There is no question that the people of Mt. Kenya region felt that they were being given a raw deal during the Moi era. It is also known that the people had sworn that “tukiipata, haita potea tena”. Unlike most people, i do not buy the theory that Kibaki had no idea he was going to be defeated in the 2007 elections. He knew so very well. Consider these pieces of evidence:
- “Change the constitution” aka, Wako Draft, that sought to entrench Kibaki.
- Kibaki’s own statements: “Mtaka hapo hapo, tutakaa hapa” and “siendi popote“
- Opinion polls “too close to call”
- It was evident to all that massive efforts were being used to doctor the polls to show that the elections would be “too close” to call. Gallup’s last minute poll is another piece ( somebody should follow this and find out who ate what at Gallup- maybe they just used Waititu and Wolf )
- The new judges appointments to the High Court 2 weeks before the election
- Of, course, for any fool who would want to go to court
- Karume’s famous “I as the Minister of Defense will order the Military to crack down on protests” in Dec 2007
- He knew there would be protest
- He knew he would still be calling the shots as minister after the elections ( in fact after he is nominated, he may get his docket back )
- Police Commissioner’s press statement at the counting halls at KICC in the early days of counting
- He knew there would be protests
- He already knew who the “loser” was gonna be and that they would protest- because he knew there was cooking going on
- ECK appointments. ODM must have been naive to think one man, Kivuitu, would make a difference
- Kivuitu’s famous “cooking” remark etc. ( Kivuitu should know there probably is a hit on him, for blubbing out-or maybe it was meant to be that way, that there be chaos, that some people may be dealt with once and for all )
Anyway, we all know these things, so i do not see why we have to debate whether the rigging was premeditated or not. It was. So what next?
There are the facts:
- Kenya (and most African countries ) are tribe based. There is nothing wrong with that. It is our identity, our culture, so to speak
- The tribe factor has been used very very negatively, and for 40 years, most africans are way underdeveloped because of this.
- Kibaki ( and by extensions, Kikuyus ) eat the goat they believe is theirs by birthright
- The rest of Kenyans say “we looked after the goat, we are eating grass”
- The Kikuyus have been favoured by the Kibaki government. Everybody knows this, so do not yada yada me.
- The other Kenyans feel oppressed by the kikuyus
- The Kikuyus are obviously not welcome in west Kenya and parts of Coast Province
- The rest of Kenyans are not welcome in Central Kenya. In fact they can not own property in Central kenya, even if they wanted to.
- The kikuyus are very hard working and have work to do
- The rest of Kenyans are hard working but have no work to “hard work at”
- The kikuyus in the west have lost their property and lives
- The others have lost their property and lives
- The Kikuyus support the policies of Mwai Kibaki to man
- The others reject the policies of Mwai Kibaki
- The kikuyus think Kibaki is good for the nation
- The others believe Raila is good for the nation.
Kenya is not one. Why the pretense of one united nation? United for what? What makes a nation? The physical boundaries or the seeing “together” and common purpose of its people? The elections of course brought out what everybody always knew, that peoples belong to different nations in Kenya ( those who claim that they have been shocked at these events , are either among the new millionaires or those who go about their daily lives in ease, seeing the oppression and poverty of their fellows and justifies it that “they are lazy, unlike us”. )
There are at least two nations within Kenya. People need to go separate ways. If we need to maintain a united Kenya, we must at least have self-governing “states” within Kenya, so that the Kikuyu can settle and own property where he feels safe from the kaleo arrows. And so that the other Kenyans can live and work where they feel safe from the government terror gang Mungiki and state sanctioned marginalization.
All other solutions are band-aid solutions.
I heard something like this: ODM is being outwitted every day. They wait for “peace talks”, while PNU pretends to care and continues in forming a government ( just a matter of time before ODM MPs are invited for Ruci’s Mokimo at Statehouse ) . ODM listens to US/UK/World on how “peace must prevail” at all costs, yet the US/UK is fighting a “freedom” war in Iraq, not seeking peace. The US cares nothing whether Kenya becomes a dictatorship or not. They will still do business with Kenya. In fact, it would be better for them then, they can bribe the government and go terrorist hunting in Somalia.
Ouch! Reading that kinda hurts – brings home what many people (including me, blush) are thinking but dare not say. Oh dear! What is Kibaki trying to achieve? At least Raila is kinda acknowledging the mwananchi. Kinda. Kibaki somehow seems not to care much, he just wants his Government. Sad. I feel the shaky quiet Kenya has had lately is coming to an end – a storm is brewing. I hope to God I’m wrong, sigh…..
i see your points and some are quite vaild and that being your opinion I respect it.
However, why should we divide a nation because of tribalism that people at the top propagate when we as a younger(I am, wouldnt want to assume your age) generation are integrated enough to either not be tribalist or have realised that ethnic differences are not palpable to a persons character. Your suggestion is similar to those of PanAmericans during the civil rights movement who wanted to create an African-Amercan ‘country’ of sorts with some of the southern states…were that have been affected, I dont feel that the civil rights movement would have moved as it did and essentially im not sure i would not be here today on a computer as a black Kenyan. I am Kenyan, you are Kenyan, Kikuyus are Kenyans….why should the politics and inflated egos of a few divide us?
Been catching up with your links, posts and comments after a long while. Interesting thoughts you have here. We ain’t out of the woods yet.