Truemors
Kenya seems to have a kind of jinxed relationship with America. Back in 60s,there was the famous airlift of Kenyans for scholarships organised by a very bright and gifted kenyan by the name Tom Mboya. That crop of kenyan students who studied in America then is still the cream of Who is Who in kenyan politics and top business personalities spanning across their filial generations. By sheer coincidence,the two main players in these airlifts-Tom Mboya and John F Kennedy were both asassinated at around the same time!
Then came the struggle for Multiparty democracy in KENYA in 1992. America through its very vocal kenyan ambassador by the name Hempstone was very instrumental in pushing this agenda through when the then regime had told kenyans that this kind of democracy will be suitable for Kenya in about a hundred years time! Hempstone and the rest of the world clearly said that the time was ripe then. This made kenyans adore the American stand on the issues of democracy although the incumbent regime won the disputed elections. Rigging was widely alleged to have helped the incumbent win.
Fast forward now to year 2000. Elections were held this time in America and there was protracted push and shove in Florida results. Kenyans were dismayed by this show of lack of clarity in declaring the results in a country that we looked upon to lead us forward in clear steps of our young democracy.
Unlike our big brother,we could only watch helplessly as America struggled with tenets of democracy.We learnt that democracy is not a game with very clear rules and even its best advocates still had some unresolved issues when results were close to call.
Then came our 2007 elections that every poll predicted that it will be very close to call as far as presidential results were concerned. All things being equal,we were sure that if something similar to the 2000 results in America happened,we would use their experience to resolve the issue and that was never to be and the cosequences were like no other in any of the past kenyan elections. But that is now water under the bridge.
The result was that all the presidential contenders bunched together to form a Grand coalition government,a new hybrid of democracy pushed by Americans and the West.
Some of us wondered why that was never the case in America in 2000 elections.
In the meantime,America was also holding its presidential campaign and all kenyan eyes were focussed on Democratic party nominations for obvious reasons; Obama against one Hillary Clinton.
And again what happened here? Nomination dragged on and on without a clue on who will concede defeat in the end. And then came the clincher that kenyans were waiting for! Hilary should concede on condition that Obama will nominate her for vice president-more like the Kenyan Grand coalition.
At last,Americans were going to learn this kind of hybrid democracy from the kenyan experience and as a bonus,our very own(?) son was going to be instrumental in initiating this kind of Grand coalition in America! Kenyans finally had something to teach Americans on rules of the game that they themselves had perfected-DEMOCRACY the kenyan style. In the end,Clinton conceded to the dismay of kenyans who were very eager to offer unsolicited help in this direction.
But hope for intervention still remained. By all indications,the presidential race between Obama and McCain was going to be a close call so there was still a chance for kenyans to export their Hybrid democracy to America. In case of very close call results,Kenyans would advise both McCain and Obama to form a Grand coalitio government the Kenyan style just the same way that they themselves advised kenyans to keep the country together. Polls enhanced this likelihood till the worst of economic woes since the great depression of 1920's befell America. But McCain just like Clinton before him fought on tooth and nail to ensure a close call.
Again,Kenyans were to be disappointed by McCain conceding defeat within minutes of the announced results! Though we reveled in the Obama win,we had hoped to make a longer lasting impact to American politics by exporting our Kenyan style Hybrid democracy at this historic time of American history that also relates to KENYA through President-elect,Barack Obama!
What is it that makes Americans concede defeat that easily? This is something else that kenyans should teach the Americans in as far as democracy and elections are concerned. You should never say it is over even when it is over!
In a way,this was a missed opportunity to forever shape American politics beyond Obama,s term! We had hoped to do more but we will settle for this! After all, a little disappointment is important in maintaining an even keel during heady celebrations!
As an aftèr thought,ive just remembered that we were able to export our Grand Coalition type of government to Zimbambwe but they are unáble to swallow it hook,bait and sinker! That is just a consolation.
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