In a profound state of highly spiritual consciousness; actually a few degrees below transfiguration, St. Augustine yelled, "Give me chastity but not yet!!". In the Kenyan quest for peace, the relevance of such hesitation is outstandingly evident. In unison, we scream, "Give us peace but not yet!!". First we want to see either Raila or Kibaki as president. No peace until our dead and displaced are appeased. Peace is only possible after ancestral land in the Rift Valley is returned to its rightful owners. We want peace but only under a new constitution. Peace is PNU. Peace is ODM.
In the meantime, anarchy ensues. Whereas some IDPs are living in conditions much better than their previous polythene Mungiki-taxed slum dwellings, most are trying not to get used to the daily Red Cross food rations; they realize resettlement in the slum means three or four meals of squalor per week. At this juncture, one cannot fathom the number of dead denied a proper and decent burial. Reality suggests that nondescript mass graves will continue dotting the Kenyan landscape until we find justice and peace…in that order. Only in Kenya can justice be the stumbling block to peace.
Like most, I want to believe that Kenya will rise up from the smoldering chaos with unbridled thirst to regain its composure. I hope that the weeks of mayhem be viewed as a serious case of democratic hiccup and nothing more. Mwangi and Atieno will grow up together in Eldoret, go to school in Kakamega, marry in Kiambu, settle in Mwingi and buy land in Kisumu. All the while, Kipruto will be living it up in Muranga as Kalonzo sells honey in Kitale without fear or intimidation. The continuity of that Kenyan lifestyle must be a priority. That we have lost everything is not an understatement. That we refuse to remain in the same status need not be an overstatement.
Folks, we must demand our lives back. I think we all agree that it is indeed unpatriotic to want a government based on the current constitution and institutions; the dismantling and reconstruction of both must be expeditious. We must appreciate that on our plate is an opportunity to change this country forever i.e. begin on a clean slate. Citizens from both sides of the political divide have been martyred, let their blood not have spilt in vain. Let us choose peace but first satisfy all its preconditions. Let us resolve all these issues to finality. There's no other way out of this quagmire. The question on why the Finance ministry is represented by one tribe can never be answered by the quip that they are all qualified. The question on why a particular tribe was targeted during the height of the skirmishes can never be answered by the quip that it was only political. Someone must pay for all the businesses and homes burnt and looted. The police must be explain why they killed demonstrators. Rift Valley militias must tell us who owns them. Mungiki must face justice. Kenya has changed folks. Let us embrace this change.
Kibaki and Raila must not raise up their jointed hands in a show of political peace while Kipchumba and Kimani are still squabbling about the validity of title deeds.
Andy,
ReplyDeleteYou have said it best. We must reclaim our identity and our previous "Kenyanhood." Our current institutions must be overhauled. That overhaul, however, should not be dictated by our egoistic politicians. We the common men/women must claim our places individually. The train of Kenyans' destiny should not be guided by politicians alone. I'll encourage all 'Kumekuchans' to take personal responsibilities of initiating honest debates about the need for mutual existence. I have to confess that for a while, I swore that I would never mingle with a Kikuyu. But, now that I look at it, I realize how immature that decision was. This is in no way to ignore the injustices wrought by a stollen election. Yes, we must ask why just Kikuyus dominated the treasury when all Kenyans pay taxes. The talk about civil service reforms should recognize that Kenya is a multiethnic society and that all its bureaucracies should be reflective of its diversity. The stupid argument that "we are the most qualified" should cease completely. In fact, even the Ogieks have as many professionals as any other bigger community capable of staffing the entire treasury.
People have argued that tribe should not the basis for hiring in the civil, but I beg to disagree. To play the devil's advocate, tribe and merit must be made to be vital factors in staffing our bureaucracies. Departments within the treasury for example, should reflect the mosaic of our tribes. I refuse to accept the notion that everything to do with tribe is evil. We must strive to balance professionalism with tribalism.
Lastly, most Kumekuchans will agree with me, I guess, that tribalism by itself is not bad when it is used to reflect our diversity. But tribalism is only evil when we hide behind "professionalism" to deny other tribes their fair share. It may take us long, but I believe we'll all live together again.
