Blasts: Referendum must not be postponed

Criminals plotting against the referendum have struck again. This time they have hit where it hurts most. They have pierced right through the hearts of Kenyans leaving us all bleeding with sorrow and a lot of bitterness. Their deafening unspoken aim is to wreck or stop the referendum. But the criminals must not be allowed to win and the referendum for the Proposed Constitution must take place as planned. Postponing the exercise because of the unfortunate grenade attacks at Uhuru Park would be a terrible mistake.

People who have always denied this country any opportunity to bring about the desired political reforms will be among the first to call for the postponement of the referendum due to the tragedy. But postponing the referendum would be even more tragic as it would make the criminals triumphant.

At this time when the country is moaning the deaths of six innocent people killed by the criminals, it would be unwise to engage in speculation or in pointing accusing fingers at one another. Indeed those who are the first to apportion blame for the heinous crime must be viewed with suspicion as all they are doing is to try and gain political capital out of an extremely tragic event. Their finger-pointing accusations must be condemned by all the peace-loving Kenyans.

Having said that, it is absolutely necessary for Kenyans to examine a number of recent events and facts and pose a number of questions as food for thoughts for those engaged in the tough task of investigating the crime. The first question that needs to be asked is why did a crusade for prayers that attracted a number of innocent people, including children, who are not even interested in the referendum , leave alone the “YES” and “NO” camps, turn into a “NO” campaign rally? Did the organizers of the crusade for prayers want to hoodwink Kenyans to attend their “NO” meetings through deceit? How did the fiery politicians opposed to the Proposed Constitution become main speakers at the so called crusade for prayers?

The second most important question to ask is how connected are the grenade attacks to the previous referendum related crime of altering the Proposed Constitution in a clandestine manner? Is it possible that the secret powerful people opposed to the Proposed Constitution are the same criminals who want to stop the whole process by killing innocent Kenyans?

Another pertinent question concerning the crime of altering the Proposed Constitution regards the length of time it is taking the CID to prosecute the suspects. Why has no one been charged for trying to alter the Proposed Constitution despite the reassurances that no stone would be left unturned to arrest and prosecute the planters of deliberate “errors” in the Proposed Constitution? Have the planters of “errors” now become the throwers of grenades? If no stone would be left unturned then all the possible criminals opposed to the referendum must now become suspects and should be interrogated by the CID.

Soon after the blasts that killed innocent Kenyans the police started interrogating suspects who have made hate speeches in public. Wananchi are now eagerly waiting to see when the makers of hate speeches would be prosecuted. Some of the hate speech makers are not repentant at all. William Ruto is still talking about how dangerous the Proposed Constitution is to the peaceful coexistence between the Muslims and the Christians. He has made a trip to the Coast to make that criminal call. Why has he not been prosecuted despite serious complaints from the Muslim leaders?

Killing innocent Kenyans for political expediency has been used before by ruthless politicians now said to be in the wanted list of the International Criminal Court. It is a bloody method used to achieve political goals. In the past whenever such crimes were committed the culprits were sacred cows who lived above the law in this country. It is only now, when the crimes they committed after the 2007 general elections have attracted the international community, that Luis Moreno-Ocampo is after their blood. Before that they killed and got away with it.

Given the facts that the above sad incidents used to take place in Kenya in the Rift Valley after almost every election, it is not so far fetched to advise whoever is investigating the Uhuru Park grenade attacks of last Sunday, to probe the people implicated in past mass murders as possible instigators of the latest crime. After all some of the people who sadistically killed or ordered others to be killed after the 2007 elections are still living among us. People know them but they are scared stiff to reveal their names to Moreno-Ocampo.

The simple questions that need to be asked now by the CID while investigating last Sunday’s murders is whether the murderers of post election clashes, who still live amongst us, have an axe to grind in the current controversy concerning the Proposed Constitution? How many of the people involved in the mass murders of post 2007 elections have publicly warned of possible bloodbath if the Proposed Constitution is adopted?

Following threats of bloodshed and other hate speeches concerning possible Muslim-Christian conflicts, Kenyans must now watch vigilantly against people who seem to be still bent of causing a lot of problems in our country. That is why anyone with information about the grenade attacks must come out and inform the CID.

When everyone is wondering who is behind the grenades that rocked Uhuru Park last Sunday, the privileged class that has benefited so much under the current constitution is busy trying to make the sad occasion as the reason for the postponement of the Constitution. They disregard the fact that postponing the referendum at this stage would be quite unlawful as the entire process is governed by the Constitution of Kenya Review Act of 2008. Suggestions have also been made to amend the law in order to postpone the referendum lawfully.

Orchestrated TV opinion polls conducted through KTN have tried to prove that the majority of Kenyans want the referendum postponed. Postponing the referendum is delaying the reforms, which this country desperately needs. Apart from trying to get the referendum postponed the station is also making attempts to accuse the National Cohesion and Integration Commission (NCIC) of favouring the “YES” team by condemning only the “NO” group for hate speech. This again was done through an orchestrated TV opinion poll.

What KTN fails to understand is that the hate speeches were all made in public and some of them were televised by the same station. What is worrying people is not the fact that some MPs and an Assistant Minister are about to be prosecuted; but why William Ruto is not among them. Some media houses have evidence proving that Ruto tried to incite people on religious basis, which is by definition hate speech.