Museveni Not Good For Our Politics

TUESDAY, 28 JUNE 2011 00:22 BY TOM ALILA

The end of the single-party era, and the rejection by Kenyans of alternatives to democracy such as military rule, the rule by elders (gerontocracy) or the rule of the clergy (theocracy) means that pluralistic political competition regulated by law is the only legitimate route to political power in the country. By its very
nature, pluralistic politics is however a very messy affair, and as such it can be expected that the antagonists in the game of power will visit upon us countless political shenanigans in the run-up to 2012.

Kenyans should therefore expect generous servings of the absurd, the hilarious or even the outrageous from the political class, especially given that political competition in Kenya is devoid of ideological or intellectual contestations. Not surprisingly, clashes of personality rather than issue-based politics dominates political discourse in
Kenya. Even so, the law is clear about the sovereignty of our people.

Indeed the new constitution considers ultimate sovereignty to vest in the people of Kenya. As such there are limits to how far differences of the political elite can be exported outside the region.

The aggressive courting of presidents Museveni and Kikwete to be enjoined in the “fight” against the “common enemy” Raila Odinga is an extremely treacherous political path that William Samoei Arap Ruto and his ilk are treading. Indeed media reports of these goings on show that such courting is being done in a manner to suggest that as a people we want other countries to determine the direction of our electoral politics and leadership.

 The obvious question is: Where does all this stop, and where does this leave Kenyans? In attempting a rhetorical response, I posit that the implications for the future of our politics and national cohesion would simply be too grave to countenance. If indeed the gung-ho Museveni did imbibe in this Rutoesque thinking and supported the
“anti-Raila” camp, as many now believe he can, would that open the door for Raila to court say Meles Zenawi and Paul Kagame, who are the other “hard” men of the region? 

It is extremely painful to see a Kenyan political luminary courting the greater involvement of especially Museveni in our politics, given the bellicose attitude of his regime towards Kenya. Ugandan military personnel continue to illegally occupy the Kenyan islands of Ugingo and Migingo and extract punitive taxes, as well as confiscate boats and fishing nets from Kenyans regularly. As if that is not enough, early this year, dozens of Kenyan merely seeking to eke out a living from cross-border trade perished by drowning in a river running along the Kenya-Ugandan border, hunted down like common criminals by the Uganda Peoples Defence Forces.

This in addition to the regularity with UPDF forces have not only removed beacons marking our border with Uganda but also confiscated livestock belonging to the Turkana, the Pokot or the sabaot communities who historically graze their animals on the Ugandan side of the border during drought. Have we not cringed in shame as the UPDF
subjects Kenyan elders, administrators and security personnel to humiliating begging missions for the return of such animals or the restoration of boundary markings?

Does all this suggest that somehow Uganda is a superior military or economic power? The answer is a resounding no. I would hasten to add that the UPDF is no more than a rag-tag army, and we can all recall how badly and how frequently this army was humiliated in Kisangani in the DRC by a very nascent Rwandese army, and how it has failed to capture one rogue by the name Joseph Kony for more than two decades.
Economically, on the other hand, Kenya is Uganda’s lifeline and not the other way round.

Rather, the manner in which Kenya has dealt with Uganda’s aggression suggests that the KKK ruling elite has sub-contracted the humiliation of second-class Kenyan citizens (the so-called Luhya, Luo and left overs) to Uganda. That is the only way you can explain the occupation of Migingo/Ugingo without our top leadership going ballistic, the
detention and torture of Kenyan Muslims in Uganda, and the regular confiscation of economic paraphernalia and animals from Kenyan border communities by UPDF. Perhaps Ruto’s courting of Museveni to contain
Raila fits into this thinking?

Having successfully passed a new constitution considered progressive by most accounts, Kenyans expect political competition organized around principled debate about policy options and persuasive dialogue about national priorities. Externalizing and regionalizing our passion for hate-mongering, such as what William Samoei Arap Ruto and his ilk want to introduce in this country must be condemned in the strongest terms possible. This is especially so given the evidence regarding the hegemonic aspirations and dictatorial orientations of one of our neighbouring heads of state.    

The writer is KANU Chairman Ndhiwa