Ethnic Idiosyncracy the Bane of our Nationhood - Francis Tome

In 1941, Jesse Jackson in appreciating the diversity of the American society said that “America is not a blanket woven from one thread, one color, and one cloth”. He opined that it was the conscious harnessing of unity in its diversity that ought to be the pillar of its strength. This conscious effort bore fruit. And the results are there for all to see today.

In Kenya the thought of harnessing this diversity is akin to planting hybrid seeds in unhealthy soils. And the odious reality is that ethnicity and nationhood have become archenemies. Ethnic interests are always in dissonance with nationhood. Kenya like a nuclear tinder box only requires a splint from self seeking politicians for the unimaginable holocaust to happen.

And we have such politicians in plenty judging from their irresponsible utterances. They cling to the most fallacious conviction that what is sauce for the goose is not sauce for the gander. Their socialization is greatly influenced by the thinking that no other person other than that from their ethnic group is fit to take the mantle of leadership in this country because they imagine that the “other” ethnic group poses a threat in their scramble for the valuable but limited resources available in this country. For them the Golden Rule, or ethic of reciprocity is twaddle. In the public limelight such politicians will pass for our average nationalists but in the comforts of their ethnic conclaves they are shockingly different.

That is why I thought that my mind was playing on me some dirty trick when sections of the media reported that the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for finance honorable Uhuru Kenyatta had ostensibly appealed to his central Kenya counterparts to unite and support one of their own if their dream of ascending to the helm of leadership of this country was to materialize. In my view, this rhetoric is admittedly the most consequential of honorable Uhuru Kenyatta`s ephemeral ambition. Many have always thought of him as a transformational leader. It therefore behooves many conscientious Kenyans that he can talk about national healing and reconciliation and in the same breath embellish the hydra of negative ethnicity.

As for the people, we have failed to wipe of those foolish grins off our faces. Why for instance should we decry the negative effects of ethnicity but dance ourselves lame when our so called leaders invoke the hydra of negative ethnicity? In any case, it is doubtable that such leaders want to use this ethnic platform to advance the interest of “their people”. It can only be that they want to ride on the back of negative ethnicity to access raw power so that they can advance their own selfish interests.

We must come to the realization that we have a Hobson`s choice if we are to built a nation that all of us are to be proud of. And that is to rid this country of this hydra of negative ethnicity. One such effort has began with a facebook group known as “You don`t have to be from my tribe to be my President”. The founder members found it necessary to use this forum to bridge the ethnic gap in order to foster a tolerant and a more cohesive nation. It is upon us to extend our unequivocal welcome to everyone interested in the struggle to kill this hydra of negative ethnicity. Like Jesse Jackson, I dare say that Kenya is not woven from one thread, one color, and one cloth. But with a wee bit of understanding and a little more patience and tenderness towards each other, this blanket can afford all of us some warmth. The time to act is now.

Tome Francis,

Bumula Constituency

Francis Tome: The Powerful Symbolism in Ocampo's Nairobi National Park Tour

Ocampo`s tour to Nairobi National Park accompanied by the Justice Minister Mutula Kilonzo who also doubled up as his cicerone; elicited varied reactions from the fourth estate and by extension, the public.

For a moment I too thought that the Government had elected to give sop to Ceberius to secure a nod for the local trial of the Lords of Impunity behind the 2007 Post Election Violence (PEV). I waited with abated breath for the usual theatrics. I am certain that like me there are many others who shared this misgiving. Worry no more.

Belatedly, the reality of his tour to the park hit me like a thunderbolt. How could I have failed to unravel the powerful symbolism in this tour?

You see, Ocampo has spent a good part of his professional life taming individuals who know nothing other than the rule of the jungle. A Busman`s tour to a park where beasts of the jungle are tamed enabled him not only to horn his skills in taming them but also inspired him into buckling his armor in readiness to tame the real Kenyan Lords of the jungle; read the perpetrators of the 2007 horrendous Post Election Violence(PEV).

And sure enough, it was hot on the heels of his tour to the Nairobi National Park that his verbatim and body language caused hemi cranial headaches to many a suspect. He left no doubt that he had his hands firm on the plough. This is after he invoked Article 15 of the Rome Statute seeking ICC`s permission to commence investigations and prosecutions of crimes against humanity committed during PEV in Kenya. What this means is that Kenya`s case is almost certainly hermetically sealed. Sovereignty or not, the country will most certainly kowtow to ICC`s demands for the arrests of these suspects if and when need arises.

As for those who have been trotting from region to region purveying piles of hogwash about ICC`s inability to dispose timely justice, Ocampo has nailed your lies to the counter. Indeed Hague will not be vague. A rude shock awaits you in a jiffy.

Francis Tome
Bumula Constituency

Cooperation with ICC:The Sovereignity Balderdash Must Cease - Tome Francis

Perhaps the missile code named Grand Coalition Government (GCG) auto –destructed itself after its much hyped launch. It set out to navigate the judicial path of Post Election Violence (PEV) and implement essential reforms commonly referred to as “agenda four” with more bravado than common sense. Now everything is at a stand still yet the clock is fast ticking. All indications are that we are heading into a Cimmerian darkness. Even though the Grand Coalition Government keeps on reassuring Kenyans that it is committed to fighting impunity, one cannot fail to see impunity`s usual appurtenances. The permanent nature of GCG feebleness keeps on rearing its ugly head ad infinitum. Everyone right from the government functionaries enjoys a carte blanche. And the result is an avalanche of confusion in the GCG`s operations.

