That is an open letter to H.E. President William Ruto, but additionally open to my fellow Kenyans.
Pricey Sir,
I accord respect to you by advantage of the workplace you occupy.
So I are available peace.
However past the peace that I want upon you, I come carrying a burden.
Almost 3 years in the past, Kenyans queued to elect you into workplace.
Whether or not your guarantees enticed them or not isn’t the purpose.
The purpose is many people really feel disillusioned by your management.
To your data, I’m not a GenZ.
I’m a forty five yr outdated Kenyan who started my years on earth underneath the late President Moi’s regime.
We had been raised underneath the ‘baba na mama’ slogan the place we shouldn’t complain or elevate a finger to management as a result of it’s ‘ordained’ by God.
This was on the backdrop of the Nyayo Home chambers, the Mwakenya motion crackdown to call however a number of.
We noticed our mother and father shrink even on the considered criticising the federal government.
Concern was the forex of operation and it labored.
However immediately issues modified in 2002.
We keep in mind artistes like GidiGidi and MajiMaji with their signature ‘you’ll be able to’t buogo me’ tune.
Nicely this didn’t simply occur in a single day.
Within the 70s, 80s and 90s, many paid the final word value to get us right here.
J.M Kariuki, Kenneth Matiba, Jaramogi Oginga Odinga, Masinde Muliro, George Anyona, Charles Rubia, Koigi wa Wamwere, James Orengo, Martin Shikuku, Mwandawiro Mghanga, Ahmed Bamahriz, Raila Odinga, Davinder Lamba amongst different stalwarts softened the Kenyatta and Moi regimes over time.
It wasn’t straightforward for them as a result of they bought the quick finish of the stick – crushed, persecuted, tortured, needed to flee to exile, detained, and even some killed.
Even church leaders performed their rightful function.
We keep in mind Bishop Alexander Kipsang arap Muge, Bishop Henry Okulu, Rev Timothy Njoya, Rev Mutava Musyimi amongst others.
And when the centre couldn’t maintain, Mzee Moi had no choice however to repeal part 2A.
Enter multiparty politics and the enjoying floor was leveled for the likes of Rala Odinga and the late Mwai Kibaki to guide from the entrance.
My level is, it was a course of which had an final result sooner or later.
Quick ahead to 2007/2008 and Kenya was steeped in a submit election disaster you understand too properly.
Information inform us that about 1500 individuals misplaced their lives however the numbers had been undoubtedly larger than this.
Almost 1 million Kenyans had been displaced on this mayhem- and a few of them haven’t even returned to the farms to this point.
However did 07/08 occur out of the blue?
Positively not..
In 1992, individuals had been evicted from Molo, Elburgon, Njoro and Olenguruone.
In 1997, individuals had been evicted from Likoni and Kwale on the Coast.
Was it a authorities technique to relocate them?
I don’t know.
However there have been armed militias.
And their purpose was to commit acts of ethnic cleaning within the Rift Valley and to depart it ethnically ‘pure’.
Outcome?
Even clergymen like Father John Anthony Kaiser weren’t left unscathed.
After all throughout the submit election violence, we had golden individuals who went towards the tide and did the precise factor underneath tough circumstances.
Bishop Cornelius Korir involves thoughts.
My level is… 2007/08 didn’t simply occur.
Waters had been being stirred in 92 and 97 – the method.
Then, the true factor erupted in 07/08 – the end result.
Over time, we learnt from our errors.
This led us to attempt to curb future ethnic tensions.
So in 2010, we promulgated a structure.
One which we believed would change the course of the nation.
It began properly.
Counties, IPOA, Controller of Finances, Auditor Generals workplace, EACC, amongst different constitutionally established establishments.
Nevertheless, ultimately, we began discovering ourselves in type of acquainted territory – solely that now, corruption was delocalised and extra widespread.
Counties turned devolved crime scenes – governors and their surrogates embezzled till they may do it no extra.
Institutional places of work turned lame geese – a lot of them may solely assume the function of whistle blowers.
They cornered crooks, however they couldn’t take any motion as a result of they had been ‘coated’ by the powers that be.
In the course of the time period of President Uhuru Kenyatta, Kenya began to witness circumstances of abductions and additional judicial killings.
Moreover that, mass evictions had been additionally the order of the day.
Yala river our bodies, the loss of life of Willy Kimani, evictions in Ruai, deportation and harassment of Mr Miguna Miguna amongst different vices.
