30 August 2010

editorial

Foroyaa has maintained that African countries cannot break away from the past until they create an environment which will enable all citizens of a Nation to take part in a debate on how to build a new Nation entirely different from the past, irrespective of party affiliation. This should then be followed by a free and fair election where the enlightened people would be free from all inducement and intimidation and would be fully prepared to make an informed choice of who to give their consent to manage the affairs of a country.

2009 contains the most shameful pages of Kenyan History. Ethno-linguistic violence led to the killing and mutilation of ordinary Kenyans who never earned liberty or prosperity from decades of existence in an Independent country. Kenya began to be counted among the failed states of Africa and its leaders were beginning to be earmarked for the International Criminal Court.

Mwai Kibaki was about to go down in history as a President who rigged elections and drove his Nation into the abyss of chaos and bloodshed. Now the history of Kenya is taking a new turn which confirms that nothing is impossible as long as there are human beings who are willing to surrender to the dictates of time and circumstances in order to promote the good of all.

Events began to change in Kenya on 7th April 2010 when the draft Constitution was presented to the Attorney General. The publication of the draft Constitution on May 6th 2010 for National debate opened up a new political atmosphere for people to put the past behind and think of how to shape the future. The debate and campaign for or against the Constitution was not based on partisan consideration. Every citizen became concerned and was free to participate in expressing one's mind. No one was concern about a person or personality. All eyes were focused on Kenya and what was best for her people. It became clear to every Kenyan that Constitutions were not just dry legal provisions meant to be known and interpreted by just legal practitioners and adjudicators but the social contract which determined the relation between those who are mandated to govern and the people, as well as that of the people themselves.

Hence on 4th August 2010, the Constitution was subjected to a referendum. It was approved by 67 percent of Kenyan voters.

On that day, tens of thousands of Kenyans of all ethno-linguistic, religious, regional and other characteristics, as well as of party affiliation, assembled at UHURU park in Nairobi to witness the signing of the Constitution by the President. The whole world expressed their joy as Kibaki held one of the Constitutions up leading to an uproar of the crowd.

A new Kenya is now in the making. Those who are mandated to be public trustees should seize the momentum to govern not for the sake of parties and personalities but for the common good. We hope other African Countries would come up with even more advanced constitutional provisions that would truly guarantee liberty, unity and prosperity for all.