Kenya's Democratic Monarchies

"The surface of American Society is covered with a layer of democratic paint, but from time to time, one can see the old aristocratic colours breaking through" ~ Alexis de Tocquevile

The Kethi Kilonzo issue has raised many questions among Kenyans. Is she eligible to run for the senate seat left vacant after her father's untimely demise? Is she a registered voter? How did she get a voter's registration slip that is claimed to have been stolen from the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC)? If she loses the ongoing petition at the High Court, will she still be allowed to continue in her legal practice? Was Kethi compelled by mysterious political forces to run for a position that she never wanted?

So many questions....and the Attache's desk would like to add one more to the fold. One more perspective that is always in the minds of Kenya but goes seemingly unaddressed. The question....why was it Kethi Kilonzo, the daughter of the Late senator, who was automatically nominated to succeed her father in the Senate. Why not someone else from the countless eligible politicians in Makueni County. Why a green-horn with little experience in politics? I put it to you that Kenya's form of democracy can be referred as a "Democratic Monarchy". The reason that it was Kethi Kilonzo, and no one else, is that Kethi Kilonzo is the Late Senator's daughter. 

A Democratic Monarchy may be described as a system of politics where the principles and processes of democracy are applied to enforce an underlying aristocratic system. This means that once an elective position is vacated by reason of death or any other reason, the person who takes over that position is likely to be a close relative of the previous holder. This is very much similar to a monarchy where the King or Queen is succeeded by the crown prince or princess or brother or sister or other close relative.Further, the electioneering process that follows, such as voting, is simply a confirmation of that the crown prince is now the new King. 

The Kethi Kilonzo case is not unique in the Kenyan experience. Strangely, or not, the two front runners in the 2013 presidential elections can be considered to be the crown princes of Kenya. Uhuru Kenayatta is the son of Kenya's first president, Mzee Jommo Kenyatta while the former Prime Minister is the son of the Late Jaramogi Oginga Odinga who was the first Vice president. The legendary political battles of their fathers was repeated again almost 50 years later.

We also have Musalia Mudavadi (former vice-president and presidential candidate), son to the late Moses Mudavadi. Eugene Wamalwa is another who succeeded his late brother Kijana Wamalwa. The Democratic Monarchy also extends to wives. The late Kijana Wamalwa's wife served as a diplomat for several years. After the death of Kipkalia Kones, his wife 'inherited' his position, of course after some elections were held. The Moi family also has Gideon and Jonathan Moi in elective positions. These are the sons of retired President Moi. The list is actually quite extensive,and is continuing into a new generation of politicians. For example, the son of former Minister Henry Kosgey is in an elective position. It is interesting to note that these types of aristocracies also exist world-wide. For example, the Kennedy and Bush families can be considered as American royalty.

This is not a critique of this system of democracy. It is simply and attempt to highlight its existence. This system of politics where elective positions are inherited within certain political dynaties may arise due to a number of reasons. Perhaps subsequent generations in political families have pre-existing advantages and political machineries at their disposal. It could be that the children want to emulate their fathers and go in the family business. This system could also be a remnant from the pre-colonial era of tribal chiefs. Perhaps we are fond of legacies because they remind us of the familiar. 

Whatever the cause, this is definitely a reality of Kenyan politics.Good or bad. It is not a far cry to imagine that President Uhuru Kenyatta's son may one day be the president himself. None of these elected leaders are forced on us. We love to lift them high. They are our Kings and Queens. Perhaps the days of the monarchies of the world are not gone. Perhaps aristocracies simply disguised themselves in a form that we are willing to accept. Perhaps they simply allowed us an opportunity to feel as though we were participating in choosing our governors through the ballot. 

The King is dead. Long live the King

The Arab Winter Addendum: This Is Not A Coup.

'What's in a name? that which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet' ~ Juliet.
Romeo & Juliet, Shakespeare 

The Arab Winter came sooner than anticipated.The military in Egypt removed President Morsi via decree and placed him under house arrest....but this is NOT a coup....or is it?

