Gloom and sorrow greeted the rigging of elections and subsequent swearing in of the looser, one Emilio. Violence erupted in several parts of
Kenya, with the death toll running to the hundreds, and destruction of property of un-audited proportions. All the same we should never forget “Power goes to those who deserve it most – the people”
One important question I would like answered would be "Do you want to feast on a fat calf in a house of turmoil and acrimony or do you want to settle to a humble meal of herbs in a house of peace?"
I have about 15 culprits to blame for the vote rigging.
- Me and you: We never voted conclusively like in 2002. Kenyans of both political divide are regretting not voting at all, or backing the wrong horse. We were not strong enough in mass action, and pressurizing the government for a FREE and FAIR election, and after the announcement of the winner, we did not turn up in our millions in a non violent Mahatma Style demo.You and Me for killing innocent Kenyans. We will never forget.
- Moi and Co: Initially, I thought that Moi was a fly in Kibaki’s soup. This was never the case, because his finances and political mentoring hardened Kibaki and ensured that the incumbent did not concede defeat whatsoever.
- Kivuitu: A conspiracy theory has it “NSIS mixed up and threatened Kivuitu, going as far as kidnapping members of his family so as coax him to read pre-typed results, then escort him with armed guard to state house to hand over a pre-typed nomination certificate, with KBC and Citizen cameras in tow.” The truth is he lied to Kenyans that Presiding officers had vanished with Presidential results yet he had announced parliamentary and civic candidates, and his officers were in the background altering (Kivuitus words “and cooking”) the presidential result, finally having them not tally to parliamentary results. Kivuitu had the option to be bold and announce ODM as winners, and tell the media through live feed that the government had threatened him and his family. He also had the option of resigning, instead of being used to announce doctored results. Kivuitu has always been part of the establishment.
- ECK: The ECK Chairman's cried that his Returning Officers had gone missing (or rather, he couldn't find them on phone). This was monitored via live feed by Kenyan and international media. . He went further to announce his fears that the results were being 'cooked' wherever they were. He then stated the Commission had its ways of finding out and enforcing the right figures. Unconfirmed reports claimed that after night-long scrutiny of Votes the ECK had arrived at the following figures: Raila: 4.8 million. Kibaki: 3.6 million. However PNU strongly disagreed with the tally but Kivuitu challenged them to justify their claim. ECK thrashed the trust Kenya had put on it to serve a Fair election.
- Media (The forth estate): In the elections tally, figures seem to have been adjusted and the Kenyan Media seems to have been so ready to adjust their 'from-the-ground-figures' without any explanations. Journalists are no longer just messengers who accept anything and everything that they are given. In most of the results that were being disputed, there were sound-bytes of the Returning Officers making the announcements. Where were journalists to ask Mr Kivuitu why he was referring those with visible disputes to Courts? The media let the citizen down and they should not blame anybody for it
- Major Ali and Major General Kianga: For not threatening the establishment. During Kibaki’s supposed inauguration, THE NATIONAL ANTHEM WAS NOT PLAYED OR SUNG during the entire ceremony as required by law. Why did the military rehearse for a whole week at Nyayo stadium?
- Mwai Kibaki: For placing his relatives and tribe mates like Idi-Amin and Saddam to head the military and police wings, so that all revolt can be quashed. For colluding with his cronies to deny Kenya democracy and the rule of law. What else can a man stealing votes steal?
- Kalonzo Musyoka: For taking sides with an illegitimate government. What happened to Christian values? His political career is moribund and after having roped in the Akamba community into his ill-fated presidential bid, he is the least qualified to act as a mediator in a conflict which pits parties that garnered more than 10 times his own presidential votes. This is made even worse by the fact that Kalonzo's ODM-K took sides at the most crucial point in endorsing a great injustice during the time ODM was making gallant and spirited efforts in stopping a kidnapped ECK Chairman reading illegitimate presidential results.
- Raila Odinga and the Pentagon: You never saw this coming!
- The clergy and Cardinal Njue: For not asserting their position in society.
- Michuki: Given a .45 with two rounds, and Moi, Biwot and Michuki were on line, guess who of the three would be spared?
- EU, USA and Britain: For sitting in the fence. Can they be more forceful than that?
- Kenya Police: God, those killed by you, and tribal haters are सो मानी।
For the Kenyans who do not speak and act now, remember the words of Martin Niemöller (1892–1984)
“When the Nazis came for the communists,
I remained silent;
I was not a communist.
When they locked up the social democrats,
I remained silent;
I was not a social democrat.
When they came for the trade unionists,
I did not speak out;
I was not a trade unionist.
When they came for the Jews,
I remained silent;
I wasn't a Jew.
When they came for me,
there was no one left to speak out”.
The time to speak and act to save our hard-earned democracy is NOW!
ठोस इन्नोसेंट पीपुल व्हो हवे दिएद बेकाउसे ऑफ़ थे सेलफिश्नेस ऑफ़ थे पॉलिटिकल एलिते "रेस्ट इन PEACE"
