Four years ago, the National Security Intelligence Service warned the Government that certain areas of the country were ethnic flashpoints.
It did not stop there, but also warned that certain measures needed to be taken to ensure the 2007 presidential election outcome did not spark violence and blood letting. Its warnings were ignored and we all know what happened afterwards.
Yesterday, Prime Minister Raila Odinga quoted secret reports by the intelligence service that echoed similar concerns.
The climate of ethnic tension created by the impending trials of four Kenyans at The Hague accused of crimes against humanity; the so-called prayer rallies and the re-emergence of pseudo-ethnic groups to rubber-stamp the political ambitions of certain presidential aspirants; the decision by the Registrar of Political Parties to allow politicians to hop from party to party and ministers to remain party officials are all bad signs for the General Election.
Kenyans must wake up to the reality that politicians are using them for selfish gain and will stop at nothing to get what they want, even if it means sparking further violence.
The current political climate has been poisoned by utterances at “prayer rallies”, funerals, and other public meetings that ostracise other communities.
What will it take for the Government to act and stem the tide of ethnic hatred that threatens to undo all the good that the new Constitution promised?
Hate speech
This is one of those times when those who believe in the Constitution and the rule of law must stand up to be counted.
The country’s national cohesion is at stake. There is a saying that all it takes for evil to thrive is for a few good men to do nothing.
Kenya cannot afford any more bloodletting in the name of politicians. This country is bigger than any one leader.
The Internal Security Ministry must put its money where its mouth is and clamp down on proponents of hate speech while there is still time.
