In military war, it is illegal to continue engaging soldiers from the enemy camp after they have thrown down their weapons and offered to surrender.
The argument behind this, is that once the enemy surrenders to you, they are under your full control.
Similarly, it is foolhardy to continue being angry with someone who has realized and owned up to their mistakes and apologized to you unreservedly.
But it is even more baffling if the person who continues the war is not the one who had been offended in the first place.
Unfortunately, this is the situation in Mt Kenya currently where some leaders aligned to President Uhuru Kenyatta want to escalate attacks on Gatundu South MP Moses Kuria even after he offered 'unreserved' apology to the president on Thursday.
But as if this was not enough, Kirinyaga, Nyandarua and Meru governors Ann Waiguru, Francis Kimemia and Kiraitu Murungi respectively, on Friday called a press conference to condemn Kuria's New Year's Eve utterances that have seen Mt Kenya politics reach melting point in the last two weeks.
And Kuria being the villain here, this did not miss his eyes.
"To fellow leaders in Mt Kenya region. On Thursday 10th January I issued a statement and appealed we now stop this debate and go work for our people. Yesterday some were still continuing with this escalation. More press conferences and personalized attacks will not help our people. Stop it please,” Kuria wrote on his Facebook page.
But are these 'personalized attacks' on Kuria about to end any time soon? The answer, it seems, is no and here is why:
1. It is time to catch the president's eye
If you are a leader who since you were elected into office you have done nothing remarkable for your electorates to warrant the president's attention, this is a moment to attract his attention.
2. To divert attention
It is an open secret that some of these Mt Kenya leaders lamenting so loudly, than Uhuru himself, are yet to deliver on most of their campaign promises almost two years after the election.
So, why not keep their electorates engaged in some useless debate as they try to keep their houses in order?
3. Busy bodies
The only reason that an elected leader would at the beginning of a new year spend all their time shuffling from one presser to another ranting and offering unsolicited defence could only be because they have no agenda for their electorates. Or do they?