Inclusive Jubilee Government key to curb ethnicity

President Uhuru Kenyatta at the Kenya Military Academy, Nakuru on November 30, 2017. (Photo:Kipsang Joseph/standard)

President Uhuru Kenyatta’s pledge during his second inauguration, that he will devote his time and energy to build bridges and unite all Kenyans is welcome at a time the country is divided along tribal and political lines. Indeed, his inauguration came at a time Kenya is facing the biggest test on whether to remain together as one Republic or split into small entities as proposed by some political players. In democratic societies, the main connection voters have with their rulers is the ballot box. In this regard NASA, which commands a large political base, is right to feel slighted by Kenyatta’s inauguration since they did not participate in the repeat election on grounds that there was a predetermined outcome.

This has forced the opposition to resort to unconstitutional attempts to achieve their objectives, like the threat to swear-in Raila on Jamhuri Day, December 12, and form a parallel government. Also, Kenyatta’s inauguration came at a time two petitions calling for the splitting of the country have been floated. One is sponsored by Homa Bay MP (ODM) Peter Kaluma and seeks secession of 40 counties from the 47 to form the People’s Republic of Kenya on grounds of marginalisation.

The second is by a Jubilee Party strategist Washington Makodingo and seeks exclusion of four Nyanza counties from the rest of the country, namely – Homa Bay, Siaya, Kisumu and Migori, arguing that the constituents have already expressed interest in seceding from the rest of the country by failing to vote in October 26. Both petitions seek to amend Article 5 of the 2010 Constitution to re-explore Kenya’s territory.

Our country is today so polarised to an extent that when one advocates peace, he is labelled a Jubilee supporter while one who pushes for justice is branded a NASA diehard. The President should therefore come up with a governance formula that will ease the growing tension and divisions on ethnic and political lines, a situation that is straining Kenya’s national unity and also exposing it to inter-ethnic conflicts as witnessed in Kawangware and Mathare slums in Nairobi.

To quote Author Fr. Andrew M Greeley in his book: ‘Why Can’t they be like us: America’s White Ethnic Groups’, ethnic groups are something like Rocky Mountains, or the Atlantic Ocean- whether we like them or not really doesn’t matter very much; they are concrete realities with which we must cope, and condemning or praising them is a waste of time. To end ethnicity, the President should consider proposals by NCCK Secretary General Peter Karanja. One for the expansion of the executive to allow the president to appoint a Prime Minister, two deputies and official leader of the opposition for inclusivity in government.

Secondly, the creation of the official opposition post which will dignify the opposition in its bid to hold the government to account. Kenyans will be comfortable to see the President and opposition leader Raila Odinga spearheading national unity and reconciliation. If the two leaders join hands, calls for secession will end. The President has won the legal legitimacy to run the country for the next five years but must now win the political legitimacy by winning the hearts of those who heeded NASA’s call to boycott the poll. All Kenyans should now support the President in implementing development projects across the country.