Are they willing, or is it just a gimmick?

Now that Kofi Annan is in the country with his team of eminent persons, will a solution for Kenya be found? Why am I not optimistic? Why do I think it is just a gimmick? Both Kibaki and Raila together with their teams are still playing hard. There hasn’t been any indication that any side will relent, or at the very least, come close to a compromise. In short, the horns continue to be very much locked!

It is clearly a clamour for power, irrespective of the rule of law, and regardless of Kenyans. There was a time when, leadership was synonymous to servanthood. A leader was a servant of the people. He listened to the wishes of the people, upheld justice and provided an orderly environment where people could conduct their business of living. Not in Kenya. And certainly, people’s wellfare does not count. If anything, the leaders use human lives, to justify their course. It is like playing a game of chess, with your opponent, but instead of the chess pawns, they use human lives. If one drops dead, then you have scored. When does such a game end? I leave that for you to guess.

The Kenyan problem will only be solved by those two. The winner will be he, who calls a press conference and begins thus, ” Kenya is bigger than me. The people of Kenya are suffering for no apparent reason…..” Then, picks up the phone to the other one and says, “For the sake of Kenya……..”  That will be the winner, and perhaps Kenyans will forgive him.

I believe there is still time to salvage the situation. We can avoid going all the way, like Rwanda did, or Somalia. And perhaps it is time we thanked God that we do not have any tangible oil reserves, or diamonds for that matter. If we had such, we would be killing each other so that we take control of oil fields and diamond mines. Kenya’s wealth is the people of Kenya. You and me, and those others in Kibera, in Molo, in Eldoret,  and in Ugenya.

The world is watching Kenya and they can’t understand why there is chaos. (…”they have neither oil nor diamonds” they muse (perhaps)) On more than one occassion, I watched either on BBC or CNN, as the newscaster asked the reporter on ground a question that went something close to this:  ” What is the main difference in policy between Odinga and Kibaki?” The reporter seemed at a loss for a response and all he said was that there wasn’t much difference, both sides essentially have similar policies, the difference being only in STYLE, with Raila being described as flamboyant, against Kibaki’s laid-back-ness. Which, if you ponder for a moment, bears some truth.

I am praying for a firm solution to be found. And for Kibaki and Odinga to lay aside pride, and for once to put the country before their selfish ambitions. Surely, both camps have credible advisers who can see reason, and save the country. Kenyans have never been thrown into such unfamiliar waters as they are in now.

Kofi Annan and his team need our very best wishes, and prayers. Whatever it takes, let the matter be sorted now.