By: Joseph Mutua Ndonga
Worth Noting:
- For Raila, he seems to believe that the church is coming in when it is too late. Our demonstrations will go on as planned. As Azimio, we presented our demands to the President.
- Recently, he added two more demands. One, the elective seats of Azimio leaders who have ditched the coalition and joined the Ruto-led Kenya Kwanza government should be declared vacant. Fresh elections should be conducted in these constituencies. Two, the constitution should be amended.
- Ruto added: 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 come to me. We will sort it out.
The Presbyterian Church of East Africa (PCEA) is the latest to join other mainstream denominations in calling on President William Ruto and Azimio La Umoja One Kenya Coalition leader Raila Odinga to cede thier hard line stances and give dialogue a chance. The clergy a day after the church was torched in Kibra. Before, the voice of the PCEA was not heard loudly. This is because they assumed that they were safe. What lesson do we learn here? When the country is going in wrong direction, no one should think that we are safe. Today it is me, tomorrow it is you. Therefore, those in positions of influence should speak in one voice and do this early enough. The church cannot be underrated because it has a huge following. Therefore, the clergy have a big responsibility to help break the stalemate and ensure that peace, unity and sanity is restored.
For Raila, he seems to believe that the church is coming in when it is too late. Our demonstrations will go on as planned. As Azimio, we presented our demands to the President.
Recently, he added two more demands. One, the elective seats of Azimio leaders who have ditched the coalition and joined the Ruto-led Kenya Kwanza government should be declared vacant. Fresh elections should be conducted in these constituencies. Two, the constitution should be amended.
President Ruto, on the other hand, is not taking this lightly.
Speaking to residents of Kisii recently, he repeatedly described Raila as economic saboteur.
Here, Ruto seemed to point out that Raila was not interested in dialogue.
Ruto added: 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 come to me. We will sort it out.
But I want Raila to 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, destruction of properties and anarchy, the security forces will deal with you according to the law.
Raila has been maintaining the mass action were peaceful and within the law.
But going by the events of what transpired during these protests, the question is. Did he really believe in these words?
Incidences of his supporters engaging the police officers in violent confrontations, looting and destruction of properties have been documented.
In most of cases, we have been seeing 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, the question is . Are the calls for dialogue well thought out?
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 Azimio demands, the clergy should have told Raila that he is the one erecting major hurdles in the way of dialogue.
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 an ‘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.
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 kept by the 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.
Putting this aside, the demand calling on President Ruto to address the high cost of living is the only one that some how sound to make some sense. But we know this challenge started skyrocketing when he was the core principal of the ‘handshake’ government.
My parting shot. The church must continue to remind Raila. No meaningful negotiations can be held within a environment of hostilities, grandstanding. He should first call off mass action.
He must come down and accept that he lost elections to Dr Ruto who is now the President.
I know he is fearing 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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