Democracy & Kenya

An excerpt I liked from

Democracy on trial: Kenya elections by Mukoma Wa Ngugi

Full article at http://blogs.independent.co.uk/openhouse/2008/01/kenyas-nightmar.html

Toward a solution, Kenyans should realize that something beautiful didhappen during this election. Most of the big men of Kenyan politics werevoted out of Parliament and hence out of office. Even the sons of formerdictator Moi did not win seats in Parliament. There seemed to be a beliefthat voting was a way of talking back the Kenyan political elite, and thatdemocracy could be made to work for the majority poor. This is the flamethat we must not let die.

To nurture this flame, a recount of the votes in a transparent manner is necessary. This, no matter what one thinks of Raila or Kibaki, or whetherone thinks the elections were fair or not, should be the meeting ground of all those concerned about the future, immediate and long term, of Kenya.

If the votes can be recounted in full transparency, this election will notthen become the death of Kenyan democracy but rather a test along the wayto a democracy with real content – the content of security, equality andjustice for Kenya’s majority poor.