Somewhere in the up-market Nyali residential area of Mombasa, is a smart and yet huge residential home belonging to a Kenyan who likes to keep a low profile. It is whispered in the neighborhood that workers frequently leave after only a short time in employment. They complain that the bad tempered employer often scares them by threatening to kill them whenever they make a small mistake in the course of their work in the house.
The name of the foul-tempered employer is James Mungai. Some of the older residents in the area know only too well, who James Mungai is. Or rather who he was.
This man was once one of the most powerful men in the land. Yet he was only an assistant commissioner of police in charge of Rift Valley province during the Kenyatta administration. He was rumoured to have been related in some way to President Kenyatta. His arrogance was legendary. He would keep traffic held up for hours on end as his crossed a busy highway riding on a horse.
James Mungai made the life of one Daniel Arap Moi (then vice president) hell. It is said that once when Moi arrived from a foreign trip, he insisted on searching the Vice President for "concealed weapons” he had brought into the country. The search called for the then VP to strip naked and bend over (I kid you not). Little wonder that Mungai fled the country when Moi took over power after the death of President Kenyatta in 1978. He later returned and after being briefly held, was released. Whatever people want to say about Moi, the former president has a big heart to have forgiven Mungai for the terrible things the man did to him.
This was the kind of behaviour going on in Kenya when Charles Njonjo was the powerful AG and a member of Kenyatta’s kitchen cabinet. Njonjo more than anybody else promoted the propaganda politics against the Luo community that promoted tribalism and kept Raila Odinga’s father, the late jaramogi Oginga Odinga from making a political come back shortly after the death of Kenyatta.
Charles Njonjo is the one who looked the other way as Mungai harassed the Vice President of the Republic Of Kenya. He looked the other way as massive landgrabbing and looting was carried out by those close to the centre of power.
How he can have the cheek to emerge from retirement to start talking about his concern for tribalism in the country is not only ridiculous but the stuff of dark comedy. What is Raila Odinga upto chasing after Njonjo? It is a well known fact that President Kibaki and Njonjo have never liked each other, so is Raila trying to goad the President?
Whatever the reason, Njonjo should shut up and be grateful that he is not in some prison for sins committed against the people of Kenya… at least not yet.
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See also Problem Tribes in Kenyan politics
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Njonjo is the same guy who once declared that it was an offence to imagine the death of the President; the same guy who was convicted of treasonand only spared by a Presidential pardon. But I don't see why you are surprised. After all NARC took out KANU led by the guy who pushed for adoption of the infamous Section 2A and who declared that attempting to remove KANU from power was like trying to "cut a Mugumo tree with a razor blade". He, in turn, is now opposed by a chap who once declared the rallies of the Mungano wa Mageuzi group "treasonable" and who once declared Kibaki to be "a President who sees ahead...not a tribalist but a visionary". Check out Foot-in-Mouth for more examples of our politicians talking through their asses.
ReplyDeleteI say!
ReplyDeletekikuyus are proud of themselves not like luos.Word of encouragement to my fellow kenyans is don't get ashamed to be aluo its a priviledge that one sh'd b grateful of what u r.
If ur nt proud of ur tribal name as in u'l go grater lengths to hide Akinyi azin such a beautiful name,hwow will anyother prsn love u!If u don't love yourself.For proof check out National Secondary Schools or even Universities they never lyk their middle names mentioned at any time.Why....