Internal Security Cabinet Secretary, Dr Fred Matiang’i. PHOTO/COURTESY
By DONALD B. KIPKORIR
newsdesk@reporter.co.ke
We have many common friends and thus my choice not to have criticized your leadership style. But I also out of own style of engagement, don’t personalize criticism.
I critique systemic and institutional problems. But the killings today in Bondo of unarmed demonstrators, beating up of a pregnant woman going to her business and throwing tear gas into a kindergarten broke my heart.
Being our Minister for Internal Security in addition to being Minister for Education may have bloated your ego. Many of your Cabinet colleagues are either my clients and or friends. They tell me they call you out of sarcasm Super Minister and that you strut to Cabinet Meetings with near condescending attitude to them.
Lawyer Donald Kipkorir. PHOTO/FACEBOOK
Anyway, what Police is doing under your watch is deeply regrettable. You maybe a Jubilee Super Minister, but all including yourself are under the Constitution.
The Police cannot be going to Luo inhabited areas in Kisumu and Nairobi as though they are going to Boni Forest in Lamu. You can’t restrict NASA demonstrations that are lawful, but allow Mungiki calling themselves Nairobi Business Community to counter protest without license. Don’t do tribal profiling of the application of the law.
For now, power may blind you to believe that it is permanent. Calling NASA leaders all kind of derogatory names, withdrawing their security, threatening them with arrest or not being bothered when University students are being raped and nursery students tear gassed may look romantic to you for now, but power is always temporary no matter how powerful and seductive.
And History will show you that across all Empires and even in the Bible, those that rose so high fell so hard. We have a Constitution, respect it.
Apply it equally to all and across all Parties. You cannot derogate the Constitution by ordinary legislation or Regulations. Public Security Order is inferior to the Constitution.
Exercise your power but within the Constitution. And remember, History records all. And time doesn’t run against crimes committed by those in power. And you will not plead superior command.
The law catches up even in the sunset of your life. Stay advised. Sycophants don’t last.
