Understanding Kenya's political landscape goes beyond the surface-level battles between individuals and parties. To truly comprehend the country's position in the world, it's imperative to grasp the global economic, social, and political upheavals.
Only then can we see that the current political deadlock extends far beyond the figures of Ruto and Raila. These leaders are but pawns in the face of the global crises that loom larger.
A Global Paradigm Shift
Objective analysis reveals that seismic shifts in the global sphere, driven by events like the financial crises, COVID-19, the Ukrainian conflict, and currency instability, have catalyzed a new international order.
The unipolar world of the past is evolving into a multipolar landscape, inevitably impacting Kenya, Africa, and the Global South.
At the heart of Kenya's current scenario lies the Finance Bill/Act 2023 and the escalating powers of the Ruto government.
On top of these domestic factors, external forces like the United States and the European Union are pushing Kenya to relinquish its political and economic autonomy.
Negotiations for the Strategic Trade and Investment Partnership (STIP) exemplify this pressure, urging Kenya to acquiesce without meaningful local discourse, even sidelining key stakeholders.
Challenges to Kenyan Sovereignty
While US and EU interests encroach on Kenya's sovereignty, both Ruto and Raila are entangled in a political spectacle, losing sight of the crucial issues at hand.
The STIP negotiations violate the Constitution of Kenya 2010 by sidelining Kenyan participation, effectively undermining the principles enshrined in it.
Yet, despite being aware of this, neither leader addresses or mobilizes Kenyans about the STIP.
The rise of computational counterinsurgency, reliant on social media control, is evident in the threats issued by the Director of Criminal Investigations (DCI) about online activities.
Notably, these coincide with the presence of the US STIP delegation, hinting at a pushback against Kenya's transformative constitution by external interests.
The Power Dynamics
The involvement of Silicon Valley's tech giants in STIP negotiations, combined with the deployment of Senator Chris Coons by the Biden administration, underscores the US's keen interest in Kenya's compliance with its security agenda.
Western European countries align with these interests, further pressuring Kenya's independence. It's a phenomenon mirrored across the Global South, with STIP reflecting US military interests, including its cyber conflicts with China.
Beyond Ruto and Raila
The call for dialogue between Ruto and Raila is limited, failing to encompass the broader concerns facing Kenyans.
Poverty, inequality, investment agreements, sovereign debt, capital flight, billionaire tax evasion, corruption, and resource mismanagement are left unaddressed by political parties.
The need for a different dialogue emerges—one among the people, free from political leaders, to salvage the nation.
A Sovereign People's Convention
The moment demands a people-to-people dialogue that transcends political divisions.
It necessitates a withdrawal of sovereign power from political leaders and the formation of a robust civil society.
Kenyan youth, women, workers, farmers, and intellectuals must unite to discuss the nation's future, acknowledging that neither faction can lead the nation toward the envisioned new Kenya.
The original version of this article was written by Dr Willy Mutunga & published on the Elephant on August 7, 2023.