Response to Ruttoh Pollyzzarrioh "Burning People is the wrong idea"

To Rutto Plollyzzarrioh

It is true. Burning people is a wrong idea. Just like death penalty is a very wrong idea. However the only thing that link Kenyans together should not be a mere boundary but to be governed by a common law that each and every individual Kenyan must be subjected to including Michuki and Kibaki.

As stated in my writing and in yours, it so happens that these two are the very same people who we have chosen as protectors of our laws and that they have persistently broken the same. That if someone blatantly disregard these laws then they should so be subjected to a punishment commensurate with that law is what a government is. However, these two have not only failed to protect the law. They themselves have violated the very same laws we chose them to protect. Not only have they done this at sophisticated levels, they have stepped on the very little man by protecting the Artur who of course are foreigners given diplomatic passports by our very same government. How bad or worse can it get.

Whether Artur marries Kibaki daughter is not a real major issue here, but taking standard writers to jail because they have interviewed Artur while sparing Artur is an open, careless and arrogant way of blatantly prostituting and raping the law.

The Artur's case is not new. When Raila Odinga said the Artur's were in town and were mercenaries, they and you probably said that that was nonsense and instead of looking for the Arturs who of course they knew there hideout, they were criminalizing Raila and they were saying that he was being sensational and jeopardizing the national security. Some ministers even suggested that Raila be jailed. When the Arturs emerged from nowhere at the airport escorted by government officials and accused descent elected officials and other people of all sorts of evil including bribery, the government protected them and provided a hide out.

When the Arturs raided standard newspapers, Michuki said if you rattle a snake then you must be prepared to be bitten. When a common mwanainchi claimed that his car was amongst the ones the Arturs had, the case disappeared. When the Arturs attacked the airport authorities they were whisked out of the country instead of being arraigned in court. When a commission of inquiry was instituted they appointed a non entity to be the chairman and refused to make the report public.

Mr. Plollyzzarrioh, I believe at this point you may have a glimpse of where I am coming from. Wanainchi through their leadership have done everything within the precinct of the law to bring this matter to the attention of the custodians of the law but they have ignored it and broke the law further. The question is should we constitute another inquiry to inquire about the other inquiry or what do you suggest Wananchi should do. Your idea is that may be we should wait for the next election. But if we allow the trend of law breaking to continue, my friend there may never be an election or if it is there you might have it with only those who will be campaigning from a hide out. This is a matter in which in other governments, the president or the minister for internal security should have been subjected to jail term. But since we are in Kenya and Africa where people like you are not bold enough to speak what they feel inside or have just turned a blind eye to the happenings, we must continue to allow our leaders to piss on us.

Africa has known a lot of these abuse of power and the only way these behaviors have been thwarted is when mass action is put in place whether violent or peaceful. Kenya did not gain independence from the colonial government by folding their arms and saying that when they decide they will let us have our freedom. Multiparty democracy in Kenya came because a few brave people took the bull by the horn. In most of these the law breakers in charge did not even seem to be concerned about their deeds because there was no consequence in place.

Kibaki and Michuki see no consequences because we are not holding them accountable. We are not telling them that it can be very bad if they don’t observe the law. The question of whether they should be literally burned may be unrealistic and achievable but if the statement sink the stone to the bottom of the lake then they must be made aware of it. Besides this is exactly what is going to happen if this trend continues and you and me will eventually have Somalia instead of Kenya at our backyard. Disregard of the law by the government, breeds military government. Is this the direction you want to take.

My point was simple. It has nothing to do with literal burning but everything to do with making each Kenyan and especially our leaders accountable. Wananchi must hold Kibaki and Michuki's feet to the fire starting by subjecting them to the law, then moving to peaceful demonstrations, then to civil disobedience and finally if all fail then they must be subjected to what every mwananchi who arrogantly and persistently disobeys the law and inhumanly deal with others is subjected to. And for this blanking me will not help. The concern for our fellow citizens will take us somewhere. I am just a vessel. There are many who may be more frustrated with this government than me. When you blank me, Someone else who is more personally affected with this system or the Arturs issue may do the same to you and those behind the Arturs.

Dr. Barack Abonyo