FORA: A CALL TO UNITY FOR ALL KENYANS

Press Statement by Friends of Raila Lobby Group – FORA (Mt. Kenya Chapter) and Mwanzo Mpya Lobby Group


Our attention has recently been drawn to a dangerous trend of balkanisation of the country into tribal and regional chiefdoms disguised as Political Party Defections and Political Mobilisation.

It has not escaped our attention that the recent carefully choreographed so called defections from other parties to the TNA Party have one commonality;

The Politicians are largely drawn from the Mount Kenya and surrounding regions and appears to be part of a wider plot to revive GEMA and perpetuate the politics of regional exclusion, domination and exploitation that characterised the dark days of post independence Kenya. During the days of the GEMA Hegemony, the ruling elite, complete with their courtiers and state machinery that allocated resources and drafted policy were similarly drawn from one region and were arguably responsible for the skewed public service appointments favouring one region and the disparity in development that many regions in Kenya experience today.

Looking back to the genesis of the formation of the TNA Party, the following public events clearly catalogue the conception, midwifery, birth and ownership of the TNA Party;

In 1971, The Gikuyu, Embu, and Meru Association (GEMA), was formed to advance the social and political needs of the peoples descended from the mythological figure Mumbi.

During its existence in the 1970s GEMA was widely associated with a move to change the constitution to stop President Moi from ascending to the Presidency by succeeding President Kenyatta. The GEMA Leaders supposedly wanted the leadership of Kenya to remain within the GEMA community to the exclusion of other regions.

1n 1980 GEMA was formally banned together with other tribal groupings in a bid to foster National Unity and Cohesion.

Thirty two years later, on 23rd March 2012, the GEMA leadership met, yet again, under the chairmanship of Bishop Dr. Lawi Imathiu at the Jumuiya Conference Centre, Limuru to chart the way forward for the GEMA Community and their mode of conducting business hadn’t changed at all. Yet again, like in the 1970s when GEMA leaders sought to stop Moi from ascending to the Presidency, this time round their declared objective was to stop Raila Odinga from ascending to the Presidency even if it meant changing the law. This kind of intolerance is a clear and present danger to TNAs current or potential partners.

The GEMA meeting of 23rd March culminated into the GEMA Declaration of 23rd March 2012 which mandated Hon. Uhuru Kenyatta to offer the GEMA Community political leadership by forming a GEMA Community based political party through which they would seek the Presidency. He was mandated to report back to the GEMA leadership within 30 Days.

TNA was subsequently launched on 20th May 2012 within the GEMA mandated 30 days. Subsequent to its formation all energies of the party have been aggressively geared towards intimidating all regional based political parties to wind themselves up with total disregard of their ideologies. The only criteria being legitimised is belonging to the GEMA communities. Something has got to be wrong with this approach.

Whereas the Communities that have been drafted into the GEMA Tribal grouping comprises ordinary hardworking and patriotic Kenyans who yearn for a unified brotherhood of all Kenyans rather than an ethnicised exclusive tribal club, the so called GEMA leaders have continued to misuse their communities for selfish political and financial gain.

We are also aware that the same forces behind the revival of GEMA to the detriment of other regions are the same forces that have taken every opportunity to sabotage the implementation of the new constitution exemplified in the creation of county commissioners to undermine elected governors, the dilution of the spirit and principle of devolution, attempts at reduction of funding to county governments and watering down of constitutional provisions on integrity and leadership.

This same cabal are intent on sabotaging the ongoing judicial reforms that have increasingly given rise to an independent judiciary that is closed to manipulation and external influence. They wish to craft a judiciary that is blind to corruption and impunity, complicit in protecting ill gotten wealth, oblivious to Chapter 6 of the Constitution on leadership and integrity and an abetter in bastardising the Political Parties Act. They wish to put justice up for sale and create a commercialised parliament where MPs can be bought to sanitise and give a clean bill of health to looters of public coffers.

We are alarmed that all this is happening at a time when regional militias and terror groups have coincidentally mushroomed and boomeranged in ODM Strongholds and are operating with increasing boldness, impunity and high visibility with the audacity to even launch a machete attack on an ODM aligned Minister in broad daylight. 

This tribal and regional mobilisation disguised as Political Defections work to divide rather than unite Kenyans. Occasional ‘Defectors’ from other regions are occasionally drafted into the matrix to give the rainbow effect but the DNA of the TNA is of a purely GEMA parentage. 

We wish to take this early opportunity to warn Kenyans that there is strength in our diversity and our tribe is Kenya. Political mobilisation on the basis of tribal or regional loyalties does not bode well for our beloved country Kenya and must be condemned by all Kenyans who yearn for a peaceful, united Kenya with equal opportunity for all persons. 

A peaceful, prosperous and united Kenya that respects diversity, equality of opportunity for all and respect for national institutions and the rule of law is what Kenyans have come to expect. This is only possible through the full implementation of the new constitution that guarantees inclusiveness, equity and equal opportunities for all. This is what an ODM Government under the leadership of the Rt. Hon Raila Amolo Odinga will deliver to Kenyans.

Thank You.

SIGNED BY;

FRIENDS OF RAILA LOBBY GROUP – FORA

And

Mwanzo Mpya Lobby Group