A presidential election was held in Kenya on December 27th in line with her established multi-party democratic principles post-Arap Moi. Daniel Arap Moi, like Olusegun Obasanjo of Nigeria, was a bushman who held the destiny of a nation and people down for two decades through crude manipulative politics of 'elder statesman' and hollow patriotism wrapped in a one party system of government.

When he withdrew from the scene after exhausting every trick in the book to stay on, barred by immutable constitutional provisions, to his village a veteran opposition leader who had tried twice to unseat Moi to no avail won power defeating Moi's anointed successor, Uhuru Kenyatta in a free and fair election. Moicracy like Babacracy was thus buried as the system was deMoised for a fresh new democratic beginning.

Kibaki's first term in office witnessed some giant strides in economic rejunvenation and the overwhelming enthusiam and hope in the future. His presidency was characterised for five years by bold steps towards economic recovery and social emancipation though corruption was never tamed. Besides his private marital life witnessed some scandals like his relationship with a woman that had had a child for him and the arrogant First Lady, Lucy, his supposedly second but official wife, whose undignified behaviour sometimes included terrorising the media, slapping journalists and ordering the beating of ordinary people who 'offended' her presidential sensibilities. 

The leading opposition leader who ran against Kibaki through a political movement called Orange Democratic Movement, Raila Odinga, son of a late veteran Kenyan politician, was leading Kibaki in opinion polls right up to the elections. Every indications pointed to an Odinga victory at the polls in a free and fair contest without the incumbency factor playing a negative role.

The election was held in a relatively peaceful atmosphere with millions of Kenyans going all out to make an electoral statement deciding who they prefered among the lot seeking their consent to govern them. But as results were being announced the Electoral Commission of Kenya (ECK) Chairman Samuel Kavuitu like Maurice Iwu of Nigeria's INEC suddenly stopped the announcement of tabulated results which gave hint of a Raila predicted victory.

When the electoral body head came back to finish his job of declaring the victor and the vanquished he surprisingly gave victory to the vanquished declaring Kibaki winner (after taking a break to be briefed presidentially). Kibaki, desperate for a second term but aware of his defeat, was sworn in minutes after the final declaration by ECK. Ever since then the streets of Nairobi and other cities, towns and villages have not known peace. Violence has been unleashed on the society by those who felt cheated. Odinga has refused to trade away his victory at the polls describing Kibaki as an "electoral robber".

What pricks the conscience as one watches the spectre of violence in Kenya is why and how an old man in his late seventies should be party to an elaborate electoral scam that could destroy a nation? Why is Kibaki not tired at his age? Like Obasanjo who should have been ruling Nigeria if the third term gambit of his had sailed through in the NASS Kibaki has skeletons in his cupboard which he is afraid might be exposed the very moment he quits power. Like Obasanjo Kibaki has proved again that in Africa sometimes old age does not confer wisdom, patriotism and statesmanship on some old men especially politicians.

It criminally boggles the mind how and why indecent old-breed politicians in Africa, greedy and sleazy, could seek to destroy the bright democratic future of a mobile vibrant young generation. From Nigeria to Cameroun, Gabon to Zimbabwe, and now Kenya these shameless grandfathers, immersed in absolute power which corrupts absolutely, tried and still try to deny an idea whose time has come.

Nigeria has passed through this ugly gory road to which Kenya is destructively headed before. In 1993 under one bloody General Ibrahim Babangida Nigerians went to the polls to elect the late billionaire-philantropist MKO Abiola as our President to provide hope and guarantee the future. But in a jiffy IBB annulled the June 12 election for no just cause citing unsubstantiated kindergarten reasons. Thousands of our compatriots lost their lives in the Abiola saga. In 1999 and 2003 Olusegun Obasanjo and the anti-democratic crooks that arranged power for him rigged elections in order to instal him and renew a bogus mandate.

And in April 2007 former President Obasanjo and his man friday Maurice Iwu organized the very worst election in Africa handing questionable victories to the favoured ones and leaving the real winners at the mercy of tribunals and appeal courts. The docility of Nigerians in April may be blamed on mass poverty and apathy. Challenged daily by common things as electricity, bad roads, lack of water and fake drugs majority of our people pray to God and hope that things can only get better someday, somehow.

In the ensuing carnage in Kenya Kenyans have so far demonstrated that they are unlike Nigerians in seeking that their votes count. When one saw some young Kenyans declare on TV that even in the event of Raila Odinga buckling to international pressure they would continue the struggle as it is one beyond the Orange party candidate. Unlike Nigerians Kenyans are standing up for democracy and the military dogs and police are killing them. In one demonstration of frustration the demonstrators touched a church in which over thirty people were refuged!

The political activism of Kenyans unlike Nigerians reminded one of how Ivorians achieved a great feat in the year 2000 when the late General Robert Guei who confiscated power in the new year eve of 1999 sought to fool all the people. The then veteran incorruptible opposition leader who contested the presidential election against the murdered General and now President Laurent Gbagbo successfully demystified the military and the gun as he used mass appeal and mobilisation to cut the General to democratic size.

The ultimate essence of any democracy resides in the ballot. Whenever the people's votes are counted but disallowed to count things could get nasty and violent. Like the civilian dictator in Yaounde is presently doing Camerounian President Paul Biya has engaged the civil society and stakeholders in his bid to alter the constitution clearing the way for him to seek another term in office. Like Olusegun Obasanjo the third term bug has bitten Biya and the Camerounian political landscape can never be the same with the constitutional amendment succeeding or failing like in Nigeria.

