Calls to Reject Mass Action

THE Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) is now calling for Mass action- starting Wednesday next week - I WISH TO ASK ALL KENYANS TO REJECT AND BOYCOTT IT.

I am calling on ALL Kenyans to reject the calls to return the street for a cause that ODM leaders are calling protest - great protests are sustained campaigns they are coordinated goal oriented processes, but in this case it is merely a call to protest results of a disputed election. It does not in any way warrant the death, suffering and pain the Kenyan people are going through.

Faced with a similar situation, and with little faith in the judicial system but a great believer in institutional democracy, Al Gore moved to court and there too he lost and he did not lose hope he went to the Supreme court and lost again. He then famously declared - "what has happened is in the past, the perceptions may last but a finality must come and having done all that is justified by our constitution here comes the finality," More importantly Al Gore who had been clearly rigged out of the United States elections with a majority vote on one side stood on the court stairs, looked at the press after placing a call to President Bush and congratulating him for winning - and boldly declared, "While I strongly disagree with the court's decision, I accept it."

I intentionally pick on the Al Gore example for in most ways it sounds like our 2007, depending on where you stand in political leaning, Al gore went on; "We put country before party", in reference to Americans. He quoted Stephen A Douglas, who lost to Abraham Lincoln in 1860, as saying that after an election, "partisan feeling must yield to patriotism". Thanking everyone who had worked on his campaign, Mr. Gore said: "I particularly urge all who stood with us to stand behind our next president." Against expectations, Mr. Gore actually used the word "concession" in his speech, saying "I offer my concession".

I am suggesting that the way forward in the stalemate is for Raila to concede. The passions being experienced in the country, which have taken tribal angles in some areas can be sacrificed for the sake of our patriotic nation. Mass demonstrations will only serve to aggravate the passions that had began settling down, and it is the job of a responsible media to present a picture of sanity when it eludes our political leaders, we proudly assume that role. President Mwai Kibaki on his side should move with urgency to restore confidence in our land. At least it is on record that he invited the Raila Team for a meeting but they declined. It would be interesting to see if he would honor an invite from the Raila team. But even as a political solution is being searched for, the leaders should join up and stop the violence. They should jointly visit the affected towns and stop the killings, for since both have committed themselves to peace, let them then practice it.

The opposition has several times said that the protests were voluntary acts of a voters who cannot stand rigging. If that is so, I pose rather boldly why are their families away from the protests? I am quite sure that the children of Najib Balala, Raila Odinga, William Ruto and Charity Ngilu are equally unsatisfied and would be willing to take up the protests but where are they? They are absent! In fact some of them are out of the country schooling in the comfort of abroad democracy as we are busy killing ours.

I ask Kenyans to instead strengthen our institutions especially the Electoral Commission of Kenya to ensure that we are never again going to find ourselves in such a situation and the judicial system too. With the same breath, I call upon Kenyans not to stay in their houses on Wednesday. We have to show a strong spirit lets all turn up for work and lets all go on with our lives, lets not allow the noises and threats of violence be used as a blackmail to our normal lives - political arguments should stick at that level political.

Above all remember when you will be attempting to balance your budget and maybe with no January Salary - the political clique will be smiling all the way to the bank for their Shs.1.2 Million a month salary and this is the year they all get Shs.3.5 million to purchase top of the range cars -tax free. Come on guys lets not be drawn in political wars that justify the living standards of the elite and continues to impoverish us.

But finally - OUR LIVES MUST GO ON! We cannot stay put in the streets, and we cannot keep interfering with our daily lives, we must begin living and that is our minimum demand and as a website we will fearfully push for that cause.