KOIGI WAMWERE UNDER ATTACK OVER UHURU REMARKS

DAILY NATION
NAIROBI, ENYA
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
March 19 2009

This is in reference to Mr Koigi wa Wamwere’s article in the Daily Nation of
March 18,2009 in which he asserted that Deputy Prime Minister Uhuru Kenyatta is not fit for the presidency.

He seemed to have issues not just with Mr Kenyatta but also with Vice-President Kalonzo Musyoka, Deputy PM Musalia Mudavadi, Agriculture minister William Ruto and others over their inaction during Moi’s tyrannical rule.

His view is that for one to rule Kenya he ought to have suffered like he and Mr Raila Odinga did under Mr Moi. Kenyans would like to see and hear a different line of politics other than all the talk about “our heroes”. What duty in the State House requires that one should have spent years in exile, police cells or torture chambers?

We would be assured of a more level headed president in any of the sober minded persons you mentioned than in the many others we know who want to justify their claim to power by reminding us of their suffering and heroic deeds in the past.

The truth is that suffering does not make you a leader, in fact you may have suffered because you do not recognise leadership, in which case you may not yourself be fit to lead.

JOSEPHAT WAITITU,


Mr Koigi wa Wamwere fears that Mr Kenyatta is slowly but surely cutting his path as the leading politician in Central Province when President Kibaki’s term ends.

He is uncomfortable with this for he feels that Mr Kenyatta does not deserve it. Although he did not mention it, Mr Wamwere knows that once Gikuyus settle on Mr Kenyatta, there will be no turning back.

The former MP and his ilk have no power to scuttle such a development. His strength does not lie in such high stakes politics.

GITHUKU MUNGAI, Nairobi.

I feel I should comment on articles written in the media by former MPs Koigi wa Wamwere and Joseph Kamotho. When the issue of fuel guzzlers came up during the 9th Parliament Mr Wamwere reminded us that he drives a Toyota Prado.

At the time, the Rwandan President had ordered MPs to discard fuel guzzlers. Talk of double speak. Integrity is about being consistent and not joining the gravy train when it is convenient but complain when you are forced to leave!

Mr Wamwere’s argument that Mr Kenyatta is not fit to be president because he has not been involved in agitating for reforms can easily be challenged. President Kibaki is not known for any such efforts and neither is Mr Moi before him.

Similar argument has been used in the United States of America where those who have not been involved in war are declared unfit to lead. But, as was proved recently, such misguided qualifications belong to that part of history which is best forgotten.

Mr Kenyatta’s bid for the presidency should be viewed from the perspective of his democratic right to vie for the post and his suitability or otherwise should be judged using other parameters.

ROBERT GICHARU,