Tuesday, September 18, 2012

KENYATTA: Kenya can only succeed in peace


Kenya has great potential, but it can only succeed in peace and tranquility

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By UHURU M. KENYATTA
Posted  Monday, September 17  2012 at  20:04
IN SUMMARY
  • Seven of the world’s 10 fastest growing economies are African. Foreign investment in African countries has been steadily increasing and potential abounds in the form of minerals, oil, gas, and the natural talents of our people
  • Kenya is no exception. We have extraordinary potential. However, that potential is still not realised
  • I believe our friends in the African Union and the wider international community can promote peace in Kenya by promoting impartiality in the elections
Around the world, major economies are gripped by recession and saddled with debt. Yet today, Africa finds its prospects have never been brighter. We stand on the threshold of a renaissance.
Seven of the world’s 10 fastest growing economies are African. With the economies of the West slowed and rising costs in Asia, foreign investment in African countries has been steadily increasing and potential abounds in the form of minerals, oil, gas, and the natural talents of our people.
And Kenya is no exception. We have extraordinary potential. We are blessed with rich natural resources, a strong and growing middle class, improving infrastructure and a well-educated work-force.
However, that potential is still not realised. While there is no doubt that our nation’s potential is great, we must also concede that the problems we face are equally profound. Far too many of our people are not enjoying the benefits of national success.
Negative ethnicity, religious extremism, terrorism and economic marginalisation still hobble our efforts. A gnawing sense of insecurity fanned by youth unemployment and endemic poverty troubles our nation causing uncertainty.
That fear and uncertainty has turned some areas in this country into breeding grounds for hostility and aggression. It has made some of our youth to see the false shelter of security in criminal gangs, while others have turned to drug-trafficking and robbery.
Our common goals and hopes for the future are threatened by these persistent, common enemies. Yet what holds us together is stronger than any conflicting interests that have ever threatened to tear us apart.
The forces of ethnic prejudice and religious extremism are, as we speak, spreading fear and distrust among our people, maligning Kenya’s good reputation and distracting Kenyans from confronting our fundamental problems.
Tragic incidents such as those in Tana River, and at the Coast, have made a worldwide impact and are causing alarm and dismay among citizens, local leaders, entrepreneurs and foreign investors.
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As Deputy Prime Minister, I cannot and will not stand by and watch as Kenyans divide themselves into armed camps. This is why I call for a new national dialogue, a Peace Caravan if you will, that will tour every community of Kenya that has been so tragically touched by violence.
I want to bring together the leaders of these communities not to shout at one another, but to talk to one another. Because we must all realise that we are Kenyan first, and that unless we unite in peace, we will never fulfil our potential as a nation.
With a new Constitution to implement, a devolved system to adjust to, a troubling and high level of unemployment to curb and economic growth to secure and maintain, the next elections will be critical for Kenya and now, more than ever, a credible electoral process must be ensured to avert insecurity.
Our relations with other countries in East Africa must not be compromised by unrest and violence. The oil pipeline scheduled to connect Kenya and South Sudan that will be a source of revenue for both, must not be delayed.
Our efforts to counter terrorism in Somalia and ensure its citizens continue down the path of democracy and peaceful co-existence must not be undermined by the conflict that has too often accompanied elections.
We look forward to a shared currency within the region and to more developed infrastructure and better road, rail and water networks linking all the member states within the community.
We look forward to passing all of these milestones. However, they will inevitably be delayed or even derailed if the next election descends into violence.
In 2007, we saw the economic cost that widespread poll violence, looting and stealing had on our economy and the economy of the entire region.
This hurt our nation, which lost over Sh100 billion ($1.2 billion) in revenue as a result of an undermined tourism industry and agricultural sector.
While we may have regained the ground we lost, we cannot afford to go back to that period.
I believe our friends in the African Union and the wider international community can also promote peace in Kenya by promoting impartiality in the elections.
They must go out of their way to ensure that whatever the result next year, no one feels as if Kenyans have been obstructed from choosing their own leaders without international pressure or interference.
Mr Kenyatta is a Deputy Prime Minister. This is part of a speech he made at the Africa Forum for Business and Security held at Laico Regency last Friday.

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