WAS NARC A REVOLT OR A REVOLUTION?

  BY SHEM KOSSE
 
  It is less than 12 months for kenyans to go to the general elections.And, the
Narc coalition which was touted as a massive revolution of its own kind since
Kenya's independence, which, catapulted the current regime to power is not only fragile but it has also fizzled out.
 
  And, as the incumbent president, with his team,still grappling, to put in
place some mechanisms to realize the remaining much expected changes by
Kenyans,lets, first quote the late Dr. Martin Luther King II. "A social movement that only moves people is merely a revolt. A movement that changes both people and institutions is a revolution". And true to the king's words, who was the key civil rights leader of the Negroes in the fight against segregation in America, Narc only moved people.
 
  What ordinary Kenyans have witnessed so far in the name of change or trials to bring positive changes by the NARC'S administration has left a lot not only to be desired but also the young child nodding his head amazingly.
 
  Unlike in Kenya, the 28th march in Washington by Negroes in 1963 summer under the flagship of Dr Luther King II, was a revolution because it changed the face of America.lt changed 1000 cities and by the time it has passed its peak many thousands of lunch counters, hotels, parks, schools,buses and other
accommodation places that were segregated became integrated.
 
  The Kenya's entrusted leaders and institutions and vice versa, that are
expected through the arms of the government, the legislator, executive and
Judiciary to unlock the taps of economic, political and social changes to
realise people and institutional changes, has reportedly stunned Kenyans and the international community at large.
 
  Kenyans were moved in the transitional elections to vote in a galaxy of Mps
who are ever evidently united in parliament whenever they want to vote for a
bill that cynically serves their interest.
 
  It is recorded in the parliament's hansard that the legislators accorded
themselves most priority and shamelessly awarded themselves hefty packages in addition to duty free car loan to purchase the fuel-guzzler vehicles in an
expense of the over burdened taxpayers who are leaving below the poverty line.  
 
  Political analysis aver that in the democratic institutions worldwide,
whenever leaders are confronted with issues that they are afraid to approach,
they tend to form commission of inquiries to purposely make the sleeping dog
deep into slumber. These commissions are always diversionary tactics and act as receiver managers for wanainchi to appear before them to relieve their emotions as they loot the national coffers.
 
  After which, the findings, are later put in the shelves to gather dust. And of
which the government of the day if pressurised to make public the findings they
doctor it.
 
  The Narc's cabinet as an institution is no excuse. Through the much legally
criticised and controversial justice and constitutional affairs Ministry, a
staggering 25 commissions of inquiry, task forces and ministerial committees has been formed since the NARC took over the reigns of power, and more are expected to come.
 
  The over 25 commissions that have been jostling for spaces in the cross
section of the press have no framework for completion of their work and continue to sap billions of shillings and yet the fate of their findings hangs in the
balance.
 
  lnstead, of devising a mechanism, to deviate from the past and solve myriads
problems under one umbrella commission rather than numerous commissions, the ministry of justice and constitutional affairs was allocated a whooping
400 million in the recent past budget, in what appears to be a sign of more
commissions to come.
 
  Cabinet ministers Hon Kirwa, the late Maitha among others,reportedly ignored court orders with a lot of impunity as the chief justice Evans Gicheru in charge of courts watching the other way. So is the Ambassador Francis Muthaura who is the head of civil service as an institution, cleared the top govt officials absolving them of Anglo Leasing Scandal blame under the circumstances that raised eyebrows to all and sundry.
 
  Usage of whimsical powers by the politically correct individuals has
impeccably been felt in some parts of the country. The assistant minister for
internal security and provincial administration Hon Kivutha Kibwana flanked by
his constituents once hit the newspaper headlines when he was barred by the
police officer to storm a land that he claimed was grabbed.
 
   Kivutha, Makueni Mp quotedly alleged to have threatened the officer who was innocently discharging his official duties of dire consequences. And hardly had the dust settled on the remarks of the veteran of street protests, Kibwana, than the police officer in his mid 30's was relieved of his duties from the police
force in the major shake up since ever effected by police commissioner, Brig
Hussein Ali.
 