This was one other course of which might culminate into an final result.
However simply not but.
You got here into workplace driving on many guarantees, amongst which ending of additional judicial killings was a high precedence.
You began your time period with many anticipating optimistic change – based mostly in your pronouncements.
However as an alternative, change got here by means of hyper taxation coupled with extra mismanagement of public funds.
This got here on the backdrop of dwindling employment alternatives which couldn’t take in graduates.
Moreover, fairly quite a lot of firms had been despatched packing attributable to taxation excesses.
Jobs had been arduous to return by.
So what concerning the small companies?
As you properly know, the well being of small companies tells loads a couple of wholesome financial system.
Nevertheless, draconian approaches by KRA and native county authorities handicapped a lot of them.
Many had been compelled to close down.
Numerous dissenting voices began popping up.
Native activists had been ardent.
They used out there means like social media to air their grievances.
Nevertheless, your lieutenants had been quick to counter them.
Working example is Mr. Dennis Itumbi, who rivals Mohamed Saeed Al Sahaf, Saddam’s former propaganda minister.
He has his on-line group of paid contractors to counter hashtags ventilating on failures in your regime.
Individuals anticipated issues to be addressed and never some keyboard warriors surviving on meagre pay to brush them underneath the carpet.
A number of circumstances in level that don’t want elaboration:
SHIF/SHA…
Adani…
Housing levy…
Police brutality…
Amongst others.
However when the dissent on social media turned too robust, your authorities resorted to the technique you had learnt alongside the way in which…
Mass abductions.
Want I say extra?
And to pour salt to harm, your authorities fronted a venomous finance invoice 2024 loaded with all types of taxes meant to strangle individuals.
Your parliamentarians turned a deaf ear to complaints by professionals, industrialists, and customary Kenyans.
Kenyans felt ignored.
A military of on-line commentators made certain to proceed to ventilate on social media.
They distilled their views for the plenty to know and join with.
They turned extra widespread than the paid hirelings underneath Mr Itumbi.
Abductions elevated in depth and have become the order of the day.
These had been meant to curtail discontent as we geared in direction of the passing of the finance invoice 2024.
But it surely didn’t.
You see, now, you weren’t simply coping with a laid-back and compliant technology.
You had been coping with a bunch that had been pioneers of free main schooling.
Younger individuals who had seen a father determine within the easygoing administration of President Kibaki.
Younger individuals who had seen good financial instances whereas rising up.
But now they’re recipients of results of financial malpractices, extreme debt, and blatant thuggery coated with a false piousness rubberstamped by brown envelope bishops who made frequent state home visits to legitimise your authorities’s incompetence.
As I mentioned earlier than, a PROCESS all the time results in an OUTCOME.
We’re nonetheless in a course of…so that you get the drift.
June twenty fifth, 2024, occurred.
A brand new technology made a grand entry into the sector.
They fought for accountability and a working nation.
Many misplaced their lives.
Regardless of this, solely rhetoric and defiance got here out of your ranks.
However this simply didn’t cease these fiery guys.
They had been fuelled with a want to make their nation work.
Not immigrating to different nations however to get alternatives of their nation, Kenya.
Their on-line presence was matched with actual presence on the bottom.
Let me conclude by saying this sir.
I respect you and actually want you properly.
I’m a product of a technology that respects leaders no matter their failures.
However please be assured that this PROCESS, engineered by these younger individuals, will need to have an final OUTCOME.
And the reality is, you’ll be able to’t cease it.
Briefly, you’re president at such a time as this.
I do know you learn the bible each day.
So do I.
So image this:
You see, the biblical Esther appeared reluctant to intervene on behalf of the threatened Israelites.
Nevertheless, her uncle Mordecai as soon as confronted her and advised her this:
Esther 4:14 NIV
[14] For when you stay silent right now, reduction and deliverance for the Jews will come up from one other place, however you and your father’s household will perish. And who is aware of however that you’ve come to your royal place for such a time as this?”
https://bible.com/bible/111/est.4.14.NIV
At the moment, President William Kipchirchir Samoei arap Ruto, I echo the phrases of Mordecai.
If you happen to stay silent right now, reduction will come for Kenyans from one other place.
However who is aware of that you’ve come to that palace (statehouse) for such a time as this…
The selection is yours Mr President.
Once more, I log off by wishing you properly.
God bless you.
Mr. John Mmbaga
