OPINION: Why NASA should be united now more than ever

With the recent arrests of Babu Owino, Aladwa, Kajwang and Miguna Miguna we are undoubtedly seeing an Idi Amin Dada style of ruthless dictatorship emerging in Kenya. We are seeing an increasingly unpopular president trying to hang on to power by all means possible and if that takes mercenaries and subverting the law to make it happen then Uhuru’s mindset is “so be it.”

The similarities between Uhuru and Idi Amin Dada are so identical it is terrifying. The plainclothes enforcers who abduct citizens forcefully without regard for law and with no arrest warrant served on subjects. The transportation of citizens to undisclosed locations and denial of legal representation which is not just the basic right of everybody arrested but a universal law enforced in every part of the civilized world. Detention without due process is the hallmark of a true dictator.

The torture of abducted citizens to instill mortal fear on all those who would oppose the leadership politically. We are seeing extrajudicial killings rising at an alarming rate, example Juma, Msando and all the other people killed during the electioneering gatherings. Some bodies were even dumped in Lake Victoria something Uganda’s Idi Amin Dada’s goons were well known for doing. Opposition Politicians and NASA supporters are being sent an undisputed and unmistakable message by Uhuru and Jubilee “you dance to our tune or the consequences will be dire.”

 I hope now you understand when I say that Kalonzo, Mudavadi, and Wetangula deserve a small measure of empathy and even sympathy. More so because I believe they failed to show up out of fear and not because they are secretly Jubilee moles. I’ve always been of the opinion that Kenyan politics is not for the faint-hearted but even these soldiers in an army are not cast aside but instead are groomed and trained to be resilient.

There is still a place for Kalonzo, Wetangula, and Mudavadi in NASA if their supporters understand that they are not beyond salvage and that they have contributed and supported NASA in the past and as such these three principals can be mentored and molded into future leaders. Consider them political students and Raila and other seasoned NASA leaders their instructors or mentors. Judging by what has transpired, I now believe Kalonzo, Wetangula, and Mudavadi were deathly frightened. Why?

While I don’t support their skipping out on the swearing in, I empathize. We all know we cannot put anything past the Jubilee despotic regime at this time, but I can also carefully comment that in Kenyan politics, Raila is fairly untouchable. Any plans by Jubilee to abduct (Kenya’s version of arrest) will have to be carefully planned and carried out by Jubilee, but then they would have to brace themselves for the inevitable outcome.

And even Uhuru and Jubilee hardliners are balking at embarking on this perilous path for fear of evoking the NASA supporters’ unbridled wrath. Raila’s epic and rising popularity is a force to be reckoned with and no doubt the Jubilee regime realizes that the very act of arresting him will trigger a civil war of such magnitude Kenya has not seen before. Kalonzo, Wetangula, and Mudavadi (the three NASA principals) are popular but we will all acknowledge, they do not have the larger than life persona and following Raila has, hence their fear. Which brings me to the next point.

Now is probably not the time for NASA to disintegrate, now is the time for them to acknowledge the challenges NASA leaders and supporters are facing, discuss within NASA a way forward and above all “stay united.” NASA is going to need unity in order to chart a way forward for the entire country and they face the daunting task of removing from power the dictatorship regime forced on Kenyans by Uhuru and his Jubilee henchmen.