By: Joseph Mutua Ndonga
Worth Noting:
- In the sad incident that saw a Maseno University student shot dead, report indicated that this happened as the protestors were being repulsed after they attempted to raid a police station in the area and steal guns and ammunition.
- Upon listening to clergy, two questions come to mind. Is the call for dialogue coming from the bottom of their heart? Are they doing this for PR purposes?
- We recall that the voice of church was very powerful and respected during the clamor for multi-party democracy and the new constitution.
- Today, things have changed. Most of the religious leaders were no longer taking courageous and bold steps in addressing the challenges facing their flock and other citizens of Kenya.
I have been following with the keen interest the ongoing turf war of words pitting President William Ruto and opposition leader Raila Odinga.
As the two leaders continue to dig in, the cloud of fear and political uncertainty is engulfing the country.
Raila has poured cold water on calls for dialogue and maintained that the second phase of mass action scheduled to start on Monday will go on as planned.
President Ruto, on the other hand, is not taking this lightly. Speaking to residents of Kisii, he repeatedly described Raila as economic saboteur.
I will no longer allow him to terrorise and endanger the lives of people of Kenya and destroy their business with chaos, violence and anarchy.
It is me who competed with him during the election. So if has any issue with, he should bring it to me. We will sort it out.
However, Raila should bear this in mind. I defeated him and so the chapter of election is closed.
Since he assumed office, Ruto position had remained very clear.
Kenya is a country governed by the rule of law and constitution.
Raila and his brigade should know this.
Nobody is above the law. If you promote and lead a campaign of jungle rule, destructions and anarchy, the state security agencies will not turn deaf ear or look the other side.
They will deal with you decisively and this will be done within the confines of law.
Raila has however maintained the mass action were peaceful and within the law.
But going by the events of what transpired during the protests he led recently, the question is. Did he really believe in these words?
We saw his supporters engaging the police officers in violent confrontations. Reports of looting and destruction of properties were also documented.
In most of cases, we saw the supporters reacting without being provoked.
In the sad incident that saw a Maseno University student shot dead, report indicated that this happened as the protestors were being repulsed after they attempted to raid a police station in the area and steal guns and ammunition.
Upon listening to clergy, two questions come to mind. Is the call for dialogue coming from the bottom of their heart? Are they doing this for PR purposes?
We recall that the voice of church was very powerful and respected during the clamor for multi-party democracy and the new constitution.
Today, things have changed. Most of the religious leaders were no longer taking courageous and bold steps in addressing the challenges facing their flock and other citizens of Kenya.
For some, they seemed to value earthly fortunes and then matters of spiritual nourishment.
This explains the cause of sharp splits when it comes to political matters.
There are those who had earned the tag of M-Pesa pastors and bishops because they supported the side that oils their palm.
In Ruto, Raila standoff, I would have expected them to speak openly and without fear.
With some of them having participated or followed the political dialogues held during the reigns of the previous regimes, I am sure they know this process entails softening of hard line stances and embracing the spirit of give- and -take.
Having analysed the demands of the two leaders, they should have told Raila that he is a major stumbling block.
This is because of three reasons. The main one is failure to recognize Dr William Ruto as the President of the Republic of Kenya.
He has continued to call his government as ’illegitimate’ and inciting his supporters to storm State House and evict Dr Ruto.
I’m sure the church leaders knew these remarks are dangerous and intended to plunge the country into anarchy and orgy of bloodshed.
Attempting to stage a civilian coup against a popularly and democratically elected government is a serious offence of treason. If convicted, one risk being hanged or spending a life sentence in prison.
The other two demands are: The President should open the IEBC presidential election servers with immediate effect. He knows the president has no authority to do this.
Reason? He was a competitor in these elections just like him.
We know the servers are in custody of IEBC. So Raila had two legal recourses. First, to write to the commission and ask them to release the servers.
If this fails, he should go back to the supreme court. Given that the judges of the apex court had already addressed this matter, I would expect them to hear his petition only if it contains new evidence.
Raila is also pushing for reinstatement of ‘Cherera four’.
On this matter and to my understanding, the four rebellious IEBC commissioners were removed after the due process of law was followed to the letter and spirit.
My parting shot. The church must continue to remind Raila. No meaningful negotiations can be held within a environment of hostilities- mass actions, grandstanding and chest-thumping.
He must come down and accept that he lost elections to Dr Ruto who is now the President.
I know he fears to admit because this would puncture his push the negotiations.
He will lose public sympathy. Kenyans will pose. He lost. What does he now want? Let him stop disturbing us and retire to his Opoda home in Bondo.
But if you ask me, Ruto is a good leader. If he come down and treat him with respect, the president will get him something to do.
We know former President Uhuru Kenyatta had secured him a job at Africa Union (AU) where he served as AU High Representative for Infrastructure Development.
This contract was terminated recently under unclear circumstance.
For a few months Ruto has been at the helm of power, he has earned a good name internationally. So he is capable of securing him a good job. This will ensure he enjoys his life in sunset years.
Joseph Mutua Ndonga is a writer and political analyst based in Nairobi
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