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| Ngunjiri Wambugu |
Based on my experiences in discussions on ethnicity after
the 2007 Post Election Violence and the lessons learnt, I am convinced that the
most fundamental change in our new constitution is the ‘50% + 1’ requirement
for one to become President. In the old constitution the easier route to the
presidency was to split Kenya into small pieces, and then seek the support of
the largest ‘small piece(s)’. This is how President Moi could legally win an
election with less than 32% of the entire presidential vote.
This ‘divide and rule’ principle over the years ultimately
led to the 2007 Post Election Violence.
However under our new constitution the next Presidents must
work on the basis that Kenya is one large ‘piece’, and then seek the support of
at least half of it, plus one. Unfortunately not everyone has moved with the
times as is clearly indicated by the operations of groups like the G7 Alliance.
In comparison the Prime Minister Raila Odinga seems to have completely internalized
this new principle of politics, which could be why he is leading in every poll.
The substance of his tour of Nyandarua last week is a case
in point.
The Prime Minister started with a private visit to Mukami
Kimathi’s home in recognition of the role her husband played as a nationalist,
in Kenya’s fight for independence. He then drove across the county, with
several stops at various points where he addressed several large crowds. He
then became the first ever senior government official in the 37 years since JM
Kariuki died to officially visit the JM homestead and lay a wreath on JM’s
grave. Finally he proceeded to Ol Kalao where he officially opened Ol Kalao
hospital, a hospital JM Kariuki helped build but which has never been
officially opened, and also renamed it in JM’s honor.
The reason I use this tour as an example of why the Prime
Minister has internalized the principle of Kenya being one piece is because
going to Nyandarua was not a walk in the park for him. During his stops along
the way at various towns he spoke to large crowds made up of people who ranged
from the very warm, to the nearly hostile, to him. However with each group he
went out of his way and to great lengths, to explain his political ideology;
his national agenda, and local government interventions he will pursuing to
help area residents.
He also responded to stereotypes being used by his rivals to
fight him politically, especially in the region. He explained why he holds
the Kikuyu community in high regard and drew on his associations especially
during the fight for multi-party democracy; he explained he cannot be behind
Uhuru’s ICC tribulations as he & Kibaki were always in support of a local
tribunal. He also reminded each group that when he had said ‘Kibaki Tosha’ in 2002
it was with full knowledge that Kibaki was a Kikuyu; but in support of the fact
that he was the best candidate to take over from Moi. This shows that he cannot
be accused of being against Kikuyu leaders.
Unfortunately not a single MP from the region had the
courtesy of accompanying the Prime Minister of the Republic of Kenya into their
neighborhood despite the fact that the heroes he had come to honor are all
local men and women held in very high regard by large sections of the
community; heroes these same leaders have done very little if anything, to
honor themselves. Of course the most shameful absence would have to be that of
the Ol' Kalao MP whose only constituency hospital was elevated, re-named and
better-equipped, to serve his own voters!
However what stood out for me was that despite this
circumstances, and despite the fact that he could easily have done the same
profile of a tour in any other part of the country, in a lot more comfort and
with a lot more political support, the Prime Minister chose to take the
tougher, more grueling and certainly more humbling, route. Clearly he leads the
pack of presidential contenders because he is willing to work harder than his
competition; it is also interesting to note President Kibaki's recent comments that
the next President will be the one who works harder than the others.
In conclusion, the pursuit of the Presidency has never been
easy in any part of the world; and in my opinion, should not be. In the Kenyan
context, and with the 2007 experience, anyone who desires to be ‘Kenya One’
over the other 40 Million of us must accept that the process of getting there
will be uncomfortable, difficult, challenging, and humbling. Kenyans want them
to go outside their comfort zone; to see the process break you and make you
into a person in whom all Kenyans can see themselves. That is the only way we
will trust you with our country’s leadership.
As the leading contender for the Presidency Raila is setting
the pace; now we need to see his rivals do the same. Maybe Uhuru Kenyatta could
brave similar crowds in Nyanza as evidence that he understands that the Kenya
he wants to lead also includes Nyanza?
The writer is a commentator on Kenyan social and
political matters affairs
ngunjiri@change-associates.
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