Raila Makes an about-turn on Waki Report

Faced with a possible disintegration of his party,Orange Democratic Movement(ODM), Prime Minister Raila Odinga has made a 180-degrees about-turn on the Waki report on Kenya's December 2007 post-election violence. He has, within days, changed tune from 'full implementation' to trashing the Waki report as incompetent. According to the press conference after ODM held its Parliamentary Group (PG) meeting, the party has effectively disowned the Waki Commission report.

The move by Raila is not entirely surprising as those who have been keen to follow his career knew very well that this turn of events was inevitable. He has thrived mainly in avoiding adopting positions that are detrimental to his political career. This one is definitely a hot potato. With growing rebellion within ODM fraternity, mainly emanating from the Rift-Valley province block, he had very limited options. The forthcoming ODM elections were likely also in his radder and a fall-out at this point in time could lead to even a loss of the Prime Minister position.

Kenya is at cross-roads, as it has always been. Most of us were hoping that Raila will provide leadership on the Waki report issue and ensure that impunity is punished, once and for all. But that he chose to allow partisan interests to carry the day is really sad. Where i come from there is a saying that you should hit the rod when it is hot, as that is the only time you can manage to mould it to whatever shape you wish. The Waki report implementation is a golden opportunity to mould our country the way we want it to be run.

Now with President Kibaki calling for amnesty for post-election violence perpetrators and Raila changing his stance, it is unlikely that the names in the Waki and Kofi Annan envelope might never see the light of day. The two leaders' positions on this issue is slowly being taken by a majority of Members of Parliament (MPs) and therefore the necessary legislation to ensure the report's implementation might not get support in Parliament. The two gentlemen are also faced with a real threat that the implementation of the report might lead to the collapse of the Grand Coalition Government (GCG).

What options do we have now? With a civil society that is growing losing teeth by the day, our only hope might be the international community to exert pressure on both Kibaki and Raila to implement the report. Already the American and German ambassadors are trying to provide a soft landing to the perpetrators by suggesting that the list of ten need not be taken to the Hague and that the country can constitute a local tribunal to investigate and prosecute the crimes.

What Kenya needs urgently is a nationalist. A person who is prepared to sacrifice their political career to rescue us from the claws of impunity. Any takers out there? Please come forward and be counted.