Military chief gagged no one from speaking against government

Chief of Defence Forces (CDF) General Charles Kahariri’s recent statement has caused a great furore. A section of the country’s political elite has castigated him for, ostensibly, dabbling in politics.

It is publicly acknowledged, even by the most astringent detractors of the government, that the affairs of the military have been conducted with utmost professionalism. This is unlike other nations on the continent that have suffered the overthrow of civilian governments through military coups.

A perusal of the CDF’s speech reveals it to be a substantiation of banalities. Yet it has gotten some politicians frothing at the mouth. Some claim that the General has departed from tradition by commenting on matters that are beyond the remit of the military. Others see deeper nuances in what passes for hackneyed truths, reading them to be subtle threats against the exercise of fundamental rights and liberties.

There are some observations that reveal the consternation over the CDF’s statement to be perhaps too much ado about nothing. The first of these is the wording. As mentioned earlier, the CDF spoke the obvious. He reiterated the fact that the military was apolitical, duty-bound to “defend the Constitution and the government of the day duly elected by the people."

Second is the context within which the speech happened. The CDF did not make his pronouncements at a political rally. He spoke under the auspices of the National Intelligence and Research University in Nairobi. This podium is modelled after great military academies, like Sandhurst in the UK and West Point in the US, and centres Kenya’s military in intelligentsia. It helps to develop it by involvement in sorely needed intellectual discourse so that it is not merely composed of “boots on the ground” without awareness of the world around it.

“Must go” cries

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Third, the statement puts to an end all fears of the military’s wish to be involved in the leadership of the country. Former Prime Minister Raila Odinga recently made statements to the effect that last year, “Kenya was on the verge of military rule were it not for his intervention.” The Ministry of Defence has refuted this in a statement saying, "The Kenya Defence Force remains committed to its constitutional mandate and has no involvement in political affairs.”

Fourth, the CDF has not gagged anyone from speaking against current leadership. He has not stopped any “must go” cries. He merely says that the same “must be done according to the Constitution. It is instructive that “must go” chants are not novel. They are not a creation of the Gen Z revolt that rocked the country last year.

Every leader from independence has been subjected to “must go” cries. And such cries are normal in a post-pandemic world characterised by high cost of living and elevated levels of unemployment in a restive youth bulge. They are not the preserve of Kenya.

Under such circumstances, a groundswell of discontent is inevitable. It could potentially find expression in avenues that are inimical to the well-being of the country. It is within the ambit of the CDF to warn of such perils. In fact, he would be remiss to be seized of such knowledge and not speak out.

Mr Khafafa is a public policy analyst