The political drama thickens as we draw closer to December polls. Ours is real theatre of the absurd politically speaking. Being no game and bereft of all rules, our politics has fallen to its record low. Yesterday’s sworn enemies are now bosom buddies rehearsing their scripts on how best to steal Kenyans’ votes under false and plastic promises albeit packaged in grandiose schemes.
When you see past known looters crafting new alliance with their successors, you know elections are nigh in Kenya. Fear of the unknown and a collective phobia sums it all. As we watch the political theatre, these two dinosaurs will continue holding the remote. We enjoy the actions oblivious of the fact that other interesting channels exist.Our national psyche is enslaved to the so-called tried and tested.
We Kenyans easily get intimidated with age. Some even shamelessly justify such shortcomings by quoting Wahenga who are just but waropokaji hiding under cluster of words (sayings) designed to suit every situation, often conflicting.
Emilio and Moi are now the best of friends like the embarrassment of December 2002 happened in Mars and not Kenya. Make no mistake politics is about playing it selfish under the cover of hollow objectivity. While Baba Jimmy stears the ship to nostalgic waters, Baba Gidi dreads anything abstract or revolutionary. And that provides the hip at which these expired politicians get joined. Kenya's present tokenism economic growth amounts to schooled slavery to the past glory of 1970s as practiced by the present regime.
It will take our national resolve, collective revolutionary mind and heart to wean and win Kenyans out of tokenism and sectarian loyalties. Save for few exceptional CEOs, Kenya's economic glitterati owe all their ill-gotten wealth to politicians. That is why only politics and religion witnesses growth even in gloomy periods. The common thread in both practices is to make people's mind take leave of absence from the brain and instead engage full gear of emotions.
You close your eyes, speak in foreign tongues and shout amen at the drop of a hat. In the process your rumbling stomach is accusing you of being irrational to give out your Ksh. 100 to a gold-bedecked Muiru/Wanjiru. In the end you go back to the office full on air burgers, yawning and defrauding the govt/employer with your sub-optimal output.
Swap the preacher with the politicians and get the true picture. We are in for nasty times and only we can save ourselves, but can we and are we ready for the long haul? You guess right. Meanwhile the flames continue to consume Kenya. Who will save Kenya from her own vultures like the goons they hire to cheat us on hating each other?
Until we chose to think outside the box, we remain boxed and wrapped ready for shipping to political Siberia.
Wednesday, 25 July 2007
Thursday, 19 April 2007
Pulpit to Parliament: The Floodgates to Hell
It is all systems go as Kenyan men and women of the collar outdo each other in the mad rush into the murky waters of politics. The present scenario has proved a godsend opportunity in unmasking the plastic philanthropic posturing and religious tokenism from these pseudo shepherds.
It is one thing to have the luxury of spew opinionated sermons from the sanctity of the pulpit without any criticism. On the other hand, the political world is a different kettle of fish where the immunity offered by the pulpit is nothing but a rumour. A thick skin to stinging criticism is a must to stay a float in the political marsh.
The thin-veiled selfishness hidden under overt commercial considerations couldn't have provided rich fodder for potential political opponents. As the adage goes, the good deeds are interred with your exit from the pulpit and only your nasty side becomes your permanent shadow haunting every move you make.
Church must have known better the wisdom in perfecting the call of seek ye the economic kingdom first and the rest shall follow. After ripping their vulnerable congregations for years, it appears timely to invest in the only profession were serving selfish personal interest remains the roadmap to prosperity. It is harvest time for the enterprising prophets and prophetesses after cleverly tricking gullible Kenyans to sow faithfully for years.
Their blings and trademark garments would make the Arturs look like experts in Mutumab camera shoppers at Gikomba. The eloquent kings and queens of the pulpit can afford to shout themselves hoarse while permuting very few biblically catchy phrases. And before the hallucinated crowd shouts amen in unison, they find themselves religiously digging deeper in their pockets and purses for the last note (no coins please) to reward using the hot air with the speaker now foaming at the mouth.
It is now time to raise the stakes and the self-proclaimed servants of God, have a higher calling. Being neither foolish not geniuses, they expect nothing but unadulterated transfer of loyalty from the church to the political platform and into the voting booth.
Make no mistake, the Muirus, Wanjirus and Musyimis of these world are not naïve and they know grab the first opportunity when they see one beckoning miles away. Granted, they have all the constitutional right to seek any elective post in Kenya. But that said, they must be prepared to have their acts under the most powerful microscope once out there. There is no free lunch and theirs is a true baptism with fire.
To give credit where it is due, some of these collar men (no known woman) played a significant opposition role to Moi's dark era. Their courage and charisma is an asset to very few and stood tall. However, some of them can escape the scrutiny radar. Their consistency in being watchdogs has been left wanting since 2003, to say the least.
