KARUA SHOULD HAVE STUCK TO HER GUNS

DAILY NATION
NAIROBI, KENYA
By KOIGI WAMWERE
April 6 2009

The swearing in of new judges behind Justice minister Martha Karua’s back was a sign President Kibaki wanted to sack her.

Ms Karua is now privy to a secret others have known all along: President Kibaki has no gratitude or friends, only personal interests.

Now she joins the long list of people like Raila Odinga, Paul Muite, Wangari Maathai, Kalembe Ndile and others whom Mr Kibaki has used and cut loose. He also enjoyed the support of Waruru Kanja, Munene Kairu and Bildad Kaggia only to dump them.

Kibaki’s trap

In reaction to Mr Kibaki’s machinations, Ms Karua resigned. But had she been following history, she would not have quit but let President Kibaki fire her and then try to explain why.

By resigning, Ms Karua fell into Mr Kibaki’s trap — a trap similar to that former President Kenyatta used against vice-presidents Oginga Odinga and Joseph Murumbi. Rather than sack her and take the blame, Mr Kibaki prayed she would resign so she could look impetuous, impatient and rash.

Had Ms Karua waited for the sack, President Kibaki would have shown all and sundry that he is against the reforms she was fighting for.

Ms Karua is in the line of fire because male chauvinists in Central Kenya do not believe a woman is ready to lead the Kikuyu community, let alone Kenya.

And now she is no longer a minister, the media will not have so much interest in Ms Karua and will willingly aid and abet her silencing. Out of government, people will also think less of her. Ms Karua should not have resigned. Like Raila, she should have continued in government and used it to be heard.

By resigning, Ms Karua may have made it easier for ethnic leaders to take over the leadership of Central Kenya and form alliances with other ethnic warlords whose only interest is to kill, slaughter, roast and eat Kenya.

Ethnic chauvinists accuse Ms Karua of being against Kikuyu unity and I always wonder, against whom and for what? Shouldn’t all communities be uniting as Kenyans?

Ethnic unity is the cancer that will kill Kenya. As for the Kikuyu, our ethnic unity will not make any of us president. In fact, it will push all other Kenyans to unite against us in that infamous formula of “all against one.”

READERS' COMMENTS:

Submitted by Hillaryio
Posted April 07, 2009 11:22 AM

Looking who is talking? Honestly, Koigi you were one of the most irrelevant leaders in the government. You did NOTHING other than usual empty noises. Enjoy the cold out there. Pleas don't relent in providing free and cheap entertainment in your articles.

Submitted by mpisha
Posted April 07, 2009 10:41 AM

Though I usually disagree with Koigi,I tend to back him up only on being sober and being real. All those Chauvinism wont salvage our country from plunging into an abyss!