What Uhuru should do to earn forgiveness

This week, President Uhuru Kenyatta asked Kenyans for forgiveness for any harm done last year. This admission elicited mixed reactions among Kenyans. Some saw it as part of the national healing that began with his rapprochement with Raila Odinga in March. Others saw it as yet another empty statement meant to evade responsibility for all the deaths and assaults on our institutions that occurred last year. Those in the latter camp pointed to Kenyatta’s commendation of the Kenya Police Service in the same speech, a force that was responsible for the deaths of more than 100 Kenyans, many of whom were Opposition supporters.

For the sake of argument, and in the spirit of the “handshake” let us take the President for his word. But as we do that, let us also ask what we expect of him, if indeed he is interested in earning the forgiveness of Kenyans that were harmed by his actions or inaction.