A country united in grief 10 months ago during a terrorist attack is said to be so polarised today it does not need an opposition that is "desperately trying to make itself relevant" to fall off the cliff.
But where would the country be with an irrelevant opposition that does not ask questions about the burning issues of the day? Or are we so shy we cannot name what divides the country?
The current fault-lines are clear: party politics and ethnic exclusion. It will take no less than a patriotic leadership to bridge the tribal gaps, which leaders often exploit to win or retain political power.
When terrorists attacked the Westgate Shopping Mall last September, there was a general agreement that Kenyans should stick together not just during moments of grief, but at all times to draw strength in such solidarity.
During that brutal raid, the country was united in grief. There was a shared purpose as ordinary citizens joined the rescue. The moment of terror created national heroes and heroines who made it possible for Kenya to cope with the tragedy. Kenyans donated blood to save compatriots in need. The foreboding rekindled the other side of Kenyans – that sense of duty, of being each other's keeper during times of shared sorrow.
Opposition Cord leaders and Jubilee functionaries found shoulders across parties to lean on, without thinking about their usual cross-party suspicions and rivalry for power. Race lines were blurred as the dominant Asian community in the Westlands-Parklands areas of Nairobi served food and water to rescuers and security agents . Someone was there for someone and we were there for Kenya.
There was neither Jubilee nor Cord, Kalenjin nor Luo, Kamba nor Luhya, Christian nor Muslim, poor nor rich. Seventy five people were killed, many more injured, and the elegant mall destroyed.
Unity was needed to warn the enemy that Kenyans would not be divided along religious lines. This message was repeated after numerous attacks in Mombasa, Garissa, Wajir and Eastleigh. In those places, terrorists left no doubt they had a divisive, fundamentalist religious message.
During all these occasions the message was, Kenyans should reject attempts to divide the country along religious lines. Christians preached it. Muslims took the message to mosques, as politicians belaboured it in rallies and funerals.
The rancorous National Assembly majority leader Aden Duale joined the fraternity of tears without casting aspersions on the intentions of the opposition. Not even the shrilly Senate majority leader Kithuke Kindiki questioned the dialogue of unity during the siege.
There was no trading of blame, not even from ODM MPs or Wiper leaders, as the country tried to cope with the daredevil daytime attack. There was genuine concern and understanding that a people with a shared destiny needed to stick together to ward off external aggression, and to be there for each other during moments of need. It was not the first time.
Times were when Kenyans stood united to face a common enemy. At such times there were voices of reason to rally the nation for a common cause. But such occasions have been rare and far in between.
Infiltrators have always betrayed the common cause once the shared enemy is vanquished or taken out of sight. It's the herd instinct - of people coming together to fight a common enemy, then falling prey to vested interests when the danger dissipates.
The year 1963 was such a time when colonialism was the rallying issue, but within three years of independence the compatriots were fighting each other over the spoils. The 2002 general election was another moment of national unity, but the solidarity crumbled after Narc ejected the common enemy, the then ruling party Kanu under President Moi.
The falling out has always been as a result of former comrades fighting for power and the proceeds of public office. Party and ethnicity have always been the coating of insidious greed that refuses to consider everyone's needs.
The clash of interests has always been present, but the 2007-08 post-election conflict was the peak with the defunct PNU team under President Kibaki fighting to retain power. ODM under opposition leader Raila Odinga was pushing to acquire power.
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