We must fully address what ail us now

[Photo: Courtesy]

Friday’s ceasefire announcement by Uhuru Kenyatta and Raila Odinga has the power of an epic war movie ending. Secretly crafted and carefully worded, their joint statement creates a fresh beginning for Kenyan politics. Whether it holds, depends on whether they, their advisors and the country see this as a journey rather than a symbolic event.

Nine months of violating our Constitution and attacking public institutions, media, civil rights organisations and political parties had brought our democracy to its knees. Stuck in this political meltdown, we have worn down the nation and attracted local and international ridicule for our sins. In this sense, the dialogue that led to a nine-point agreement is welcome and historic.