We can all be humble if we contextualize the Somalia war to the current Kenyan scenario with a few points;
- Somalia Civil war was triggered by clamour for multiparty elections.
- Tribalism is one of the major causes of the Somali civil war.Even now, the first thing a Somali wants to know about another Somali is what clan does he or she belongs to. In order for a Somali to recognize a government or a political party, they need to have a clan representative who will think about their people.
- Political rivalries often take clan (tribal) dimensions. Close home, clanism is prevalent in North Eastern politics.
- If you ask most Somalis today, they will tell you that they want peace. They are tired of guns, that most of us Kenyans are cheeringly ready to welcome.
Quote:George James from the New York Times reported that “In June 1990, a hundred prominent citizens signed a declaration called the Mogadishu Manifesto, calling for his resignation and the appointment of a transitional government pending free elections. He called the manifesto "destructive," and jailed 45 of those who had signed it, but about a month later he ordered their release. He agreed to multi-party parliamentary elections to be scheduled in February but later canceled them and the civil war took its course.”
What is needed in our current quagmire is some level headedness. Jubilee and Nasa will spiral the country down a familiar path for our neighbors.
Fahari wawili wakipigana, Nyasi huumia. As the grass that we are in these Jubilee and Nasa fights, the best we can do is dig and enmesh our nationhood roots tighter without caring what variety (read tribe) we are.
Let every Kenyan come out an vote on 26th, and Raila stop the side shows. It is the only option that every Kenyan has now, to make their voice count.
Even in America, the country we plagiarised our constitution from, Hillary Clinton is not holding the country hostage. Some we lose, other win.