Dear Alamin Kimathi, justice shall retaliate with ruthless candour

By Hassan Omar Hassan

Dear Alamin Kimathi,

Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon you and the dear brothers whose Government and her co-perpetrators have subjected to endless injustices and humiliation. Almost one year since your illegal detention and the rendition of Kenyans to Uganda, you are yet to be charged! Who throws his countrymen to the dogs?

While we were in Banjul earlier this year for the session of the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights, human rights actors protested your detention, the illegal renditions and the delay in your trials. The Uganda minister’s response was that they were awaiting a report from Kenya and the US. This response confirmed our worst fears that you were fixed by your own Government.

Kenyans celebrated the first anniversary of the promulgation of the Constitution yesterday. Your President addressed us on the eve of this anniversary. Just the usual rhetoric. We all know that the Kenyans renditioned to Uganda were the first victims of new constitutional dispensation. The courts censured the President for violating the Constitution and by extension violating the rights of his citizen through the illegal renditions. There is robust movement towards the reform of the Judiciary and undeniably justice shall eventually retaliate to these deliberate injustices.

Muslims in Kenya are yet to be citizens, at least as illustrated by those who are ‘more’ Kenyan like President Kibaki. His ethos I presume is that your rights count for nothing, you pumbavu Muslim terrorists! In fact being a Kenyan is a favour extended to us which we Muslims don’t seem to appreciate! A sizeable number of Kenyans share in this ignorant notion. When we fight for human rights generally, we are fearless human rights defenders. When we speak out against the evil of violation of Muslims, like all other violations, the anti-Muslim, stereotypic and dogmatic insults directed at our religion, persons and character especially on the internet is nauseating.

The practice is universal. They even try to ‘slander’ US President Barack Obama by saying that Hussein is a Muslim.

Being a Muslim is supposedly a bad terroristic thing. All Muslims are or sympathise with Al Shabab, Al Qaeda and the sort. I therefore urge you to be strong in belief. With faith in the Almighty, we shall overcome. Despite the points of departure, I’m touched by the gesture of the Eldoret North MP William Ruto in also advocating for your release. Like has been our standpoint, Ruto has reiterated that Muslims in Kenya need no one’s compassion or favour. He notes that, what are matters of rights are simply that, rights. You and the brothers in Luzira prison must have hope. Dictatorships are crumbling. The once powerful Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak was paraded in a cage, while the Libyan Brother leader Muammar Gaddafi is in hiding! International and national justice is in hot pursuit. Kenya’s one man autocracy is also melting away. In one year’s time it will exit. I have all reason to believe that justice will retaliate with ruthless candour for their misrule.

I hear that in Luzira, they have cut you off from a number of things. If you get to read this piece, we want you to know that you are all in our thoughts and prayers. Kenyans in all their formations are ‘plotting’ your release. As the Holy month of Ramadhan draws to a close, I trust that the Almighty will grant you victory. And despite the humiliating and degrading conditions you are in, let me wish you all an Eid Mubarak.

-The writer is a commissioner with the KNCHR