By Dennis Onyango
Memories of the violence that gripped the country early this year and the slow, sometimes painful, negotiations at the Nairobi Serena Hotel that gave birth to peace, returned Friday at a graduation ceremony whose centrepiece was to honour the three leaders who negotiated the deal.
The venue was the University of Nairobi’s Chancellor’s Court. In attendance were once sworn rivals, President Kibaki and Prime Minister Raila Odinga.
With the two to receive the honours was former United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan, on whose presence and patience Kenyans pegged their hopes as the country stepped onto Africa’s well-trodden path of chaos and slide to civil war after the General Election, last year.
The University of Nairobi Chancellor, DrJoe Wanjui,confers a Doctor of Laws degree on (clockwise) Kofi Annan, Mwai Kibaki and Raila Odinga
The University of Nairobi was hosting the three leaders at its 39th Graduation Ceremony. It conferred on them honorary Doctor of Laws degree for their role in securing the peace.
But for the three leaders, it was not a moment for academics. Their speeches flowed with reflections of the events that blotted Kenya’s image as an island of peace in Africa and the weight of history on the President and the PM’s shoulders.
"A few months ago, the Hon. Raila Odinga and I were protagonists in a political contest. Today, we are partners committed to peace, unity and stability of our country, and prosperity for our fellow citizens. This graduation ceremony is, therefore, also a reminder of the path our nation has travelled in the journey of national healing," the President said, after receiving the degree.
The President talked of the intense negotiations and dialogue that evoked "a spirit of give-and- take in the interest of our nation".
"I sincerely believe that as leaders, we did what was expected of us. It was only right that we did whatever we could to bring about peace," Kibaki said.
The President thanked Dr Annan for his "able stewardship of the mediation process," saying the former UN boss created "an environment which enabled us to navigate the turbulent waters of divergent political opinions."
"His patience and tireless efforts led to the signing of the National Accord. We Kenyans will always be grateful to him and his team. But of course it is the leaders who articulate political issues. They are therefore key to a resolution of any political dispute," the President said.
The President paid tribute to the PM, who in turn praised him, both acknowledging that each of them put aside personal interests in supporting the National Accord.
"The awards conferred on the three of us today cement our fraternity, and are symbols of our shared determination to ensure peace and prosperity.
"And I am conscious that we are receiving these awards on behalf of the people of Kenya," Raila said, after the degree was conferred on him.
The PM described President Kibaki and Dr Annan as "people for whom I have the greatest respect for the roles they played early this year in selflessly restoring the stability of this nation".
"We faced very stark challenges this year. We stared into an abyss of horror and we did not like what we saw. We as leaders knew we had to make some very difficult decisions. President Kibaki, Dr Annan and I are today being honoured for our roles in accepting those challenges, in making those difficult decisions, and in putting the nation first," said Raila.
The PM, marvelling at the speed with which Kenya has gained ground after the chaos, said it was "truly a credit to the resilience, goodwill, co-operation, sacrifice and enduring hope of all Kenyans".
Raila said he accepted the award "with abiding faith in the future of our nation, and with abiding faith in my fellow Kenyans, whose continued hope and determination is worth more than great riches."
Moments after the graduation, Annan moved to another function where he received a report compiled by Justice Philip Waki on the violence the former UN chief had helped stop.
In his speech at the Chancellor’s Court, it was Annan who best captured the mood during the chaos and the challenges ahead for the President and the Prime Minister, with whom he was honoured.
"There were times it seemed we were going nowhere. But we never lost hope. At least I did not. It took 41 days for us to achieve that commitment," the former UN chief said.
He recalled how he became "a prisoner of peace" as parties failed to agree while he feared there would more violence if he left the country.
He reminded Kenyans that the country was always the "oasis of peace" that provided a sanctuary for refugees from neighbouring states and contributed peacekeeping troops to distant lands devastated by war like the former Yugoslavia.
"The world was deeply saddened by the violence. The violence was unprecedented in Kenya’s 45-year independence history. The violence would have spread if the parties entrenched their positions," he said.
Annan said Kenya remains vulnerable, unless the leaders pursued the reforms in the peace deal they signed.
He said the violence that gripped the country indicated there were underlying issues that needed to be addressed.
He singled out the need for land and constitutional reforms, deficiencies in the electoral system, building a culture of accountability, and ending corruption as some of the issues that cannot wait.
In signing the peace deal, Annan said, Kibaki and Raila demonstrated "leadership and patriotism".
"We need to commend them and support them as they lay the foundation for a democratic nation," Annan said.
Signing the agreement was just the first step in a long journey the two leaders have to guide the nation through, Annan said, assuring the President and the PM that Kenya has goodwill from the international community.
"Signed agreements mean little if the parties are not committed to what they are signing," he said.
Annan asked Kibaki and Raila to strive to build a nation founded on security, prosperity and rule of law.