Why Uhuru’s national unity project is doomed to fail
After watching the Supreme Court go about the routine of re-declaring Uhuru Kenyatta the validly elected fourth President of the Republic of Kenya last Saturday, I resolved to uphold my country’s latest novel contribution to the community of democratic nations – ‘move on’.
In keeping with my revitalised patriotic sense, I have chosen to look at the bright side of life and persuaded myself that it will not necessarily be all doom under the new Kenyatta presidency after all.
Powerful congratulatory messages beginning to arrive at the KICC in quick succession together with reports of witnesses giving in to intimidation and the ICC judges entertaining the thought of trial via video link suggest that all that pre-election talk about ‘sanctions’ and ‘essential contact’ was just that – talk.
The unfolding diplomatic coup should hopefully give Mr Kenyatta the space and the inspiration he needs to perform all the miracles promised in his Jubilee Coalition’s manifesto, including a laptop for every child entering Class One within his first 100 days in office. (Someone forgot to include a token superhighway to my Kajulu village, but I still believe).
Yet for all my belief in Mr Kenyatta’s abilities, there is one thing I can’t see his government doing – unite all Kenyans.
Granted, the words, ‘unity’ and ‘reconciliation’ featured prominently in his campaign rallies. But it is just as well that his last major speech in which he stated his wish to foster national unity came so close to April Fools Day.
I have yet to meet a single Kenyan who believed him, and he probably knows it.
The fear of Mr Kenyatta among some Kenyans is part historical and part informed by recent events.
There is a generation that sees in his presidency the rebirth or even the entrenchment of a tribal hegemony that has ruled Kenya since independence.
I asked a friend belonging to this generation what she feared most about a Kenyatta presidency and she didn’t mince her words.
“I was born to see my father cry about [Jomo] Kenyatta’s shackles, I grew up under Moi’s shackles and now I may die under another Kenyatta’s shackles,” she said.
The crimes against humanity charges at the ICC further make a mockery of Mr Kenyatta’s unity project.
Until he clears his name, as he has promised to do, it is difficult to see how the victims of the post-election violence in Naivasha and Nakuru will reconcile themselves to his unity message.
Add this to the new frontiers of ethnic grievances created all over by the isolationist Jubilee campaign built on the so-called ‘tyranny of numbers’ and you have a national unity project doomed to fail.
Otieno Otieno is the chief sub-editor, Business Daily. [email protected]. Twitter: @otienootieno