  A recent visit to Nyeri by this journalist impeccably reveals that pastor
Kamau of AIPCA who at one time, hosted LDP heavyweights Hon Raila Odinga and Kalonzo Musyoka to his fundraising at Mweiga, the stronghold of Hon Murungaru;was sinisterly transferred. So is the Nyeri PMO whom the words are doing the rounds to the effect that he was shown the door after hosting Mary Wambui Kibaki,a woman that kibaki has been struggling to deny vehemently and publicly,but in vain, has his bonafide second wife.
 
  The first lady, allegedly, wondered why Wambui was given first priorities in
the provincial hospital without the knowledge of the top government officials.
Dr Simon Thuo gynaecologist was sacked and replaced by Dr Muyembe.
 
  The past move by the incumbent president Hon Mwai Kibaki to contravene the law by refusing to gazette Dr. Julius Rotich as the deputy director of the Kenya Anti Corruption Commission (KACC), further ,stagnated institutional changes.
 
  The omission of Rotich's name raised the political temperatures leaving
Kenyans marvelling whether the enormous executive powers rested in the
presidency, as the institution, will ever come to pass. And yet, Kibaki, the
first president of the Kenya's second liberation was quoted in his landmark
speech during his colourful inauguration ceremony that he will be guided by the
rule of the law.
 
   The president's unexpected decision sparked off sharp reaction across the
political divide with the then board chairman of KACC Mr Ahmednasir Abdulahi and assistant minister for home affairs Noah Arap Too resigning from their positions.
 
  The duo, alongside other president's critics accused the head of state for
having set a bad precedent, and also, subjected the reputable supremacy of the
National House at stake, and ridiculing the KACC board that ratified the
appointments of anti-graft officials.
 
  And in a bid to further out do, excellently, the previous regime by exhibiting
no-more- change attitude, the government coiled a unique generosity of settling
the commercial debts of cabinet ministers who died while in the office.
 
  Also,still fresh in the kenyans' memory, is the assault of the media by the
government which drew international condemnation.Kenyan's first lady,flanked by her security detail, set the ball rolling by storming, literally,in the middle
of the night,the standard news paper offices,visited unprovoked terror,and
consequently incuring injuries to a camera man,Derrick Otieno.Many scribes have also been arraigned in court with trumped up charges for publishing "malicious and alarming" stories.
 
  Foreign mercineries too were allegedly hired and directed by the minister for
internal security to raid the standard newspaper offices,printing press,burnt
and disabled all the machines.Not spared was the weekly independent and citizen newspaper offices,yet, it is the media which is the corner stone of any
democracy,world over.
 
  The wider scheme by the govt to dupe citizenry, by dangling and awarding of
controversial goodies, which was neither here nor there, such as title deeds to
the landless,to occupy controversial and existing lands, in the run up to the
referendum, and the promise of hefty packages to the chiefs and their
assistants,for them to campaign for the passage of the draft cnstitution which
was overwhelmingly rejected by kenyans during the vote,can not be forgotten.
  .
  Political analysts opine that the heroism of the NARC'S march, the drama of
colourful conferences and political rallies, became into the minds of Kenyan
citizens ,the total accomplishment of their long yearned for changes.
 
  It is true that these elements had a meaning. But to ignore the concrete and
specific gains in dismantling the structures that are stumbling block to
positive changes, is like noticing the beauty of the rain but failing to see
that it has enriched the soil.
 
  Constitutional review too, that has been dragging for over a decade, has seen
govt spent billions of shillings. And it was the hopeful tool viewed by majority
of Kenyans as vital in injection of meaningful and real changes.
 
   Political pundits opine that with the clock ticking towards ill-fated Narc
attaining its mandatory 5 years constitutional term, Kenyans,should still
tighten their belts, and fully brace for more caricature changes.
 
  SHEM KOSSE, Freelance Journalist, based in
  Lakeside city, Kisumu,and also reports for the LUOCOME media
  (www.jaluo.com )
  Phone 0733-380116 or 0723103445, email kosseeke@yahoo.com