The mediation team, Kofi Annan and his able assistants Graca Machel Mandela and Benjamin Mkapa have been very busy. Rightly so, for the burden on their shoulders is a mighty one, the future of a country, indeed a region, rests on their able shoulders. Based on recent discussions I have been involved in with like minded Kenyans, oral reports from the ground and various opinion editorials, I have come to the reasonable conclusion that the talks must succeed. This good mind reminds me that in life, one will get several chances to make things right, but sometimes, when one has blown all the fair chances, it comes to that one make or break deal. The talks, ladies and gentlemen, are the make or break deal for the future of Kenya. If they fail, we risk losing a country. To use Kofi Annan’s own words, the talks cannot afford to fail! This finding leads me to conclude, reasonably so, that the Peace Talks, may be the very first step towards a new Kenya.
This good mind would like to share what it would like to see achieved from the talks. The first goal has been met: The talks have a detailed agenda which includes among others, the following issues: Electoral reforms; Government reforms including the Executive, Legislature, and Judiciary; Constitutional reforms; and Land reforms. The second goal has been met. Kenya’s politics especially at the presidential level have always been zero-sum; where the winner takes it all. The Kofi-led team appreciate that the only way for the country to move forward is through a political solution. This basically means the winning loser and the losing winner have to arrive at some shared agreement. The old way of doing business, where the winner takes it all, is not an option. Much to my chagrin, I read that some Kenyan politicians are suggesting that the ongoing talks should resolve to establish Commissions of Inquiry to look into the stolen elections, and the ensuing violence. This good mind opposes this ill-informed suggestion. Previous governments have aided and abetted or been complicit to offences against its peoples including gross human rights abuses, political assassinations, land grabbing, grand corruption including Goldenberg and Anglo-leasing, and abuse of public office and public trust.
These same governments have perfected the art of establishing numerous Commissions of Inquiry with great fanfare manned by individuals with little integrity or no independence to examine what went wrong, why and when and then issue its findings and recommendations for the government’s consideration. Invariably, the Commissions issue their voluminous reports to the complicit governments which then, predictably, shelve the reports without implementing any of the recommendations or even releasing the reports for public consumption. So the citizenry lose twice: The rights are never wronged; and precious tax shillings are wasted. This cycle has been repeated over and over again. Sample the inquiries on the Artur Brothers; Anglo-leasing scandal (corruption); Goldenberg saga (corruption); land grabbing and land reform; and most infamously, Ouko’s murder. The third goal I want to see met: No commissions of inquiry, at least not on the complex current situation. It would be a sheer waste of time and precious tax shillings. Past experience confirms that these never work. The forth goal I want to see met: A substantive and clear road map tackling each of the following issues.
This good mind would like to share what it would like to see achieved from the talks. The first goal has been met: The talks have a detailed agenda which includes among others, the following issues: Electoral reforms; Government reforms including the Executive, Legislature, and Judiciary; Constitutional reforms; and Land reforms. The second goal has been met. Kenya’s politics especially at the presidential level have always been zero-sum; where the winner takes it all. The Kofi-led team appreciate that the only way for the country to move forward is through a political solution. This basically means the winning loser and the losing winner have to arrive at some shared agreement. The old way of doing business, where the winner takes it all, is not an option. Much to my chagrin, I read that some Kenyan politicians are suggesting that the ongoing talks should resolve to establish Commissions of Inquiry to look into the stolen elections, and the ensuing violence. This good mind opposes this ill-informed suggestion. Previous governments have aided and abetted or been complicit to offences against its peoples including gross human rights abuses, political assassinations, land grabbing, grand corruption including Goldenberg and Anglo-leasing, and abuse of public office and public trust.
These same governments have perfected the art of establishing numerous Commissions of Inquiry with great fanfare manned by individuals with little integrity or no independence to examine what went wrong, why and when and then issue its findings and recommendations for the government’s consideration. Invariably, the Commissions issue their voluminous reports to the complicit governments which then, predictably, shelve the reports without implementing any of the recommendations or even releasing the reports for public consumption. So the citizenry lose twice: The rights are never wronged; and precious tax shillings are wasted. This cycle has been repeated over and over again. Sample the inquiries on the Artur Brothers; Anglo-leasing scandal (corruption); Goldenberg saga (corruption); land grabbing and land reform; and most infamously, Ouko’s murder. The third goal I want to see met: No commissions of inquiry, at least not on the complex current situation. It would be a sheer waste of time and precious tax shillings. Past experience confirms that these never work. The forth goal I want to see met: A substantive and clear road map tackling each of the following issues.
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