*My !! . Karoli Ssemogerere has written a gem of an article.*
**
*And his role as a former ( or current - I don't know ) intelligence officer
of the United States Military shows through very clearly.*
**
*A far much better piece than what you normally get from the riffraff that
masquerades as East Africa's journalists !!*
**
*===========================*
OPINIONS & COMMENTARIES *TALKING POINTS* | Karoli Ssemogerere
...
Kenya elections end in chaos, Kenya can't afford to implode
Kenya's much anticipated election has ended in a bloodbath. Mwai Kibaki has
taken oath after being declared the winner of the presidential election.
Raila Odinga, the runner up, has contested the election result, declared
himself the "people's president" a term of usage that followed Felipe
Calderon's cliffhanger victory in the Mexican presidential elections in
2006.
Calderon's challenger Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador wrapped Mexico City in
riots that shut down the capital city for months. Politics especially at the
highest levels is becoming a very tough business.
The political classes tend to be the wealthiest in the country. Genuinely
people led movements are something of the past. Elections settle disputes in
the ruling class and determine the flow of the spoils of power.
Some political systems like Mexico and Korea have put a managed cap to the
stakes of the process limiting their presidents to a single term. In South
Korea whose politics can often be on the edge, the life of political parties
has also become part of its cycle. Electoral outfits change every five years
as do the occupants of Seoul's Blue House.
The Kenyan election's cliffhanger or contested result depending on which way
you view it is a mirror of the high stakes at the ruling table. All 3
leading candidates were once members of the former ruling party, KANU.
Mwai Kibaki, its first Executive Officer and Vice President, Raila Odinga a
one time member and later Secretary General and Kalonzo Musyoka its National
Organising Secretary for over 20 years.
The pure opposition of 1992 that gave Mr Moi a run for his money by 2007 had
splintered into almost non- recognisable entities a little bit of a shade
here and there especially after Mwai Kibaki's electoral outfit PNU
incorporated the former ruling party KANU in its ranks.
Ford, its most potent intellectual and nationalist vehicle, began its
disintegration in 1997 after the death of Jaramogi Oginga Odinga and ended
the election in total defeat in Western Province. Ford Asili, the other
branch led by Kenneth Matiba, died shortly after the 1997 election.
As such parties in Kenya represent one of two things: They have larger than
life leaders. The top tier parties are almost evenly matched. You would
presume Kenya as such is a plural society. But these configurations are non
ideological. Their core are ethnic identities and inter-ethnic alliances.
Their leaders are immensely wealthy. The political economy of Kenya dictates
that all have a KANU history and their wealth or economic stability is built
from an era which had almost no constraints of accountability for the spoils
of power.
This part of the election story has not been properly put in perspective.
For some strange reason especially if you follow the events here at home in
Uganda, Kenya has failed to meet all benchmarks set by donors for continued
economic support.
Kenya did very poorly on corruption after the Anglo Leasing Scandal almost
brought down the Kenyan government after the resignation of John Githongo,
the Governance Permanent Secretary. Mr Githongo's feats among others
included wiretaps of senior Kenyan ministers something that may not have
been accomplished without protection from western powers.
The trivialisation of the story continued especially after some of the
characters in the game like Sir Edward Clay and the current British High
Commissioner Adam Wood are alumni of the praise singing crowd that sprayed
wonder glue on our own administration.
The Americans who have long eyed Kenya for themselves as a regional anchor
played both sides of the story a response which played out after the
election rushing to recognise Mwai Kibaki's victory before withdrawing their
support.
The elections may end up compromising Kenya's political future. Kenya, the
largest economy in the region, remains home to some of its poorest citizens.
Its political class is the wealthiest. Its imperial presidency is the most
powerful in the region.
This is a reality that the political class has failed to address itself too.
Initiatives like universal education and universal health care will save the
future but not the present.
Ethnic violence in Kenya is notoriously vicious since the days of the Mau
Mau. During Moi's time the country had the capacity to witness multiple
ethnic fights in the Rift Valley and other provinces at the same time.
Moi himself used to marvel at his ability to keep power to himself on the
back of either fueling or remaining passive during these fights. The poorest
of the poor are bearing the brunt of the bloodletting and carnage, 250 dead
and counting since Tuesday.
Mr Odinga and Mr Kibaki must quickly bring this latest round of infernos to
a quick conclusion. It is a talk that does not need foreign referees.
Kenya's stability is at stake. The political process is in tatters-- the
false hopes by Electoral Commission Chairman Samuel Kivuitu, a former KANU
MP, to deliver a clean election result.
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
_______________________________________________
Ugandanet mailing list
Ugandanet@kym.net
http://kym.net/mailman/listinfo/ugandanet
% UGANDANET is generously hosted by INFOCOM http://www.infocom.co.ug/
The above comments and data are owned by whoever posted them (including
attachments if any). The List's Host is not responsible for them in any way.
---------------------------------------
