Okiki Oderos OPEN LETTER TO PRESIDENT UHURU KENYATTA. RE : IS THE TIME RIPE TO ADDRESS KENYAN HISTORICAL INJUSTICES? Your Excellency, It is with great humility that I appropriate this blessed opportunity to address you on the matter afore cited. The aim of all my open letters, the subject regardless, is to promote reflection and discussion on everyday issues affecting Kenyans, and Kenya. Your excellency, Solomon that great King Of Israel, in the book of proverbs, writes that, The King establishes the LAND by JUSTICE... - Proverbs 29:4. There exists no qualm in my mind, that this is your greatest intention for Kenya. Mr. President, the future prosperity and stability of our country is hinged on Justice. Nonetheless, even whilst we are committed to present and future justice, we must resolutely commit to redressing past injustices. In essence, we cannot claim to be just without redressing past injustices. It is these past injustices that I have hereinabove referred to as Historical Injustices. Your excellency, we must decisively deal with the demon that is Historical Injustice. In essence, we Kenyans cannot embrace the future if we are still hugging the past. If there are wrongs that were committed, let us honestly acknowledge them, and readily redress them. Our future will never be at ease, it will forever be haunted by our past,If we choose the path we have always chosen. Mr. President. Since Independence, so many Commissions of Inquiry have been formed. Let me name a few. We have heard tge Muthoga Commssion (2003), Ndungu Commission(2003), Akiwumi Commission(2003), Davy Koech Comm(2003), Mtongwe Ferry Disaster Commission(1994), Devil Worship Commission (1994), Gicheru Commission (1989), Miller Commission (1984), and the Goldenberg Commission. Of late, we have had the Truth, Justice, and Reconciliation Commission. Your excellency, a cursory glance at online exchanges amongst Kenyans will readily convince you that we are A NATION DIVIDED. We Kenyans have grievances, political, economic, and social. We are a NATION AT WAR WITH ITSELF. Part of the reason why this is the status quo is because we have failed to honestly admit past injustices. As a result, we are an ANGRY NATION. Mr. President, A study of Commission of Inquiries in Kenya by AFRICOG, in its introduction, observes that, Commissions of Inquiry have been a favored tool by the Moi and Kibaki governments. However, a cursory survey of the results of Commissions of inquiry since 1980s raises disturbing questions whether such inquiries serve any purpose at all... Are we really interested in Justice? I often wonder. Your excellency. Collectively, as a country, we have not been serious with justice. Let truth be told, that we may also be free! Mr. President, Socrates the Greek Philosopher says, Nothing is to be preferred before Justice. The problem is that there has never been good faith, on the part of Kenyans, and by extension, the government. I refuse to blame the governments, past or present, because I AM THE GOVERNMENT. As a society, as Kenyans, we have tolerated Injustice. We have become ONE with it. Your excellency. The painful murders of Josiah M. Kariuki, Tom Mboya, Pio Gama Pinto, and Robert Ouko remain unsolved. Mr. President, as a country, we should no longer tolerate this. Chris Hayes says, I think people should be angry at things that are worthy of anger. Injustice is outrageous and deserves outrage. As a patriotic Kenyan, I humbly entreat you to spearhead the process of dealing with Historical Injustices. Personally, I hate injustice, and I cant help but speak against it. - Serj Tankian. Your Excellency, there are two kinds of Historical injustices. Foremost, Real injustices. Secondly, perceived Injustices. Mr. President. The second category of Historical Injustice is even more dangerous. It is dangerous because it is founded on nothing. In Law, we say, JUSTICE MUST BE SEEN TO BE DONE, NOT DONE ONLY. Thus, as a country, we must firmly deal with historical injustices, both PERCIVED and REAL. After all, reality is what we perceive it to be. Reality is what I believe, not what is! Your Excellency,Voltaire therefore says, Those who can make you believe absurdities, can make you commit atrocities. Perception is important, and we have a duty to correct all UNTRUTHFUL PERCEPTIONS, We have so many people who cant see a fat man standing beside a thin one without coming to the conclusion that the fat man got that way by taking advantage of the thin one. - Ronald Reagan. There are many a hurtful perception that are doing rounds, and damaging the national fabric. This tide must also be stemmed, by objectively addressing past grievances. Remember, PERCEPTION IS REALITY. Mr. President, in 2007, Kenyans committed the vilest of atrocities against their fellows. Thousands were displaced, both permanently and temporarily. It is my opinion that the disputed elections of 2007 were not the main cause of these atrocities. Without justifying these atrocities, some Kenyans took the law into their own hands, in an attempt to personally address PAST INJUSTICES. Your excellency. As the President of beloved Kenya, you can engineer a JUSTICE-FULL PARADIGM SHIFT. I trust you to do it! Mr. President. History is a useful teacher to all who will learn, Injustice boils down in mens hearts as does steel in its cauldron, ready to pour forth, white hot, in the fullness of time. - M. Jones. Let us not wait for another 2007. Let us honestly and freely engage each other. The problem with us is, we whisper the truth in the darkness, and shout out lies in the open. We are so hypocritical. Your excellency, True patriotism hates injustice in its own land more than anywhere else. - Clarence Darrow. Mr. President, Desmond Tutu, who led the South African Truth and Reconciliation Process says, If you are neutral in situations of injustice, you have chosen the side of the oppressor. He goes on to add that, If an elephant has its foot on the tail of a mouse and you say that you are neutral, the mouse will not appreciate your neutrality. Your excellency, I earnestly implore you to lead us in dealing with Historical Injustices, for once and all. This is my prayer. Fellow Kenyans, let us all stand up for justice, everywhere. Remembering that, Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere. - Martin Luther King Jr. No matter how small your effort is, stand up and be counted, You just need to be a flea against injustice. Enough committed fleas biting strategically can make even a big dog uncomfortable. - M.W Edelman. Against eternal injustice, man must assert justice, and to protest against the universe of grief, he must create Happiness. - Albert Camus. Yours Truly, Okiki Odero Rege Senior Citizen -REPUBLIC KENYA. Better Kenyans Make a BETTER KENYA.
Posted on: Fri, 25 Jul 2014 16:21:48 +0000
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