Raila is not Kenya's problem, address real issues of concern

Azimio leader Raila Odinga. [David Gichuru, Standard]

Some political novices, regardless of their parties, and those benefiting from being in power should reflect before they make unhelpful contribution to public discourse. Media have correctly called out elected leaders who have run out of ideas on how to respond to opponents, instead, opting to call for arrests and even agitating for orders to shoot and kill protesters.

There ought to be a difference between the Bunge la Wananchi, County Assemblies and the National Parliament. The difference is not about the buildings and trappings of power. It is in the level of political responsibility and a matching constructive discourse.

The political discourse before, during and after the Saba Saba protests in some counties followed by  Raila's unexpected mini-rally in the Central Business District in Nairobi on Monday continues to raise fundamental questions regarding the strength of our political systems of governance.

First, what happened to curbing hate speech? Leaders continue to utter unprintable statements because nothing ever happens to them. Any society that means well for its children cares about positive speech. We have an education system that, ideally, should graduate sensible, responsible leaders.

What kind of society do children listening to garbage from elected leaders create in their minds? A clip of a leader doing rounds in the social media in which he calls for shooting to kill demonstrators is not just in bad taste, it shows that our education system needs refining to produce worthy leaders.

Second, there is an obsession among some people that the problem in Kenya is Raila Odinga. Even some established media commentators “succumb” to fallacies that depict Raila as the cause of the political turbulence the country is going through. Tragic.

Using logic principles, one will not struggle to understand that Kenyans have no problem moving from Raila to a superior alternative were there to be one. A person who commands loyalty from millions of people means that person offers something that the followers are not able to find elsewhere.

Therefore, rather than concentrating on how to arrest Raila, offer a better alternative so that the followers will abandon him and render him irrelevant. But to have nightmares over Raila day in, day out and inviting him to retire, threatening pension withdrawal and so forth, simply shows he still has a superior political offer to Kenyans, whatever that offer is.

Third, the ongoing protests are way beyond the agenda and calls by Azimio coalition. Well, Azimio is a beneficiary of a disenfranchised population suffering the pangs of economic hardship. Attempts to narrow the protest's grievances to Azimio agenda are misplaced and will not add value to finding a solution to the rising discomfort among Kenyans on the direction the country is taking.

The cost of living is probably the single most aggravator of the protests, followed by empty promises and then the Azimio push on the government. Look, just face the reality that people are very angry with the cost of living. Do not dilute it with other causes for protest.

Lastly, I no longer understand what “the rule of law” means. Leaders tell us so much of how Kenya is governed by the rule of law and how we have “the best Constitution” in the world. But what we see beginning with the clobbering, arrest and detention of law abiding protesters shows how selectively the law is applied.

On the other hand, the goons who take advantage of protests to rob, attack innocent people, vandalise property and commit all kinds of inhuman acts seem to roam around as if there are no law enforcers. Are our law enforcers motivated and supported enough to deal with criminals?

Kenya Kwanza, organise your house, sell a superior alternative to Kenyans so they can jump ship, if convinced. A political coalition in power should be in a prime position to offer Kenyans what the opposition cannot. Excuses, diversionary strategies will not take the coalition far.

Dr Mokua is Executive Director, Loyola Centre for Media and Communication.