Obuya.
Nice piece Andy but trust me if they read this they will go Wamalwa and ask for Any Capp and not the message. When you rope their literate foot soldiers, then you will have a mega mix of defenders answering simnple querries with tasteless questions believing that is playing LAWYER-SMART.
ReplyDeleteYou are dead right. Such oportunities never knosk on our doors twice. We can transform this crises into a predestal for trail blazing and propesrity. Lakini wapi. We are slaves to dinosaurs and their 1950's philosophy of trickle-down and we are ready to die being variabels of their outdated models.
Kenya can make history fro this morass. But do we have the mindset and strength to match the challenge? You gues right. Na bado.
Kalamari! Do you mean to tell us that you really don’t believe Mungiki is sponsored by the illegal government? Surely, Kalamari, think more or better than this. What justice are you talking about Sir/Madam? The lawyers and police are under the illegal government. Aren’t you realizing that time to equip and harm yourself is now? The illegal government is killing civilians and lawmakers alike and you are posting shit about mungiki facing the justice? Who will instill justice for god’s sake? Come on man!
ReplyDeleteOn the other hand, I will tell you this. The Rift Valley militias to which I will honestly join is in place to fight against the works of the illegal government. No soul is financing them. If there is any, please blame Mr. Museveni. Surely man, do you really need money to get a spear, bow and run? We have been so busy out here trading our cows with rifles not to kill any one but to own and take care of what we believe as our last resort to survival from the illegal and corrupt government. These are land and livestock. This is our backbone man. And if the illegal government is not going to distribute resources equally, we don’t see any need to live equally together. Proof us wrong.
easy rebel,hope for the best and pre for thr worst
ReplyDelete@ Rebel, you sound as if the violence is two days old. It's as if you are reacting from the first picture or video clip of a Kenyan being beheaded. My brother, we have become accustomed to the madness. Where have you been? While I understand your anger, it was my hope that weeks of bloodletting would bring you back to the Kenyan family. In reality, even the Mungiki adherents are Kenyan….Kenyan devils? Yes; but Kenyans all the same. The way forward is to request our brothers to disassociate from all militias. You need to simmer down. Do not join the militia.
ReplyDeleteAndy Capp. Are you handicapped mentally? You are calling for peace the same way Kibaki is doing. Remember that if a tree is illegally in ones home, every part of that tree including the roots is illegal. Some roots are in western Kenya. The injustices that we see here is not enough for you to tell us to recognize this Kibaki through his calling for peace. We are not saying militia work is the right way but at this point when inequality is in our face, we are only but saying that every man and every woman to check their roots. Presidency is nothing here, the injustices planted upon by this administration is just too unfair. Do you want us to quench off our warriors while Kibaki hasn’t said shit about his tribes mate who are getting guns from the police and are on a killing spree? Bullshit man! Send an email to setani Kibaki first. Soon as we here him condemn Mungiki, we will then be talking the same language.
ReplyDeleteDespite the huff, Rebel has a point. Really, why is everybody pointing at Ruto (without evidence) and never pointing a finger at the Mungiki.
ReplyDeleteNow rebel, cool down, and present your points calmly and cooly and you will be able to spread your message widely. You have a point, but it is being drowned by the temper. Cool down man,
@ Rebel. Your furious nature has not allowed you to digest the message in the post. Please grab a cold coke (not beer) then reread. I'm not calling for the pacification of a nation.
ReplyDeleteIn fact, I'm calling for the nation to address your list of venomous issues prior to declaring peace. As far as I'm concerned, no peace is possible without the appeasement of 'Rebel'.
As far as my actual handicap, well I'm very 'handy' and of course 'capped'.
Kibaki said yesterday that Kikuyus will be given money to rebuild and resettle.....does that mean the rest of Kenyans should stop paying tax?
ReplyDeleteIf the gvt attempts to resettle without addressing the land reform issue then there will be every justification for people taking the law into their own hands.They will solve the land problem with their only means.
