From the time Section 2(a) of the previous constitution was repealed to allow for multiparty democracy, President Moi’s observation on many of our political leaders intentions has become a chilling self-fulfilling prophesy, “they will enhance ethnic division”.
Even with our new constitutional dispensation, and the stringent requirements that political parties be nationally inclusive, Kenya is burdened with political elite that insist on a tribal approach to gain popularity, including diabolical ideas on the presidency such as reconstitution of the seat to “a tribal rotation”, as suggested by Siasa correspondent CT Muga.
To even suggest that Kenya’s presidency no longer be a democratically elected position as espoused by the Katiba, but instead be rotational is indicative of how little respect for actual democracy such proponents have. Indeed, why even vote if the seat is rotational, why should the wretched peasants even decide who should lead them? This sort of dark and dangerous strategy is not only rooted in megalomaniacal egos, it demonstrates the seared conscience of those who would embark on such a strategy. Indeed, any such politician is quite simply a malignant narcissist.
It is noteworthy that these strategists have, since that epic moment in 1992 when Section 2 (a) was repealed, consistently sought to gain power through divisive, tribal means, pushing an agenda of hate politics and targeting entire ethnic communities; an approach that culminated in the 2007-08 post-election violence.
We cannot allow those who have always been part of the power elite and privileged to keep amplifying our differences for the sake of causing acrimony and hate within the Kenyan psyche; we must actively fight such evil doctrines.
Kenyans are as wonderfully diverse and divergent as any nation can be and it is this great diversity that our constitution celebrates, even as we as a nation seek to pull together and unify our society and move forward to a common future. Our politicians are no longer at liberty to merely entertain us with their shenanigans; through constitutional powers given to the people, we can question and demand accountability from those in government and even those in the opposition.
We have come a long way to earn the freedoms, rights and responsibilities enshrined in our constitution, and those rights and as per the words in the preamble of the constitution are what constitute our present national ideology, an ideology that the same proponents of a “rotational” presidency actively pushed prior to the 2010 referendum only to later abandon it.
At all costs, and with everything that identifies us as a nation, we must resist the consistent demands to alter the constitutional values that define Kenya; we must resist with everything we have any political strategies that are set on enhanced, aggravated ethnic division merely to suit ridiculously inflated egos. No politician, so keen on dividing the nation for his own sake, and for his own ambition has national service in mind when he pushes a “rotational” strategy.
The responsibilities and the commitments that the presidential seat comes with, demands a person wholly committed to serving every sector of our society and not just someone wishful of the trappings of success without being willing to earn the trust and respect of everyone who has the right to vote.
Our diversity is our strength; it is the diverse cultures, and political and religious views of Kenyans that forged together our constitution and our differences are what make ours a robust living democracy in which any service oriented Kenyan can and should stand for elective post. It is clear that we must come together to build on the foundations set in the Katiba; to not only protect our rights therein, but also to shift the Kenyan political space from being ethnically driven and ultimately divisive, to being democratic, inclusive and considerate of all.
For too long we have tolerated the most virulent, dangerous and dark agendas; politicians who did not care at all for the lives of Kenyans were clearly behind the 2007-08 PEV, these are facts stated in the CIPEV report. We cannot ever be driven back to a place where any community is deliberately left out of the national agenda.
From here on, political strategies must at all times reflect the ideals set out in the constitution and that includes abandoning ethnic politics, divisive rhetoric and suggesting ridiculous shortcuts to the presidency such as “a rotational presidency”.
The writer is a social commentator.