WHERE IS KENYA`S COMMANDER IN CHIEF OF THE ARMED FORCES?

Had he been conscripted in the Whiteman’s Army, President Kibaki could perhaps be in the top echelons of our armed forces today. He was a passionate proponent of Kenya`s sovereignty. He wanted to defend his country from any form of external aggression. However, the Colonial Government shattered his boyhood dreams. It could not trust a native of central province in the army. Undeterred, he consumed the Whiteman`s books with an unparalleled appetite. He wanted to become a Professor of economics. His academic conquests awed many even though he did not go beyond a master`s degree. As fate would have it, his entry into the thick of politics saw him become Kenya`s Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces. His boyhood dream was thus fulfilled.

But the Kibaki who last week graced the swearing in ceremony of President Museveni was a stark difference from the younger Kibaki. He quietly smiled as his host ranted about the principles of mutual respect for territorial integrity, nonaggression, noninterference, equality and mutual benefit, and peaceful co-existence with neighbors. As these words majestically rolled off his tongue his belligerent army was busy displaying the grandeur of its power through terrorizing Kenyan citizens on Migingo and Ugingo. I wondered whether President Kibaki missed the fact that Museveni`s speech was underlain by a sharp contrary meaning.

The preceding week had seen some of Kenya’s political elites visit Todonyang. They were shocked at the massacre visited upon the Kenyans as well as the extent of annexation of Kenya`s territory. Upon their return to Nairobi they were patriotic enough to move a motion on the floor of the House urging the Kenyan Government to safeguard our territorial integrity, sovereignty and security. In short they were telling President Kibaki to smell the coffee. After all he is the Commander in Chief of Kenya`s Armed Forces, hence the onus for safeguarding Kenya`s sovereignty is on him. Like these legislators, I cannot figure out why President Kibaki watches in grotesque silence as those with gargantuan expansionist appetite grab hold of our sovereignty and nail it on the altar of illiberalism. Are we living on borrowed sovereignty?

Buoyed by President Kibaki`s silence Kenya`s coalition government has increasingly spoken at cross-purposes on an issue as sacrosanct as our sovereignty. For instance, two years ago the government spokesperson (whose views are largely reflective of PNU`s body politic) was of the view that Migingo Island was too small an Island to put strain on bilateral relations between Kenya and Uganda. He seemed to be saying that we could trade off this ‘insignificant” island with bilateral relations! I bet he is still flaunting Kenya`s sovereignty even as its territory is annexed by the day. I implore him that for once he should withdraw into the citadel of reason and debouch with the cannon of truth.

Besides the political class, Kenya`s army is another terrible eyesore. It is the only army on the face of the earth that is populated with sons and daughters of the rich. In the street parlance they are called cerelac babies. A couple of months ago I heard a story of how so many of the army cadets fainted in droves during a week`s expedition on Mount Kenya. They could not just pass the fitness test. This is in sharp contrast with the administration police who on being subjected to the same test, passed with flying colours.

Apart from the soldiers` fitness is also the question of the runaway corruption in the army that has largely been responsible for the procurement of dilapidated equipment. The disadvantage in equipment as well as in training makes our army a less formidable force perhaps in the whole of Africa.

It therefore follows that unless and until we address these inadequacies, we may as well be contended with the fact that our army will continue to earn huge perks as well as promotions up the ranks through demonstration of their valiance in combats that only succeed in killing innocent Kenyan babies as happened recently at Maroroi in Ngong.

Just in case President Kibaki is unaware, let him know that the public is annoyed. They want him to be the commander that he so earnestly wished to be. They want him to replace this effete army with strong, valorous and patriotic Kenyans so that they can shatter those who wish to turn our liberty into a grave yard.

I presume that President Kibaki would heed the people`s call. I presume that he does not wish to be remembered as a Commander in Chief “who appeared dissipated, increasingly fatalistic and totally indifferent to the danger that the country was in; a Commander in Chief who never said a foolish thing, but one who never did a wise thing either, a Commander in Chief who at the sight of the people`s suffering donned blinders. The Gikuyu of Kenya have a name for this type of a Commander- “Kiguoya.”