Constitution and laws were made for Kenyans not the other way round

Lately it seems as though we are operating on auto-pilot. And the last few days have been something akin to the Biblical Armageddon. There appears to be no form of accountable leadership. Everyone is doing whatever they think is right in their eyes. Unfortunately the poor masses bear the brunt.

The government under Jubilee has allowed the riot police to have a field day with the National Super Alliance (NASA) protestors. No rules are applied. Demos are quelled by excessive teargas and bullets; it doesn’t matter if we are chocking the lungs of little ones in kindergarten or leaving them with bullet wounds or dropping their fathers’ dead, it’s all about show of force.

NASA demonstrators on the other hand went on a looting spree forcing many businesses to remain shut for fear of vandalism. Like the Jubilee government’s unwillingness to control the riot police, NASA appears unwilling to control their demonstrators. However, the math here is complicated by the infamous Nairobi Business Community which NASA now claims are the ones making their demos chaotic.

If you thought the police threw caution to the wind then you probably didn’t hear about the president’s Chief of Staff and Head of Public Service Joseph Kinyua's memo to all Principal Secretaries (PSs). He asked each PS to provide a vehicle (preferably an SUV) for the ongoing Jubilee campaigns. This is a high ranking government official ordering others to break the law with impunity.

Everyone is saying follow the rule of law; only no one is interested. To that end business man Jimmy Wanjigi found himself in hot soup after the government laid siege in his home over tramped up charges in complete violation of a court order. The Inspector General of Police and Minister of Interior who were both served by the court order did not care about being in contempt of court.

And while we are still on the Interior minister, he’s reported on the local papers as having asked a militia group in Kisii (Chinkororo) to deal with anyone who tries to interfere with elections scheduled for 26^th October and that he will ask the police to, “Look the other way!”

It’s unbelievable the stuff leaders in the country are saying. Worse still, even independent bodies that could have helped restore confidence are themselves thrown their oath of office off the window and serving interests of their political masters going by the drama unfolding at the Independent Electoral Boundaries Commission (IEBC).

The Senior Commissioner Dr. Akombe fled under the guise of official work only to announce her resignation abroad. The move was reminiscent of the Moi days when individuals went into exile in fear of the government. Whether her decision to quit was impressed on her by NASA or not is still an indictment to the electoral body. Perhaps Chebukati’s press conference was the final nail.

In all these confusion and high political temperatures Jubilee government despite calling for a National Day of prayer insists elections must go on despite the chairman’s admission he may not be able to carry out a credible election. NASA too, have now made things in their strongholds thick; promising the mother of all demonstrations on the 26^th October-the same day IEBC scheduled the repeat elections.

In the end we are likely to burn this country once again and for what? So that President Uhuru can retain power? Or former PM Odinga to have power? No! Kenya is bigger than both these individuals and whatever ambitions they have. We must now return to reason. We can’t decide to apply the law when it works for us and ignore when it doesn’t favor us.

It’s precisely why this blog acknowledges former Kiambu Governor, William Kabogo, Narc-Kenya leader Martha Karua, former advisor to the president, Kilemi Mwiria, former Kajiado Senator, Peter Ole Mositet and former Mukurwe-ini MP Kabando wa Kabando for refusing to play sycophancy and asking the leader they supported on August 8^th President Uhuru Kenyatta to dialogue with Right. Hon. Raila Odinga for the sake of the country.

The National Integrity Alliance (NIA) together with fifteen professional and civil society organizations held a joint statement asking that the country goes back to reason. We urge political players from NASA to also urge their leader to meet with the president to dialogue on the way forward for the sake of our country.

Those lashing out citing this law and that law when it conveniences them should be reminded that the laws were created for man and not man for the law. On this Mashujaa Day, let's say, no more killings, no more destruction of property not in the name of elections. Let’s all come and reason together!

Posted by Mzalendo Editor on Oct. 20, 2017

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