Atieno Oduor
9 November 2009
opinion
Kenya risks falling out of the reform process unless the public exerts more pressure on its leadership. It is now clear that the political elite are bent on fighting reforms to preserve their own narrow political and criminal interests.
But the stakes are just too high this time and the 2007 post-election violence that killed 1,133 people and displaced 650,000 Kenyans should serve as a reminder of the price paid by ordinary Kenyans for its failed leadership.
While one would expect a commitment and urgency to reforms, it has been disappointing to watch politicians turn the reform process into a political calculus of maintaining and capturing power. Even most disappointing has been to watch the political elite disregard local laments, yet when the very same laments are voiced by Western donors, they rush to manufacture consensus so as to give the impression they are pro-reform.
But this has gone way too far and the game has been played for way too long. Without genuine political will for reforms, Kenya risks falling deeper into political conflict. Reforms will not be possible unless they are led by ordinary Kenyans.
While Moreno-Ocampo and Kofi Annan can jostle the veins of our politicians, nothing will shake them more than the collective demand of Kenyans for better governance. In every society, it is the ordinary people who have set the pace for change, through their courage and resolve.
Now is the time for ordinary Kenyans to exert that influence instead of waiting for 2012. This is the moment Kenyans have the opportunity to transform the destiny of the nation.
The journey for setting the stage for a fair and mature political game in 2012 must begin today. Kenyans must step up to the challenge through grassroots advocacy and organising as part of a sustained campaign against the political elite to ensure that they take the reform process seriously.
This is not just about 2012, but about creating a country where all Kenyans are treated with dignity, and where their voices are respected at the highest levels of decision-making. It's about creating a country of statesmen.
Too many times, Kenyans have allowed politicians to take charge, and too many times Kenyans have been disappointed. Too many times the politicians have proceeded to implement token reforms only to reverse them later. The old guard whose political mindset continues to be detrimental to the society is still entrenched.
Kenya cannot afford a political leadership that is akin to a criminal racket, a corruptor of laws and creator of social tensions. Such a mindset, regardless of party affiliation is not pro-reform. A huge price has been paid, and the costs will only escalate unless bottom-up pressure is exerted.
Reform should be treated with what Dr Martin Luther King Jr once called "the fierce urgency of now".
Already, economic destitution is sweeping through the country, there are credible rumours of an ethnic arms race, unemployment remain at unacceptable levels, we have a dysfunctional Judiciary, a criminal police, a breakdown in social amenities such as health, water, electrical, educational and environmental facilities and food crisis, all as a result of poor governance.
How much more will we take? Who are we if we do not stand up for accountable leadership? Failure to redefine the role of leadership through reforms will sink the country into the abyss.
Let's be bold. If we do not stand up for our country, then our politicians will, and we know too well what the outcomes will be.
Ms Oduor is a postgraduate student at the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies.
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