I read from Plot Otwist something I have long held: that the so-called second liberation of Kenya FAILED, and the people who devoted their lives to the struggle deny this failure. In hindsight, the anti-Moi war of the 1980s and early 1990s looks unstrategic. The costs were so great, and the benefits were not worth it. I am particularly thinking about it from a Luo Nation perspective. We put in so much and got nothing in return. We LOST.
Before multiparty, Moi ran a mostly limited government that left 80% of the country unscathed. For the entire 1980s single party tyranny, the only serious and impactful corruption scandal (I’m talking hundreds of millions) was the Turkwell Dam.
Multiparty then created the environment for vice and not virtue. 1992 was an ethnic contest, and the state orchestrated ethnic violence, which left traumas on so many people. (Pole to senior Wafula Buke).
In the multiparty period, the Moi state went on a looting spree, raiding parastatals, forests, and donor funds. The trend continues to-date. There was more looting in the multiparty era than in the single party state.
30 years later, we’re yet to see the tangible benefits of multiparty democracy. We paid for change, what did we get in return?
In hindsight, we would have faired better had we stayed away from the 1980s anti-state activism.
It should be remembered that Jaramogi had attempted to rejoin KANU and Government in 1980 but his efforts were thwarted by the same cabal that later hurriedly introduced section 2A. Once the system turned against this cabal, they went guilt tripping and virtue signaling Jaramogi – join us in fighting for the moral good. That is how the Luo Nation was conned into purportedly fixing a problem it did not create.
Today, they are here guilt tripping Raila again, asking him to waste Luo labor in anti Government posturing, he’ll be dumped thereafter. In their moralistic posturing, they are saying Raila’s liberation credentials will be in tatters and he’ll retire in failure – which are these liberation credentials, and why didn’t they find such credentials important in the 2022 race, or in previous races?
In early 1990, when Rubia and Matiba went looking for Jaramogi, perhaps Mzee should have considered writing another letter to Moi. I know this move would never have been tolerated by the radicals like Raila, Orengo, Muite and Imanyara. But the ensuing carnage that engulfed the country in the long road to multiparty elections – between 1990 and Jan 1993 could have been avoided. We paid this price, what value did we see? Nothing. Jaramogi should have worked with Moi from 1990; by 1993, it was too late. The worst had already happened.
Compare this to the 1998-2002 Moi – Raila truce when we had the CKRC under Ghai, and a Draft Constitution was written.
What could be the reason for the failure of the second liberation? My theory – the focus on ‘Mas Go’ without considering institutions to devolve power, check the imperial presidency, and foster multiparty democracy. It now looks like Kenyans fought for every tribe to form its political party, i.e. the devolution of single party dictatorship to the different tribes, and not a change in our governance – into something more pluralistic and inclusive.
Subsequent efforts to attain real change have been thwarted by an elite that thought (still imagine) that they control tribes that have some numerous numbers that solely determine who occupies State House. This is the thinking that fuels the present ‘Mas Go’ chants – the desire to change who occupies State House, while leaving the system intact – corrupt and exclusive.
The chants on social media and mainstream press look outdated and mindless. The conversations on TVs and radios talk shows are mostly hollow and redundant. How can we have free and fair elections? How can we fight corruption? How can we have accountable devolution? How can we tame the powers of the presidency, empower parliament and make governors more accountable? How can we ensure that the voices of every Kenyan as expressed in the ballot, is respected? (Proportional representation versus majoritarian winner-takes-all). Nothing.
Accepting failure is necessary for learning. Intelligent people learn.
This post neither celebrates the failure of the second liberation, nor downplays the courage, energy and zeal shown by the men or women who set out to press for reforms in our country.
By Allanoh Captain.