To feather their nests and make optimal political capital under the hallowed cover of the church, they have unwittingly pierced their moral balloons by supping with politicians. In accepting to serve two masters (church and politics) they have literally spread themselves too and the focus for the wide good lost in the process as evident in their occasional shameless pandering to the whims of the ruling elite. An example to demonstrate this is Rev. Musyimi and his role in the (anti)corruption steering committee. Call it what you may but his committee is a political appointment with nothing to show for it despite the obscene budget.
True, we need a break from the tired and tested political lot and if Mutava can breathe new lease of life into our leadership then why not. But the caveat remains his reasons for joining politics must be objective and above reproach. But Rev Mutava and his ilk are merely joining the ranks of other self-seekers with the belief in being rewarded for fighting injustice then the good people of God are playing Russian roulette with their morals and integrity that was painstakingly built over the years.
We maybe headed to either the political Canaan or abyss depending on what these political aspirants have up their sleeves. We only overlook the corrupt nature of our politics at our collective national peril. On an optimistic note we must start from somewhere and can only remain vigilant with our eyes wide open and ears firmly on the ground to see what change they bring to the political table. Kenyans may be just producing saviours or political mercenaries depending on what these aspirants’ political entry points are anchored on.
It is one thing to have the luxury of spew opinionated sermons from the sanctity of the pulpit without any criticism. On the other hand, the political world is a different kettle of fish where the immunity offered by the pulpit is nothing but a rumour. A thick skin to stinging criticism is a must to stay a float in the political marsh.
The thin-veiled selfishness hidden under overt commercial considerations couldn't have provided rich fodder for potential political opponents. As the adage goes, the good deeds are interred with your exit from the pulpit and only your nasty side becomes your permanent shadow haunting every move you make.
Church must have known better the wisdom in perfecting the call of seek ye the economic kingdom first and the rest shall follow. After ripping their vulnerable congregations for years, it appears timely to invest in the only profession were serving selfish personal interest remains the roadmap to prosperity. It is harvest time for the enterprising prophets and prophetesses after cleverly tricking gullible Kenyans to sow faithfully for years.
Their blings and trademark garments would make the Arturs look like experts in Mutumab camera shoppers at Gikomba. The eloquent kings and queens of the pulpit can afford to shout themselves hoarse while permuting very few biblically catchy phrases. And before the hallucinated crowd shouts amen in unison, they find themselves religiously digging deeper in their pockets and purses for the last note (no coins please) to reward using the hot air with the speaker now foaming at the mouth.
It is now time to raise the stakes and the self-proclaimed servants of God, have a higher calling. Being neither foolish not geniuses, they expect nothing but unadulterated transfer of loyalty from the church to the political platform and into the voting booth.
Make no mistake, the Muirus, Wanjirus and Musyimis of these world are not naïve and they know grab the first opportunity when they see one beckoning miles away. Granted, they have all the constitutional right to seek any elective post in Kenya. But that said, they must be prepared to have their acts under the most powerful microscope once out there. There is no free lunch and theirs is a true baptism with fire.
To give credit where it is due, some of these collar men (no known woman) played a significant opposition role to Moi's dark era. Their courage and charisma is an asset to very few and stood tall. However, some of them can escape the scrutiny radar. Their consistency in being watchdogs has been left wanting since 2003, to say the least.
To feather their nests and make optimal political capital under the hallowed cover of the church, they have unwittingly pierced their moral balloons by supping with politicians. In accepting to serve two masters (church and politics) they have literally spread themselves too and the focus for the wide good lost in the process as evident in their occasional shameless pandering to the whims of the ruling elite. An example to demonstrate this is Rev. Musyimi and his role in the (anti)corruption steering committee. Call it what you may but his committee is a political appointment with nothing to show for it despite the obscene budget.
True, we need a break from the tired and tested political lot and if Mutava can breathe new lease of life into our leadership then why not. But the caveat remains his reasons for joining politics must be objective and above reproach. But Rev Mutava and his ilk are merely joining the ranks of other self-seekers with the belief in being rewarded for fighting injustice then the good people of God are playing Russian roulette with their morals and integrity that was painstakingly built over the years.
We maybe headed to either the political Canaan or abyss depending on what these political aspirants have up their sleeves. We only overlook the corrupt nature of our politics at our collective national peril. On an optimistic note we must start from somewhere and can only remain vigilant with our eyes wide open and ears firmly on the ground to see what change they bring to the political table. Kenyans may be just producing saviours or political mercenaries depending on what these aspirants’ political entry points are anchored on.