That is why Kenya`s foreign affairs Permanent Secretary; Thuita Mwangi easily adopted a very blinkered attitude of the conscientious public and then belligerently arrogated himself the power to pen down balderdash in one of the leading local dailies on the eve of the ICC prosecutor, Luis Moreno Ocampo`s visit in the country. In fact, Thuita only stopped short of declaring Ocampo a persona non grata in this country. This is obviously a case of engaging in a two penny theatrics on issues touching on the heartbeat of the nation.

The two principals on reading the mood of the conscientious public ostensibly castigated Mwangi for the impermissible conduct. However, a day later when the two met the ICC prosecutor, their body language on Ocampo`s demands was anything but different from Thuita`s. Beneath their well coded diplomatic verbiage was a tacit message to Ocampo and by extension the international community that Kenya was a sovereign state able to deal with its own internal problems without external interference. Now this is ad hominem par excellence. Like Thuita the two principals must be told that anybody perceived to be standing in the way of justice is an enemy of public conscience.

Thinking of using a special wing of the high court that reeks with impunity to try suspected perpetrators of PEV is ad nauseum. It will be chimerical. This will be chicanery most foul. It will no doubt be interpreted by the post election victims as an attempt to defenestrate justice and pamper the afreet of impunity. The time for bread and circuses is out. The two principals seem to working at cross purposes with the conscientious public.

We must stop behaving as though we are a people suffering from borderline personality disorder. Parliament made a resounding decision. “Let us not be vague, let us go to Hague”. So be it. Why backpedal and embellish incendiarism? It will be in our best interest as a country if we ceased beguiling ourselves with abrogation talk. Such talks will amount to nothing because ICC has no abandonment option. My exhortation to the President and the Prime Minister is not to allow the country to be held captive by the mumbo-jumbo sovereignty balderdash.

Tome Francis,

Bumula Constituency.

Welcome to the New Order Party of Kenya

New Order Party of Kenya strives to represent the aspirations of the Mwananchi. Over post independence history, the country has been governed and ruled by winner takes it all regimes. This culture has led to enormous in equalities amongst and within the communities. Increasingly this has resulted to underdevelopment, disharmony amongst and within communities, tribalism and its accompanying vices and grand corruption.

Fair and equitable distribution of resources and opportunities provides the only avenue to inculcate patriotism amongst Kenyans. This has a direct result of empowering the Kenyans from the grassroots upwards with the net result of each person claiming a stake in the country.

Lack of sacrifice in leadership has been a key characteristic of the previous and current leadership. As a result lack of patriotism has led to all Kenyans in the leadership refuse to participate in the baking of the national cake. The leadership has only succeeded positioning themselves in the eating of the cake. The monies collected are increasingly used in wages and pecks satisfaction rather than in the development. The resultant order hinders the rate of development due to lack of basic infrastructure and overall poor governance.

NOPE has resolved to be in tune with the strongest urgings of our people so as to ensure that we remain their champions - not only as a liberation movement but in the rebuilding of our land after long spell of opportunistic capitalist defilements.

NOPE shall be constantly reviewing the effectiveness of our structures at all levels so as to face the world with continuing vigour and success. All members must examine their actions to ensure that they fit into the pattern set by the institutions of the NOPE.

The strength of NOPE lies squarely on its members. Each has a monumental role to play. This constitution document defines the character and the overall nature of our organisation. NOPE members’ diverse and collective contribution shall define the success of NOPE, as we must move towards Kenya Vision 2030.

Please see www.neworderparty.org

Chairman

Lawrence Kamau Macharia

Mungiki Spokesman, Njuguna Gitau Njuguna Gunned Down in Luthuli Avenue Nairobi

The soft spoken spokesman of the outlawed Mungiki sect, Njuguna Gitau Njuguna, was gunned down along the busy Luthuli Avenue on Thursday November 5th 2009 in the afternoon.

Gitau Njuguna was one of the top heads of the political wing of Mungiki, the Kenya National Youth Alliance (KENYA) and a close associate of Maina Njenga the chairman of the Mungiki sect.He accompanied Njenga when he was released from King'ong'o and acompanied him in his visitis to Bishop Margaret Wanjiru's JIAM church for conversion to christianity.

The father of three was 32 years old.

Many questions arise.

• Why the timing of the cold blooded murder? Why now when Ocampo is in town? Was it a diversionary tactic?
• Who could have ordered the hit? Is the dreaded kwekwe squad back? Is there trouble in the ranks of Mungiki, for control of their illicit billions or leadership struggles for the orphaned group members after Maina Njenga turned a new leaf who don't want to convert to Christianity? Is it silencing a mouth that was about to spill the beans? Is someone asserting authority? Or is it payback time, for revenge or desertion?
• Who stands to benefit the most from the killing?