The 7th Mashujaa Day celebrations were observed Thursday. On this day, Kenyans traditionally celebrate independence heroes, but the scope has since been expanded to include those who fought for the second liberation, a new constitution and sportsmen and women who have increased Kenya’s visibility internationally.
And in breaking away with tradition, the ceremony attended by President Uhuru Kenyatta was held in Machakos County. This goes a long way in reaffirming devolution is working; that the national and county governments must work together in harmony to realise greater development in the regions. The President’s clarion call on Mashujaa day was the need for national unity which, no doubt, every Kenyan desires. Many, as evidenced by victims of the 2007/8 post-election violence camping outside Parliament to press for compensation, still feel the pain, losses and suffering.
Yet despite that call, embers of fires are still being stoked by politicians who engage is divisive politics as they jostle for political advantage based on one’s political party orientation. It must be everybody’s desire to build a united country for peace and prosperity.
As in previous such celebrations, the President enumerated the achievements of his Government despite contrary views by an opposition that has in the recent past been questioning the Government’s commitment to ending corruption; which has been identified as the worst enemy that is holding the country back.
Indeed, the President acknowledged failure in dealing with corruption in the country and was quick to blame various arms of the Government charged with fighting corruption during Tuesday’s State summit on governance and accountability for the inability to rein in runaway corruption.
By releasing 7,000 pretty criminals from Kenyan jails, the President might, as he intimated earlier, have been creating space for the legal system to replace them with those who engage in major corruption that threatens to ground the country in abject poverty. But we must not be fooled that the country needed all that space to deal with the corrupt. The number of high-profile corrupt individuals is negligible and, even without freeing the petty offenders; our prison system could have absorbed them.
What the country needs is a change in mind-set on how to deal with the corrupt. Both arms of government dealing with corruption have exhibited serious shortcomings that must be addressed. The blame games on who is not measuring up only helps in buying the culprits time and allow them cover their tracks.
The President must personally lead in nation healing. There have been chasms that keep growing every day when touchy issues of national importance, especially on accountability, come up. There has been a tendency to unnecessarily politicise each and everything. Of course, the Opposition might not always be right, as they are not privy to all the information, but when such issues are raised, the Government must give concise answers to avoid giving the public an erroneous impression. Full disclosure has the capacity to set people free.
The President's assurance his government will assist drought victims is welcome but speed is of essence. People and animals are already dying from lack of water more than food. Special emphasis should be placed in this area even as food supplies reach the needy in good time. Above all, Kenya is greater than all of us, let us guard it.
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