Once again the West has succeeded in robbing Kenya of its deserved praise for passing a homemade constitution. It’s simply just that, nothing else, not even the Omar al Bashir visit.
It’s heartbreaking to know such a great milestone achieved by a ‘third-rate country’ has not touched the single most eyebrow of the so-called developed world.
The architect of this robbery, truly not but the western media say, is none other than Omar al Bashir, the Sudanese president indicted by the International Criminal Court for crimes put on his head by this mostly Africa-attracted court.
The President, for starters, was in the country last Friday to witness the promulgation of the new constitution. He was one of the many invited heads of state who were around that day.
And, oh my, don’t the western media know how to divert attention from such a huge feat for a young nation as Kenya, to some other trivial things as failing to honour its ratification of the Rome Statute. As per the statute, Kenya was supposed to arrest the president and present him to the ICC. It didn’t happen and Kenya deserves a hearty clap for choosing to abstain.
Back to the self made media incompetence. Immediately Al Bashir arrived accompanied by Tourism minister Najib Balala, they went bonkers about his presence. From then it was not about an African made collections of supreme laws but the head of the guest president cooling at The Hague.
And to the ignominy of all, the local media too fell victim to the diversionary tactics. From the time Bashir sat, every broadcast was now being tagged with Al Bashir’s presence soiling the historic occasion- crap! , to the time he left-I guess they were caught flatfooted on this, anyway, they rehearsed, sang and re-sang Omar al Bashir-mere hogwash!
Soberly, to put the facts straight, Omar al Bashir came to Kenya as a state guest upon request by his Kenyan counterpart, President Kibaki. He honoured the invitation and attended the auspicious occasion period. So any other hullabaloo about his presidential coming doesn’t hold any water. Kenya was in a celebratory mood and my Kalenjin roots taught me to respect neighbours no matter how bad they are and further they are supposed to be the first to be invited for any festivity. And certainly it’s not kalenjin but African culture. Kenya did the same to ask Bashir to come over and he did.
True, he’s wanted by the ICC to answer to charges pressed upon him but for goodness sake the last thing Kenya can do is arrest its neighbour. Take for instance, the consequences of doing that: the boundary between the two nations would be as volatile and death zone forever, Kenyans-they are in thousands-living and doing business in Sudan would be slaughtered and the remaining kicked out and Kenya will retaliate by doing the same. All the time, if this happens, the western world would be enjoying the bloodshed and focusing on famine stricken refugees hauled in camps. They would not do anything until...God knows. Thirdly, Kenya would be the proverbial black sheep among the other 52 Africa nations for doing the undoable to a sitting head of state; sending him to a stranger to a far country- incest of the rankest order. Kenya did great for choosing peace over a stupid thing as demanded by Obama and cousins.
Finally, for rookies, Kenya mid-wifed a truce between the North and South Sudan in 2003, precisely led by then Foreign Affairs minister Kalonzo Musyoka. It was a great achievement which opened way for peace and expected secession of Southern Sudan next year. Because of this Kenya holds a vital position in Sudan’s history and inviting Al Bashir was next to inevitable.
Just by the way...
*A democratically ailing friend and neighbour ought not to cause any furore when s/he attends a festivity buttered with democratic ideals and writings. It’s human to let them learn a lesson or two. Al Bashir must have surely picked some vital lessons when he visited last week, so no more noise please!
*Those silly demonstrators asking for the arrest of Al Bashir- they who were so desperate for a not forthcoming heroism- did the looniest thing this part of the world has ever witnessed. Instead of staying in their peaceful abodes and savour the moment they resorted to street-march in front of thousands of police officers demanding for the throat of a guy secured by dozens of security detail. How silly was that? Their battering was well deserved, they were just stupid.
*Raila’s assertion that he was ignorant of the coming of Sudanese president is proof enough he’s not competent for the PM’s post. How comes? I mean a whole Right Honourable, who’s employed to supervise and coordinate the government in the dark side of such a huge visit? It’s laughable and at the same time unbelievable. Personally I don’t believe him because I feel he’s just playing to the gallery.
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