We must keep Kenya in capable hands

By WILLIAM OCHIENGPosted Monday, January 17 2011 at 18:44

Our new Constitution has been praised across the world for its democratic nature. It is democratic because it has guarantees for all fundamental human rights and liberties.

We are free to say what we want to say, to associate with whoever we like, to marry and to divorce at our leisure, to worship and to vote freely, and we can do all these as long as we keep it lawful.

The struggle for these freedoms took a long and very painful period. There are many Kenyan heroes who were detained or died in the course of the struggle.

And why? Because as human beings, we are deadly greedy. There are those who inherited the state from the British with all its paraphernalia of domination and exploitation, and were unwilling to change the system in the interest of the majority.

Today we stand on the threshold of a new era. We must disband the manipulators of impunity and tribalism and move on, or else the hawk-eyed old-guard will creep back from below and re-engineer themselves into power.

Indeed, what is at issue is the very nature of man, the image we have of his limits. Never, it seems, will man be satisfied with the general good.

Old-style politicians think of nothing but themselves and their tribes, while the emergent youth who we thought would replace the old guard with modernist ideas are even more hell-bent.

The tragedy with Kenya’s politics is that competition is based on tribe, and not on ideas. To our leaders, issues like the nature of the economy, international trade, foreign relations, pan-African ideals, environmental management and regional integration are all irrelevant. What interests them is how ethnic alliances are formed, to enable them to capture power.

But even the idea of forming ethnic alliances is handled very unimaginatively. Take, for example, those who wish to form the KKK (Kalenjin, Kikuyu and Kamba) alliance. They know that we have 43 tribes in Kenya.

After forming their alliance, how will they relate to the other 41 Kenyan tribes before and after election? As fellow Kenyans? As enemies?

There are also Kenyans who are putting a lot of stress on the youth, who they want to take over leadership.

Does that mean we kick aside education, vast experience and poise — the elements of old age — and allow callow youth to take over? Indeed, isn’t the present Parliament a parliament of youth? Are they not good?

Take a look at Mr Eugene Wamalwa, who wants to be Kenya’s next president, but whose political base is Western Kenya. Should we elect him president simply because he is young?

What qualities do we need in a leader? In less than two years, we will have our next general elections. Kenyans must be fully alert.

The youth are mobilising the country for their take-over, and we might end up with a very juvenile and cantankerous government. We must use the freedoms which our new Constitution provides to keep the country in safe and stable hands.

Prof Ochieng’ teaches History at Maseno University.