'K' alliance must counter 'KKK' coalition of ethnicity, impunity

By Hassan Omar Hassan

Over the last few days, I have had the opportunity to travel through several towns. Starting off with Garissa through to Hola, Garsen, Mombasa, Wundanyi and Voi, my tour ends tomorrow in Makueni. We are on a sensitisation tour preceding the second country review by the African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM), Panel of Eminent Persons to be led by former Liberian President Dr Amos Claudius Sawyer scheduled for next month.

The tour came at a time the country was engulfed in a potentially divisive scenario following the contentious appointments of Chief Justice, Attorney General, Director of Public Prosecutions, and Controller of Budget by President Kibaki. I seized the opportunity to get a feel from mashinani (grassroots) as to what this cross section of Kenyans thought of the general state of the country. The raw insights are quite something to write home about.

Those I spoke to were aware of the developments in Egypt and were anxious to see President Hosni Mubarak toppled by the popular revolt. They share in the aspirations of the Egyptian people drawing similar parallels to the state of hopelessness, the struggles, tribulations and aspirations of the ordinary Kenyans. Like the Egyptians, they are fed up. They are fed up with the decadence mired by a political leadership that is inept and has lost the legitimacy to lead. They yearn for a revolt of their own.

Of concern to Kenyans is the possible "replay" of the post-2007 elections chaos stirred by an unwritten but real leadership policy of ethnicity and exclusion. The concern is equally premised on the popular anger being witnessed across the country that provides both the recipe and the catalyst.

The people urged the progressive lot of Kenyans to urgently initiate an alliance of all Kenyans, the ‘K’ alliance, which must then counter the monstrous manifestation of ethnicity in the nation’s politics that is the ‘KKK’ alliance.

The ‘KKK’ alliance has no ideology nor does it offer a qualitative alternative. Their motivation is the coalescing of persons with interests in the commission of crimes, past and present, be they those against humanity or economic crimes and a desire to escape from the tightening noose of justice. By invoking the ethnic creed they appreciate the possibility of grabbing power and perpetuating a government typified by abuse and impunity.

The membership credentials are defined. Commit crimes against humanity, get suspended from government on charges of corruption, desire to protect perpetrators or defend impunity, seek to eject Kenya from Rome Statute or even rob a bank. You shall find warmth, solace and accommodation in the alliance of crime.

Kenya will never realise any meaningful change if perpetrators usurp power through pervert ethnic schisms. The ethnic engineers make one fundamental assumption underestimating the peoples’ desire for change. That being the ignorant masses, we will follow them without critique and vote ethnically. The ‘KKK’ alliance further underestimates that the overwhelming majority of the people need change to better the quality of their lives and the governance of the country. They are becoming increasingly aware that in their name, you eat while they starve.

We must now grow the ‘K’ alliance premised on change and nationhood. We must therefore organise and mobilise politically. The alliance of crime will stop at nothing. The blatant ridicule of the constitution in the appointment of the CJ, the AG and the DPP attest to their blind ambition for impunity. The ‘K’ alliance must counter their every move.

—The writer is a commissioner with the KNCHR