re: RAILA'S MOU with MUSLIMS: ODM Waging a war of Clever Ploys!!

Date: Fri, 30 Nov 2007 14:15:06 +0300
Dear Moenga,

I have been waiting for this moment to respond. I knew you would come up with your assertions and as usual your negative propositions. What should we really be debating about? Is the import of the MOU, its contents or whether it is the real one or the fake one? I think it should be upon the Muslims and NAMLEF to argue which of the two MOUs is genuine which one is the fake one simply because it is them who will hold Raila accountable for whichever MOU he signed with them. The Kenyan Public will also hold Raila accountable for the MOU he has owned up to and not what Moenga and everybody else want to portray as the actual MOU that is still a secret. I think Mr. Moenga, you could be treading on a treacherous ground as you discuss this MOU because you are trying to imply that NAMLEF is a lying outfit and should not be relied upon. Is this your thesis? Do you know that we saw these people swearing in the Mosque about the MOU two weeks ago? Let's be careful as we make our contributions for the Kenyan Public to consume. I think it is foolhardy to try and make some things be what they are not. According to you; you believe NAMLEF and Raila are having a separate MOU and all they are doing is lying to the rest of the Kenyans. If this is true, where will the secret MOU be implemented? Do you also assert in secrecy? How will this be possible? The MOU is not law and must go through Parliamentary debate and approval before it is enacted. Even a fool can see that this is unworkable! All the campaign strategies remain promises until those using them are elected and will still be subjects of discussion and agreement amongst the Kenyans through Parliamentary debate before being enacted in policy frameworks or legislation.

I think the major debate should be on the contents of the MOU. Where in the MOU is it stated that the Muslims will be favoured over and above the rest of the Kenyans? Unless I completely missed the clauses, I am sure what I read was the right content. What did you want the media to do? Say like you did that there was more to it than what was released? If so for whom was what left out intended? The MOU does not say in any part that Christians or other Religious Groups will be marginalized. The Christian bodies could only argue against the MOU if the MOU implies that Christians will be marginalized at the expense of the Muslims or better still that Islam will take over their Churches. Nowhere is this said or implied. Further, let's be objective, I don't know your experience and knowledge of Kenya, Mr. Moenga. Have you ever visited North Eastern Province, parts of Eastern Province and parts of the Coast Province and compared them with the rest of Kenya? When you make such visits, what is your experience or even feeling? Do you feel that they are part of Kenya? I know that most of Kenya is under-developed and could be better developed but the regions I have enlisted could do better or could be better provided for in order for them to realize any meaningful economic growth. Looking sideways and pretending that all is well for the regions is a shame to our beloved country. What Raila is proposing is to bring these regions home and make them feel part and parcel of Kenya. Coincidentally the regions are mostly inhabited by our Muslim Brothers and Sisters.

Kenya will only realize itself and its true potential when we stop sensationalizing non-issues for the sake of politics. Opposition for the sake of opposition does not add up and cannot make our country move forward. That is why we are going to vote for change. The Orange Change!

Dr. Peter Okoth