Sometimes the past is a good reference of what will happen
in the future. What has happened and is happening now in Tana River delta and
it's wet lands is a pointer to what may happen in future about land issues in
this country. It is a policy failure! Alienating local communities from
decision making regarding resources be it land, water, minerals etc. will
ultimately have dire consequences at the local level and nationally even
internationally. The Ormas and Pokomo have coexisted for many years with no major
problems. They are brothers and sisters each undertaking different economic
activity. But lo and behold when resources grabbing starts, all hell
breaks loose. The area becomes a slaughterhouse for human beings. Brothers and
sisters can no longer give each other a cup of tea leave a lone a glass of
water.
The reason for the current security quagmire in the area is
very well explained in the first paragraph of the paper's conclusion section 6.
The Minister of Internal Security and his Security team should refer to this
paper (and many others) to enable the team craft long lasting security measures
that will help sort out this very grave situation. What is happening is a
symptom, what is the trigger? This is a resource curse likely to degenerate to
the levels of DRC perennial internal fights in the future. It is likely to
spread to the whole country. God forbade what will happen when we start
exploiting oil commercially where the 'big' money is. It is obvious the local
communities did not invent the fights but the fights were taken to them.
To what extent does the New Constitution address the land
issues and how practical is it considering what is currently happening with
other sections of the Constitution? The beneficiaries of the land allocation
should also be involved in providing solutions to the crisis. Or should we
sacrifice our nation at the altar of capitalism? Why are the presidential
aspirants not telling us about the specific steps they will take to ensure the
security of this country both internal and external is maintained. Saying they
will address security issues is empty rhetoric, mere side-road politics- we
need specifics. Security of our people is not politics it is about the
life of every Kenyan and the very survival of this great nation. The future of
this great country is in our hands as Kenyans. God bless our country.
Courtesy Katiba Forum - Jukwaa la katiba
