By Atok Dan
On March 4th, Kenyans are voting representatives to various elective seats including the one of president which is currently occupied by President Mwai Kibaki. The good news to President Omer Al Bashir of Sudan is that somebody who has a case in the International Court of Arbitration (ICC) in The Hague is also contesting the highest seat like what he occupies.
The moral ramification that will come with election of Deputy Prime Minister Uhuru Kenyatta, the son of Kenya’s founding father, Mzee Jomo Kenyatta could be a drift in ethical morality of Africa as a continent. If it happens that Kenyatta wins, there would possibly be two sitting heads of states in the African Union (AU) in Addis Ababa. President Bashir would be an immediate beneficiary and as well the happiest man on the continent of Africa if not the planet called earth.
The innocent souls lost in Darfur, Nuba Mountains and South Blue Nile in the Sudan would either not see justice done forever given that Africa is still leading the world in records of impunity of the highest order. Over thousands Kenyans who perished and hundreds of thousands of internal displaced persons (IDP) during the Post-Election violent (PEV) in between December 2007-2008 would also join the long list of citizens of Africa whose justice remains a nightmare.
It is indisputable that the coming elections in Kenya would either shape the perception of leadership on the continent of African in a way that determines African’s global attitudes towards right of humanity and rights of its own citizens on the continent, the preference of leadership and well-being of suffering masses due poor leadership.
It is as well undeniable too fact that most of current heads of states that seat in the AU Summit in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, representing their suffering citizens dwell much in protecting themselves than the citizens who mandated them. Giving an ICC indicted president Bashir of Sudan a safe harbor or protection instead of facing justice because he has voluntarily butchered his own citizens tells a lot of what African version of leadership.
This political and moral drift on the continent of Africa would either gain momentum or fizzle after March 4 elections if Kenyans prove to themselves what their constitution says about integrity of public figures and what it means to be a national leader on the continent of Africa. By comparison, Kenya has so far the best document of governance. Kenyans of all walks of life have never relented in the fight against self-mediocrity since independence. Kenya is and has been the beacon in second liberation on the continent of Africa. Their current constitution is a testament of such a struggle.
A country like Sudan is morally, culturally and politically shocked to grant the fruit of independence to its citizens since January 1956. This could be manifested by generational civil wars it had been engaged in since that day. A citizen in the Sudan knows no different between self-government and a colonial government and who does this, it is the leadership, the perception of leadership on the continent of Africa. South Sudan, the youngest country on the continent broke link with Sudan because of endless wars.
Without denying Kenyans the rights to choose leaders, it is also quite imperative that leaders should carry with them desirable qualities of preference-of protecting life, resources and boast morality of people. There are no logical or convincing reasons which should compel our public figures to import culture of suspicions and doubts in public offices. Africa needs a clean slate from colonial traumas, of leaders not answerable to constituencies. Kenyatta can make a very good president if he is not tainted by ICC allegations. The grey cloud of ICC on him has unpolished his attractiveness to public position at the meantime.
Uhuru Kenyatta and his running mate William Ruto at the meantime suspects, thus remain unelectable because they will represent people who are mentally conscious innocent. In addition to that, electing them would possibly lead to moral decay though they are still innocent today. Even the like of Prime Minister Raila Odinga with his boss President Mwai Kibaki are in one way resultants of the post-election violent. Likewise former head of election Commission, Samuel Kivuitu owes Kenya more answers than questions. If any of the two ICC suspects is found guilty, naturally he would be forced to vomit under whose directives he acted. Neither Uhuru nor Ruto contested 2007 elections. The two were disciples of their leaders.
The tribal mindset of the Africans is what Kenya is jostling with unlike president Bashir of Sudan who has successfully displayed racial and religious cards in the Arab world and inside Sudan to defiant ICC arrest warrant. Racial war is ongoing in Darfur, South Kordofan and Southern Blue Nile states. Sovereignty is also another possible option used to blackmail fair delivery of justice in Sudan. For the case of Kenya tribes have managed toing a line behinds their next of kin.
Masses in Kenya have difficulty in differentiating between Kenya as a sovereign nation and individuals needed in the ICC on personal capacities. Kenyans need to know that individuals with case in the ICC are neither representing tribes nor do they represent the government of Kenya. Ordinary Kenyans can only and only feel the pinch of the ICC based on the outcome of general elections to come and it will depend on whether the two will continue cooperating with ICC or put on Bashir attires of defiance.
President Bashir is hallucinating in prayers that somebody with his semblance wins on the continent of Africa so that they can put up a joint defense shield against the ICC in the AU next summit. Bashir and his hawkish cabinet would be the first to send congratulatory message to Kenyatta if he wins. And without doubt Kenya would be the second home to Bashir whom the ICC has turned into president of internal affairs. His cabinet has no exception after all Bashir had attended inauguration of Kenya’s constitution in August 2010 despite warrant of arrest against him.
Africa as a continent needs to come clear, either to disassociate itself from world forums or denounce its conducts in relation to the rights of its citizens. To end it, Kenyans need to think beyond their current map and see what their action would translate on the continent of Africa and to know that what they do today would impact negatively on other fellow citizens of Africa. President is abrogating justice because he enjoys supports of like-minded.
Atok Dan is a South Sudanese media specialist, based in Juba and he is reached atatokbaguot@gmail.com