Andy Capp…. We are reading from different scripts. The westerners are calling for justice while Kibaki’s group is calling for peace. I thought justice comes first then peace. I thought I heard some dreadlock guy sing a song that there is no peace without justice. I thought so. Let us not waste our times and energy for no reason. For us out here, no justice no peace
ReplyDeleteI’m now sober. Sorry I thought you were handicapped mentally but Jang’aa worked out fine though watu wamesima taa hapa. I might have been poisoned by a mungiki here.
Jang'aa? Sima taa? Illiterate bunch of Kalees!
ReplyDeleteanon@2:29 PM
ReplyDeleteIf you could not understand rebel's pun and street connectedness in that line you are the illiterate one. and for God's sake what is a 'bunch of Kalees?'
But, I can see a bigot who prefers to remain anonymous!
Anon @ 2:48. Thanks. Allow me get sober and then we can deal with this idiot anon @ 2:29 pm. When he comes out of the camp that he has been holed up for the last one month, we will surely teach him what it means to steal and consider others superior. Injustices that we see are spread by idiots likes this anon @ 2:29 and now a lot are suffering because of them.
ReplyDeleteRebel....Gosh sober up quickly so you can deal with this bigot
ReplyDeleteKalamari, Derek here. I have read that post and once again, I am obliged to comment on a good piece.
ReplyDeleteBut as you said...wait a moment!
Kalamari, I am not agiants any tribe settling anywhere in the country and I would have loved a situation where the Red Indians are not pushed to non-existence and the Celts mutate to Saxon or the Phonecians acquire a new meaning.
Kalamari, my worry and that of many people reading your post is the third para which I will comment on. while peace will come after you get your moment of bloodletting and uncontrolled wailing, gnashing of teeth, burnt offices, burnt buses, blocked roads and church-burning, just wonder why is the violence meted on other Kenyans by other Kenyans selective and very selective to be precise.
Only a cycle of vengeance that welcomed the bodybags in Nakuru, Naivasha and Nyahururu, made the whole country realise that we were headed for tough times.
Why was the violence hard-hitting in Kisumu and Eldoret and not in Garissa, where there is a genuine reason for an Al Qaeda or Gaza-like backlash. Why are the Meru and the larger Mt Kenya tribes in Kisii not affected in these regions that witnessed the GENOCIDE.
There is every genuine reason to attack the Asian communities in Nairobi, Mombasa and even Kisumu where they offer a lifeline to thousands. No one raised a panga to chop off an Indian's head in Eldoret and no one attacked a Yemeni (Washiris) in Mombasa.
The thing is and dont run away from the fact that "... NI ADUI...". Whether you wish it to go or not, it is the cause of all these arguments and the derision that has been witnessed in Kenya.
Forget about the politics for the time being. Early reports today indicate that the two parties have agreed not to re-count the votes, meaning that Mwai Kibaki will serve as president and nothing will happen to the Kenyan constitution with the polarised parliament that mirrors the polarised society that is the larger Kenya.
-Derek-
There will always be people who are more prosperous than others. People more clever than the rest. That is the way it is all over the world. In Europe, people from certain regions are usually clever, richer etc than folk from other regions.
ReplyDeleteUntil all tribes in Kenya accept the fact that we kikuyus are superior and endowed with in-born business minds, there will be no solution. It is just in us that we can lead better, make more money than other tribes, etc. The other tribes should be grateful for our hard work because the taxes we pay to the government benefits all tribes. I think it is really high time we should be honest and give Kikuyus the recognition they deserve. I am not a kikuyu but I think kyuks are superior than all the other tribes in Kenya. And yes, Kibaki won and will be the president for the next 5 years. Whether you like it or not! Uta do????
anon@9:13am..I think you should be one of the beneficiries of the free secondary education that is being espoused by your 'duly elected president(read MP from Othaya). In your third line, second paragraph (if you know what that is) you write, "Until all tribes in Kenya accept the fact that we kikuyus" and the second to last line line, " am not a kikuyu but I think kyuks are superior ",...wonder whether the sentiments were from one and the same, go figure, split personality maybe, can't tell left from right.
ReplyDelete