Opportunity to resolve protests crisis closing fast
It is in the public domain that some leaders spoke of attacks on the premises and businesses of both retired President Uhuru Kenyatta and Azimio leader Raila Odinga.
If, as it is alleged, the police allowed marauding youths to invade a farm and steal animals and sell them in broad daylight, then we need to ask why is it so hard to allow peaceful picketing and presentation of petitions.
These are indeed unprecedented times. To say that someone is funding demonstrations is just ludicrous. To invoke Uhuru’s name is cheap and reckless propaganda.
Whether the leaders who spoke of attacking Uhuru and Raila’s establishments meant their words or even followed the words with actions is not important and proving that might be a herculean task given their privileged positions in government.
But what is not in doubt is the fact that even if they didn’t follow up their threats with actions, they certainly sowed the seeds in the minds of desperate, vulnerable and hungry Kenyans who took the cue and just did what politicians reminded them they can or should do.
We should be told who mobilised goons to invade private property, loot and burn.
It is not enough to condemn this regime. The leaders need to be reminded that the issue is not Raila’s mass action or Uhuru’s role.
It is about the suffering Kenyans who have to bear the high cost of living. Raila just picked the pain points of the people and gave an ultimatum. If there had been action within the 14-day period, maybe things would have been different.
Unfortunately, stalwarts within the regime opted to talk tough and adopted a hardline stance, failing to listen to the grievances that the Azimio team brought forward on behalf of the people. Maybe there was room for compromises to avert a much bigger conflict, but they made their choice.
It is no longer a question of what next for Raila, but what options the Kenya Kwanza hardliners have. Their position continues to weaken every single day because, as it is, the people have taken over, and instead of addressing the plight of the people they are preoccupied with Raila and Uhuru.
We should be worried that these people are seeing Uhuru and Raila and not suffering people expressing their dissent as provided for by both Article 37 of the Constitution.
The reality is that this is a people’s uprising and the regime’s continued inaction in addressing the cost of living will only take more people to the streets. The conflict is not between President William Ruto and Raila, or the President and his predecessor. It is between the leadership of the government and the people who are demanding what every citizen would demand.
By training their guns on Raila and allowing overzealous politicians to continue with inflammatory rhetoric, the regime is failing to grab the opportunities to resolve the conflict.
Leaders are not just about who they are and the speeches they make, but what they do. Great leaders roll their sleeves up and do that which changes the lives of the led.
As we brace ourselves for another week of demonstrations, let us remind our leaders that true leadership empowers and Kenyans coming out to demonstrate need just that. A leadership that will empower them and address their plight.
—The writer is a PhD candidate in political communication
