Waititu outburst raises red flag over ethnic polarisation

By Abdikadir Sugow                             

Concern is growing over increasing incidents of conflict, violence, and inciting remarks that threaten peace as the country heads to the March 4 General Election.

Memories of the 2008 post-election violence still linger in the minds of Kenyans and in the eyes of the international community. The recent flare-up of deadly violence and subsequent crackdown by security forces in the Tana Delta, have raised the red flag over ethnic conflict.

Statements of incitement amounting to hate speech have dominated the news over the past few weeks, particularly following the charges against Trade Minister Chirau Ali Mwakwere, who narrowly escaped the legal process after profusely apologising in public.

But hardly had the dust settled when Embakasi MP Ferdinand Waititu rode in the eye of the storm when he made a statement that was aired on television calling for eviction of members of the Maasai community from the sprawling Kayole estate, Nairobi, in his Embakasi constituency. Waititu’s remark sparked outrage and the Director of Public Prosecutions Keriako Tobiko ordered for his arrest, as Internal Security minister Katoo ole Metito declared he would be prosecuted.

What prompted Waititu to make that reckless statement, as the country reeled from the brutal killings in Tana Delta?

The reckless utterances may sound a death knell for the Embakasi MP’s political career and serve as a warning to politicians perceived to be ascribing to impunity.

Peace and Development Network Trust (PeaceNet) Kenya strongly condemned Waititu’s utterances and supported the directives issued by    Mr Metito and Mr Tobiko.

PeaceNet has consequently demanded that the MP ceases from holding any public office, and be barred from aspiring for any such office in future if found guilty. 

The organisation urged the courts to prefer a tough sentence against Waititu if found guilty to serve as a deterrent to would-be offenders. PeaceNet warned that such acts could trigger ethnic animosity as the country heads to elections.

“As we head to elections, this kind of behaviour is the least we expect from leaders, especially those seeking elective positions like Waititu, who has declared interest in contesting the Nairobi County governorship,” said PeaceNet Chief Executive Officer Stephen Kirimi.

“We call upon the security forces, the National Cohesion and Integration Commission (NCIC), and Kenyans to remain vigilant and not to entertain individuals bent on supporting violence by propagating ethnic hatred.

Kenyans must refuse to be swayed by such conflict insensitive leaders and not to support their selfish course,” he added.

Waititu’s outburst has also brought into sharp focus the various arms of Government, including the Judiciary and the security agencies.

The NCIC, whose term expired recently and is awaiting extension by Parliament, is also under the microscope.

And like in the 2008 mayhem, most of the affected victims in the Tana Delta clashes, pitting the Orma pastoralists and the Pokomo farmers – are women and children.

“These people need our urgent humanitarian help and all politicians need to be on the ground to initiate countrywide humanitarian appeal similar to Kenya for Kenya,” says Ms Betty Elachi, a member of the Women Political Alliance, which is visiting the Tana Delta.

After falling into the category of IDPs as refugees in their own country, the women and children who fled death, arson and destruction in the Tana Delta are in dire need of humanitarian assistance including food, clothes, shelter and medication.

She said the killings of 112 people in Tana Delta were fashioned along the 2008 post-election violence where victims were maimed while some were burnt alive like the Kiambaa Church incident in Eldoret.

Elachi said the Tana Delta crisis needs to be resolved with all the stakeholders, the civil society, elders, politicians and wananchi involved in community peace forums instead of the Government taking all responsibilities and treating the matter purely as a security affair. 

Although the conflict has been attributed to clashes over economic resources, politicians have also been accused of fuelling the violence by sponsoring armed militias and through incitement of local communities.

Some women’s groups currently visiting the Tana Delta clash zone, say victims particularly pregnant women and children have contracted diseases including malaria, typhoid, malnutrition and jigger infestation.

The women groups include the Coalition of Violence Against Women, Women Empowerment Link, Nairobi Women’s Hospital, Social Reform Centre and the International Federation of Women Lawyers (Fida). The groups are funded by the Urgent Action Fund (Kenya) led by Ms Betty Kaari Murungi.

The women’s groups have identified and analysed the situation on the ground, particularly conditions of the temporary camps of Odda, Dek Waaridey, Trassah and Ngao.  They also visited Ongeni where victims have settled in permanent structures compared to other camps.

However, the women could not establish the conditions of people still held-up in Wittu and Ozi areas as security personnel have sealed it off. This is the area where a number of security personnel were ambushed and killed.  “We can’t tell the number of people needing help in this areas because the security officers advised us not to come,” said Elachi. 

Meanwhile the National Steering Committee (NSC) invited non-State actors for the Draft National Policy on Peace Building and Conflict Management (NPPBCM) stakeholders’ forum last Friday.

Concerns have been raised by peace building civil society organisations on the Draft NPPBCM, with only five months to the General Election.

The non-State actors say the forum provides them with another chance to reflect on the National Peace Policy, especially in the light of the recent events in Tana Delta and incitement statements by some politicians.

“The people’s participation from the grassroots is crucial and this opportunity underlines the space and role of civil society organisations in the implementation of the Constitution. We hope it will not be a cosmetic exercise but a process that will lead to genuine peace building and conflict management before the elections and beyond,” says PeaceNet Policy Advisor Nyang’ori Ohenjo.

“What we are seeing are several government efforts that are at conflict with each other. These need to be harmonised. We also need to have a clear identity of who exactly the NSC is, since it operates like a Government institution and sometimes as a mechanism between the Government and the civil society organisations. Yet theoretically it is supposed to be composed of civil society organisations,” he explains.