest discussion about the state of things in Kenya today. A country that has not totally healed from 2007/08 post poll chaos has its institutions rotten. Corruption runs deep in every arm of the government, The Executive, The Judiciary and The Legislature. The head of the judiciary, CJ Willy Mutunga is expected to retire in June; The Deputy Chief Justice Kalpana Rawal’s fate hangs in the balance. She is embroiled in a retirement battle with the Judiciary Service Commission. One of the senior judges of the Supreme Court, Justice Philip Tunoi is facing graft allegations. Tunoi is accused of receiving a two million dollar bribe from Nairobi Governor Evans Kidero to rule in his favour in an election petition case that was filed by Kabete Mp, Clifford Ferdinand Waititu.

The allegations against Justice Tunoi stain the entire judiciary. It’s already in the mind of Kenyans that rulings in the Supreme Court, which is the highest court of the land, depend on the depth of an individual’s pocket. People are now calling for the disbandment of the court, Ethics and Anti Corruption Commission (EACC) that is mandated to fight corruption is a toothless bulldog. Where will the nation turn for arbitration in case of a dispute? That is the million dollar question that everybody is turning a blind eye to.

Kenya with its memory of a mosquito is never proactive. It is still deeply divided along tribal lines, divisions that the politicians use to the best of their advantage. The country is headed to yet another election that will be strongly fought. The opposition have vowed to set up their tallying centre, what will happen in case of conflicting results? They have also vowed not to go to the court again in case the elections are rigged. Kenya has forgotten what happened when it never chose the court way after 2007 disputed election results.

Dr P.L.O Lumumba says that Kenya has always been in a campaign mood since 1992. That is very true and the president’s one month ‘development tour’ of the coast set the pitch to its all time high, eighteen months before the elections. The coming polls are going to be strongly fought and do or die indications are already evident from both sides of the political divides. Deputy President is on record saying that the ruling coalition must win Nairobi gubernatorial seat in the coming polls by hook or crook. These kinds of unpalatable verbal diarrhoea are common with the likes of Moses Kuria and former Nairobi Mayor, George Aladwa. Nothing can be done to them, they have the power and might to delay and deny justice.

The rain is beating this nation hard but it won’t mind when it began, it will only try to unite when it gets stormy. To unite or come to a table for unity talks require facilitators but who will when all the institutions are rotten? ICC was the last fire wall but unfortunately Kenya is the crafter of a proposal that may see Africa’s mass withdrawal from the Rome statute. When the nation was burning after disputed polls in 2007/8 The then AU chairman John Kufour who had come to mediate was treated as a mere tourist who had come to enjoy Kenyan tea, Former Tanzanian President Benjamin Mkapa was turned away. Former UN Secretary General Koffi Annan who brokered the peace was later accused of baby seating the nation.

They say history repeats itself, who will come this time round? Religious leaders especially the church has been turned into political dens at the price of fundraisers. African Union is a busy body, one wonders what their priority is, a union of 54 nations that can’t send troops to Burundi just because Nkurunzinza has threatened to attack AU troops. Burundi has not known peace since May last year when President Pierre Nkurunzinza forced himself into a controversial third term. Hundreds die in that poor nation daily, leaders of the region are doing nothing.

Heads are deeply buried in sands, the electoral body; IEBC (Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission) is too broke to even carry out voter registration, its credibility is questionable with a section calling for its disbandment, the term of its commissioners expires two months after elections institutions should be fixed. Instead, this ‘democratic’ country with slimming media freedom is busy equipping its police with APCs (Armoured Police Cars).

It is preparing to deal with violence rather preventing it. Rogue politicians are on their roof tops shouting hate speech, making two or three court trips and then it is business as usual. Their case files are left catching dust at the court shelves, Kenyans with their roach memory forget and move on. This is that place where politics overshadow everything. A hotbed of a vibrant culture, accused politicians are never brought to book. Their cases are rushed before it tartars their integrity.