KENYA BEYOND 2005

And the Lord God said unto the serpent, Because thou hast done this, thou art cursed above all cattle, and above every beast of the field; upon thy belly shalt thou go, and dust shalt thou eat all the days of thy life.
Genesis 3:14
The good minister of internal security would like us to believe that someone in the Standard newspaper stepped on the serpent and stirred its wrath. The minister would like us to believe that the serpent was acting on the natural enmity that originated from the Garden of Eden. Be that as it may, my bible tells me that the serpent shall bruise my heel but I shall bruise its head. Now tell me Mr. Minister is this serpent tough enough to withstand the rod that it has made me pick.

I did not know that serpents are leading the people of Kenya. It is true serpents are the only creatures that slither and crawl through holes to wreck havoc especially at night. The serpent had to destroy and steal, beat and maim. The serpent had to make sure all other species crawl and slither like it. The serpent never chews its food it swallows its prey whole, horns hoofs and all. This serpent sought to swallow what is rightfully public property, which is right to information. By seeking to cripple the operations of the Standard group, the government has exposed itself to ridicule, calumny and mistrust. The government has come out of this shameful episode more divided and weaker than before. The days of the big man are gone; these are not the days of the colonial DO or post independence chiefs. Then the words of those fellows was law, the minister should know this having been one. In case it has escaped the ministers mind there is something called the rule of law. This is where the case between the serpent and the people is heard and decided.

It does not matter whether the serpent was enraged by the actions of the people, it can no longer decide to bite the heel without due process. Let us hope the Standard group will show the way and pursue this matter through the courts. Let us hope the courts will not be intimidated or cowed to favor the serpent. The serpent must be brought to trial for both punitive action and deterrence for future evil intentions. But already in the peoples’ court the serpent is guilty.

The minister would have liked the serpent to continue hibernating. Unfortunately while it was hibernating the people were going hungry. The very storekeepers entrusted with guarding it were looting the harvest store. When the media cried foul, the serpent was unleashed on the town crier.

Kenya is a nation of civilized beings, hence the massive condemnation of this act of thuggery. There is however cause to stop and wonder, if such destruction and misuse of police force can be executed without the knowledge of the police commissioner or even others in the chain of command, is it any wonder then that the police force has pockets of loyalty to individuals? Is this not direct abuse of the role of the police? Ministers come and go, but the government institutions are more or less permanent. This is why they should be de-linked from individual minister’s whims and wishes and be guided by the bureaucratic machinery. These systems must be institutionalized and not be changed with every cabinet reshuffle. If Michuki respected the rule of law and the official machinery of the government, he would not have taken it upon himself to release the serpent. That he did this shows his contempt of the very constitution he swore to uphold and protect.

There is no place for such arrogant leaders in the Kenya we want. He should do us a favor and tender his resignation, which is the measure of responsibility and maturity. Anything short of this is arrogance and abuse of the Kenyan people. The people reserve the right to take up a stick and hit the serpent on the head.

Charles Wairia
USA