Sunday 2 March 2008

A moment of gratitude.

Phew! Such gratitude I owe to the most reverred individual in history – Kofi Annan. Backed by his team of Emminent Persons, Mr. Annan has given Kenya a new lease in life.

With His Excellency, President Jakaya Kikwete, stepping in to remind the two leaders, Hon,. Raila Odinga and president Kibaki, that this country is much greater than either of them, the outcome was really what Kenyans had been anticipating for all this time. It was time for the ultimate sacrifice to be made. Egoes were swept aside, pride swallowed and arms extended to each other in a national show of companionship, patriotism and teamwork.

Where would we be now if Kofi Annan would have succumbed to the hardline tactics of the two negotiation teams? What would have happened if Raila had refused to step down from his erstwhile “impossible” demands? And what would have transpired had the President decided to turn away from the desperate pleas of Kenyans; pleas for a coalition Government?

I heave a huge sigh of relief; for all the mothers who were separated from their children, for all the men who lost their limbs and property in senseless violence, for all the children who couldn’t go to school for fear of meeting marauding gangs in the lonely highways…

Thank you Kofi Annan for your resilience and strength; for your belief in a better Kenya. Thank you Raila Odinga for shoing us that a nation is more important than an individual. Thank you President Kibaki for ignoring the twisted and hardline tactics of your Government, and listening to us.

Thank you Benjamin Mkapa, for your honesty and faith in Kenya.

Thank you Graca Machel; a force to be reckoned with indeed; a voice of reason and a shimmer of hope for all Kenyan women and children.

We owe you our deepest gratitude and our prayers will always remain with you.

God bless you. God bless Kenya.

4 comments:

Ken said...

I see where you're coming from but I beg, nay, demand to differ. What are wee celebrating? What happened that was so marvellous, so praiseworthy as to merit all this sudden congratulation of these two men? Kofi yes, Kofi went about his task splendidly. But Kenyan's are a forgetful (I refuse to say 'forgiving') people. Who plunged us into this mayhem? Tell me, at what point was there any sweeping aside of egos? When was pride swallowed? I've said it before, Kenya has no leaders, just politicians. Those two bastards pursued their own selfish interests as a grieving nation watched, rubbing salt into the collective national injury with every utterance. And yet we turn around and congratulate them? When the 'deal' was brokered, where did Raila go? To the beach-his work was done, his post secured, his ego stroked, a holiday was in order. There he was, splashed on the front pages, telling international tourists (from the poolside of some five star resort) that now they could come, now that he had gotten what he wanted, Kenya was safe and they could come. And, pray tell, what is a prime minister's post going to do for a Kenya? Just another prize for politicians to fight over. (just predict all that can and will go wrong because of that post) Honestly it makes me want to cry. And Kibaki? Don't get me started on Kibaki. Sorry for this rant, really, but it pains me and it should pain you too.

willpress said...

True Saint true. . .slowly you begin to realize that maybe. . .we really have nothing to gain in the long run.But its peacetime. . .time to pretend everythns hunky dory.Yay!

Ken said...

Yay! Lets be optimistic, right? I'm a cynic, through and through.

Ken said...

'Pretend' is the word.