As the ICC has dropped the charges against Kenya’s president-elect Uhuru Kenyatta, the world should help the country regain its political and economic stability.
Uhuru is the son of Kenya’s founding father, Jomo Kenyatta, who earlier this month won the presidential election. He managed to get over 50 percent of votes to avoid run-off and this augurs well for democracy and political stability in Kenya.
Since colonial days Kenya has been riddled with tribal and regional loyalties. Kenyatta belongs to the majority Kikuyu tribe, while his opponent Raila Odinga is from Luo tribe.
Democracy is not just who gets the qualifying votes, but it is a process that goes beyond elections and formation of government; as after that it involves both the government that administers the nation within all the stipulated checks and balances and the opposition that plays an equally important role in reminding the government of its omissions and commissions. This is besides the smooth running of the ever evolving several institutions that form the base of democracy like judiciary and civic administrations.
Other rich and developed countries mainly in the West and the Middle East are duty-bound too to see that Kenya is provided much needed economic aid; they must remember that if Kenya is unstable it will affect the whole region of East and Central Africa, including the Horn of Africa. — Seif A. Somalya, Jeddah
Kenya must look beyond the vote