Thursday, 12 April 2007
Conspiracy To Kill Your Mother and Sisters
Some traditions and stereotypes won’t just go away no matter our exposure and education. The race and struggle to have a son and belittle daughters is as old as any African tradition you can think of. Forget the status in society and even education or religious standing, every family stands on a quicksand with a boy to baptize their names as mama or baba so-and-so.
Make no mistake, it is not just the African man who considers himself incomplete without a son to call his own. Women go over the top and in some communities it is even and acceptable sin to ‘browse’ outside the family for the right man capable of siring a son if the wife doubts her husband’s genes.
I will stick my neck and play the devil's advocate on behalf of my dear sisters. They are simply being real and African by struggling to measure and satisfy communal pressures. As for my brothers, it boils down to ego trips given that most of them have nothing to bequeath their so called heirs besides poverty in abundance.
Nothing could be further from the truth. What makes you think that the collagemate who used to beat you hands down all over sudden becomes a dimwit once you 'trick' her into marriage. And by the way if marriage is the principal cause of divorce then men are the principal causes and sources of all the turmoil in this planet.
And there lies our problems as a people. We are often slaves to our village roots despite exposure in life, unfortunately. A child is a child is a child. And trust me on this: (African) men address their insecurity by claiming to be superior to their women to sooth their bloated egos in justifying the mad race and rush for sons while treating daughters as lesser mortals.
We are shameless pretenders who create the impression that all is good in our houses and even when we are hitting the floor of the emotional pit. Now this is acidic bothers and please don't lynch me for saying the truth. I am sure to stir the hornet's nest. Emotions change with time and as the epidemiologist and statistician will tell you its one variable that is heterogeneous. So to stick to your old flame and emotional beliefs which you have definitely outgrown is to get stuck in a time warp.
The remedy? Be creative and as a software update your emotions and invest in your love life. If all fails, why not divorce officially. Hold your horse with tirades and save me the obtuse pretence. Marriage the singular cause of divorce so once married, divorce graces the other side of the coin.
That is not western brainwashing. And by the way, don't we live like them shamelessly borrowing their 'civilized' traits and only selectively trashing them when it serves our bloated egos? This is not playing the devils advocates and my brothers must see marriage for the institution that it is and not a factory for kids who end up being the necessary devils cropping out as biological accidents from our acts of being athletic around the waist.
Invest in your love life and reap the accruing dividends or perish emotionally as you cling to the empty and elusive shell of yore. Marriage and love life must be treated as dynamics otherwise you only reap the barbs and bitterness that will only drive you prematurely into your grave. Our sisters deserve better and they remain the only spices in our otherwise dull lives.
Make no mistake, it is not just the African man who considers himself incomplete without a son to call his own. Women go over the top and in some communities it is even and acceptable sin to ‘browse’ outside the family for the right man capable of siring a son if the wife doubts her husband’s genes.
I will stick my neck and play the devil's advocate on behalf of my dear sisters. They are simply being real and African by struggling to measure and satisfy communal pressures. As for my brothers, it boils down to ego trips given that most of them have nothing to bequeath their so called heirs besides poverty in abundance.
Nothing could be further from the truth. What makes you think that the collagemate who used to beat you hands down all over sudden becomes a dimwit once you 'trick' her into marriage. And by the way if marriage is the principal cause of divorce then men are the principal causes and sources of all the turmoil in this planet.
And there lies our problems as a people. We are often slaves to our village roots despite exposure in life, unfortunately. A child is a child is a child. And trust me on this: (African) men address their insecurity by claiming to be superior to their women to sooth their bloated egos in justifying the mad race and rush for sons while treating daughters as lesser mortals.
We are shameless pretenders who create the impression that all is good in our houses and even when we are hitting the floor of the emotional pit. Now this is acidic bothers and please don't lynch me for saying the truth. I am sure to stir the hornet's nest. Emotions change with time and as the epidemiologist and statistician will tell you its one variable that is heterogeneous. So to stick to your old flame and emotional beliefs which you have definitely outgrown is to get stuck in a time warp.
The remedy? Be creative and as a software update your emotions and invest in your love life. If all fails, why not divorce officially. Hold your horse with tirades and save me the obtuse pretence. Marriage the singular cause of divorce so once married, divorce graces the other side of the coin.
That is not western brainwashing. And by the way, don't we live like them shamelessly borrowing their 'civilized' traits and only selectively trashing them when it serves our bloated egos? This is not playing the devils advocates and my brothers must see marriage for the institution that it is and not a factory for kids who end up being the necessary devils cropping out as biological accidents from our acts of being athletic around the waist.
Invest in your love life and reap the accruing dividends or perish emotionally as you cling to the empty and elusive shell of yore. Marriage and love life must be treated as dynamics otherwise you only reap the barbs and bitterness that will only drive you prematurely into your grave. Our sisters deserve better and they remain the only spices in our otherwise dull lives.
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