Mau Records: Uhuru and Ruto trampled Taskforce

By SYLVESTER OLUOCH
Published December 28, 2009

The Mau reclamation taskforce did a tremendous job in consolidating sensible proposal that blended compassion with due process. The team suggested squatters be resettled, whereas those who profited without consideration go without compensation. But parliamentary barter trade on Mau, and Aaron Ringera, then anti-corruption czar, killed the trance.

Findings by the Mau taskforce were that: some of the land allocations were done by people who did not have authority to allocate land; the allocations were mainly to people with political power or proximity to power in the 1990s; and that some allotments occurred in 2005.

The recommendations were followed by qualms and discontent from people with vested interests in the Mau. The time was opportune because Party of National Unity (PNU), was struggling to keep Ringera in office, amid public pressure that he steps down, on grounds that his appointment did not satisfy, or at least satisfice, procedural requirements.

Embolded, Uhuru Kenyatta – William Ruto union capitalized on the rebellion by a section of Rift Valley Members of Parliament, who were opposed to the implementation of the Mau taskforce recommendation. Mr Kenyatta’s group, forged an alliance of convenience with disgruntled Rift valley brigade led by Ruto, to save Ringera and defeat the taskforce recommendations through amendments. In this, the KKK (Kalenjin, Kikuyu, Kamba) alliance exhibited its true relevance, and purpose of self preservation and unconscionable insensitivity.

Turkana North MP Ekwe Ethuro moved an amendment motion proposing compensation for all land owners with title deeds.  Mutula Kilonzo, Mbooni MP,  Justice Minister, and legal advisor to the Moi family, supported the motion. In his words, “This is the time to follow the law.” What Kilonzo did not remember was that no law was followed during the obliteration of Mau.

A weak, but passionate debate ensured. Environment Minister and Kangema MP John Michuki was opposed to compensating individuals who acquired titles without financial consideration. That would be taking the Bunge too low, he argued. He pleaded with members to redeem the house by doing the right thing. Michuki expressed his displeasure at the dispensing with decent handling of Mau to save Ringera’s job.

Trade Minister and Kipipiri MP Amos Kimunya expressed concerns that the Mau amendments were nothing short of failure in leadership.

William Ole Ntimama, Narok North MP and Minister for National Heritage and Culture, questioned the rational behind compensating “any settler” with title, without testing their validity.

In his part, Prime Minister Raila Odinga told the house that making a blanket payment plan for Mau settlers, in the manner proposed by the amendment would “open a Pandora’s Box”.

On his account Belgut MP Charles Keter held that the sanctity of titles must be respected. He, however, failed to explain where such questionable titles drew their sanctity from.

Based on these records, we did not need those memo exchanges between Odinga and Kenyatta. The Mau-Ringera-barter meeting was done under the watch and participation of Kenyatta, and he confirmed the caucus “went very well”. True to his assertion, the amendments went through. However, the deal failed to secure Ringera’s job, because of public pressure.

These events indicate that both Kenyatta  and Ruto were signatories to the “do not compensate the squatters” school of thought. For the amendments they facilitated limit compensation to individuals with title deeds, but have nothing for squatters.

The double tragedy is that some of those parcels have double and triple allocations. The amendments were done for the good of the wealthy. It was like having a party with the wealthy in the guest list, and the poor in the menu – they just made the needy political fodder.

The record is as clear as it gets on rightness and political correctness. The records invalidate Kenyatta’s assertion that the compensation of the gods of greed was never discussed. Debate in Parliament is the apex of discussion, for it hugs the law. Odinga’s Memos contained nothing new. Rather it was a reiteration of records annexed with “political games” as his team put it.

Odinga failed to block this amendment. Perhaps he saw it coming, and let it roll on for political expediency, which is sad. Or he was not aware of the coalescing of the Ruto-Uhuru squads to defeat the noble ideas of the Mau detail. Odinga’s failure to secure troops to prevent this ungodly Mau payout demonstrates administrative ineffectiveness.

Opinion polls show that most Kenyans are opposed to this payout. So even if it be law unto itself, it deserves repeal. With the same haste that Mr Ethuro amended the recommendations, let somebody in Parliament amend the amendments – work out some way. The best thing this parliament can do is give a hand to the deserving, not a hand-out to the very spinners who weaved this web of deceit.

In sum, the KKK fundraiser and heckling was nothing but sham. The place they should have defended the afflicted was parliament, but they were busy working for the gods.

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