The present political crisis in Kenya can only be resolved if the international community recognise the fact that President Mwai Kibaki has stolen the new mandate he now wields. It is inappropriate calling for sharing of power or establishment of a government of national unity. As Raila Odinga has contended how could you steal a thing and try to play generosity with the owner of the stuff you have stolen?

The way forward lies in returning the stolen mandate to its real beneficiary. That is giving back to Raila Odinga what rightly belongs to him. Kibaki must concede defeat and allow peace to reign. Kenyans like Nigerians deserve some respect from their illegitimate leaders.

SOC Okenwa,
soco_abj_2006_rci@hotmail.fr

Robot  Villager

# 1 var sbtitle4785=encodeURIComponent(Kibaki Like...Read the full article. Posted by Robot| 08.01.2008 09:12

Onari  Villager

# 2 Great and Interesting article. It is imperative for most of these African leaders to know that it is not worth a dime for their citizens to die for political exigencies. When a man is in the Biblical 3 score and ten, age bracket it is time for him to give way to younger generation. Posted by Onari| 08.01.2008 10:07

ikechiji  Villager

# 3 While I applaud the Kenyans for standing up for their democratic rights, the "ethnic" dimension to the protests leaves a sour taste in my mouth. Instead of all Kenyans protesting the outcome of the electoral fraud, what we have is one "ethnic" group protesting at the expense of another. This truly bodes a bad omen in the "search for democracy" in Africa and provides a potential insight into why Nigerians and our "leaders" remain ambivalent to the overall development of the nation - "The Ethnic Card"! It appears that the majority of Yorubas will be more inclined to protest if Abiola is denied his mandate, the majority of Igbos more apt to protest if Ekwueme is denied his mandate, etc, etc, etc. We do not see ourselves as Nigerians first because Nigeria is a contraption created by the British. Until our country is fundamentally restructured, the search for democracy and development will forever remain elusive. Posted by ikechiji| 08.01.2008 10:35

overdryv  Villager

# 4 I have had to take some time off from this forum due to apathy resulting mainly from the helplessness of the Nigeran situation. From my present foray into world politics, I have made an astounding discovery that politics is pure evil. No matter how good a man or woman is, he/she becomes a different creature once in politics. Such a person if he/she wasnt a member of a secret cult is immediately initiated. Someone like former Shehu Shagari who could have made a good president in view of his humble background, surrounded power to his fellow cultists. A close look at politicians shows that they are in service of th devil if such exists. They become impervious to the feelings of the masses and engage in a senseless accumulation of wealth. People see people like Utomi, Buhari and Blarabe as men of virtue but put them in power and see how they transform into monsters after a couple of years. On the Kenyan issue, the evil is personified in the person of Kibaki who has just a few years to be on this plane. He came to power on the popular will of the people to oust the long reignin dictator, Arap Moi but he has shown he'd be worse if given the chance. This time around, the table has turned. For one, Kibaki's ethnic minority background counts against him and unlike in the past, people have become more daring. It is not that Odinga would make a better president but its high time the excesses of our political dinosaurs are curtailed. The people should carry through their threat in the event of Odinga agreeing to participate in the illegal regime. Power should ultimately reside with the people. They should never fall for the corrupt rhetoric of discredited african and world leaders. Can one imagine a corrupt leader like Kuffour going to intercede? These so-called leaders are a part of a global conspiracy to enthrone evil There is nothing to mediate in Kenya, Kibaki should be advised in clear terms to vacate the presidency. This is the only viable solution. It is either he tows the path of reason or risk his minority group being annihilated. Posted by overdryv| 08.01.2008 12:55

purple  Villager

# 5 =ikechiji;4294978185> We do not see ourselves as Nigerians first because Nigeria is a contraption created by the British. Until our country is fundamentally restructured, the search for democracy and development will forever remain elusive. Ikechiji, you hit the nail on the head. Nigeria will continue to lurch from crisis to crisis and experience political instability until an equitable restructuring takes place. The current system is stillborn and all efforts to resucitate it is laughable and sad. Until we have a SNC to sort out the rules of engagement the Nigerian contraption remains unworkable. Moving on, Kibaki is following in a long line of sit tight African leaders. He may die in office, be removed by a coup, go into exile or trigger an costly ethnic civil war. With his wild out of control 2nd lady to back him up, I guess he feels invincible. Finally, Nigerians have demonstrated, gone on strikes and even rioted against oppressive governments and institutions. Remember the Abeokuta women, the Aba women, the Agbekoya, the June 12 activists and so many others who have lost life and limb making their grieveances known and defending their civil liberties. As an undergraduate I almost lost my life demonstrating against oppressive policies in college. 2 of my girlfriends were killed due to police brutality on that same day. I have my scars to show, but I am glad I came out of it alive. Let us be careful in painting Nigerians as wimps as we do a great disservice to the memories of the fallen dead. Kenya is Kenya, Nigeria is Nigeria. Plz, don't rubbish Nigeria to make your point. Posted by purple| 08.01.2008 15:44

busanga  Villager

# 6 I think it is a somewhat wrong analysis to say Nigerians and Kenyans are different in terms of their reactions to dictators. If you examine it closely, you will realize the faith Nigerians have in our judiciary is one of the central reasons why Nigeria did not explode after the massive rigging of last April. That confidence was boosted by a series of positive judgement against the power that be prior to the election and is even higher today going by the judgements so far. The Kenyan opposition on the other hand do not trust the courts. That is why as a country- we must continue to defend the indepedence of our courts. It will save us from anarchy. Posted by busanga| 10.01.2008 13:05