The Morsi government, that was less than a year old, was accused of, among other issues, of the politicization of Islam through the Muslim brotherhood. However, it is important to understand that due to the suppression of political movements in the Mubarak era, religious movements were the only outlet available for societal organization. It was therefore inevitable that these religious movements were the most organized groups and were in a position to be politically dominant in a post-Mubarak era. Despite the opposition to the Muslim Brotherhood and its governance systems, they were indeed a democratically elected government and the removal of such a Government by a military decree is a cause for concern.

The issue of coup or no coup is on the lips of every political analyst out there. Some argue that the ouster of the Morsi government by the military was not coup because it was the result of popular protests. That the military was only acting to defend the democratic rights of the people and therefore this was not a power-grab. Others argue that a coup by any other name, is still a coup. This school of thought suggests that no matter the backdrop of  coup, the removal of an elected official remains a coup and therefore what is happening in Egypt is indeed a coup.

Coup or not, the actions of the military have offered an insight into the inner power structures of the Egyptian government. The core function of military around the world is to secure the nation from external threats. The military does not have a mandate to interfere in domestic politics in the name of securing the the democratic rights of the citizens. As was stated before in 'The Arab Winter', a dangerous precedent is being set in Egypt. This precedent is now extended further to the intervention of the military in domestic politics. It's also critical to remember that there were also pro-Morsi protesters in Egypt. It's interesting to ponder the criteria that the military used to choose one group's democratic rights over the other group. It's also interesting to note the amount of 'power' or 'sway' that the Egyptian military holds, even in the shadows. Enough to remove a president by decree.

Looking ahead, one cannot help but consider when the next protests in Tahrir square will arise. The ‘Revolution-Reloaded’ has yielded the fall of Morsi and the rise of military rule. Or should that be the return of military rule? Perhaps it never left. What kind of obstacles would the next round of protesters face? The ouster of Morsi’s civilian government has cost lives in their tens. How many lives does Egypt stand to lose in a would-be attempt to remove a military government? And when can the world expect an end to this cycle of governments and protesters?

The Arab Winter

'Winter is Coming' ~ Lord Eddard Stark - Game of Thrones

Spring is elation. The growth of new things. But spring ends...and the long winter is never too far away. And for Egypt, Winter is Coming. 

The Arab Spring brought hope for democracy in North-Africa and the Middle-East after a long period of autocratic rule. However, the initial joy of spring is giving way to the harsh realities of winter. In Egypt specifically, the people have returned to the square they made famous after the topple of Hossni Mubarak. This time, they want President Morsi out.

Of concern to this desk is the seeming erosion of one of democracy's guiding principles that dictate that governments should be legitimately replaced through the ballot. The view from the Attache's desk is disconcerting because a dangerous precedent is being set in Egypt. The pattern that is developing is that if the citizenry is dissatisfied with the policies of a government, the best solution is to go to the streets. What's worrying is that it actually seems to work. The question is where, if at, will this cycle of installation and removal of governments end?  

The concern is that just as there was a 'domino effect' in the Arab spring, where one governments fall was followed by another, we might see a similar domino effect in the Arab Winter. This is whereby, the people's of the Arab spring who are dissatisfied with the quality and pace of the outcomes of the revolution return to the streets and oust the governments that they put in place.

Democracy is a slow and arduous process that is often times punctuated with alternating seasons of calm and violence. America and France, which are considered as some of the foremost democracies in the world have also suffered periods of democratic winter. America suffered the civil war after gaining its independence while France suffered the Reign of Terror, in which 20,000-40,000 people were executed for 'counterrevolutionary' activities. 

The question that therefore arises is whether the current actions of the people of Egypt are simply a speed-bump on the road to democracy, or a dangerous precedent that should be of concern to the world. Another pertinent question that needs to be addressed is whether the people in Tahrir square are a true representation of the entirety of the Egyptian population? and therefore are their calls for Morsi to step down legitimate?

As always, the Attache remains at his desk, watching and contemplating the seasons of democracy. Winter is coming......but is it here to stay?