Monday, January 12, 2009

So You Think You Are A Failure?

Before his election to the presidency at age 51, Abraham Lincoln had eight times lost lower office elections. He was miraculously elected to the Illinois State Legislature at age 25 but was out of a job within a year. In fact his only other notable political success came at the age of 37 when he won a congressional seat by a razor thin margin. That was characteristically followed by a resounding defeat at his reelection two years later. You see, this man was not only a bona fide political failure but also a businessman of magnificent losses. To fortify his miserable credentials, the chap became a card carrying permanent resident of a mental hospital at the age of 27; this after suffering a nervous breakdown following the untimely demise of his sweetheart.

So what does Lincoln do with his shabby life? Well, after special prayers, the man wins the presidency and introduces measures that result in the abolition of slavery. He then successfully leads his country through the American civil war only to be shot dead at the end of it. Damn! Talk about courage, persistence and perseverance….and a potent dose of bad luck.

Well, that looser is apparently not done. Coincidentally, at the 200th anniversary celebration of his birthday, an African American of Kenyan decent will be inaugurated as the 44th president of the United States.

One thing we could do here today is compare Abraham Lincoln to the fat leeches taking a series of short naps inside Parliament Buildings….but that will quickly degenerate into a heaven versus hell argument. You see, the last parliament can only be remembered in terms of a fruit basket; bananas and oranges. There’s nothing to suggest that the current one will achieve anything outside of keeping its members from The Hague. In fact, its sole preoccupation is self-preservation at the expense of the tax payer. As we speak, Moses Wetangula, our comedic foreign affairs minister, is excitedly planning a multi-million shillings ministerial excursion to Washington DC. All this money is being spent so that a bunch of sweaty MPs can stand under a tree to view Obama’s inauguration proceedings from about one or two kilometers away. This is not a simple case of misplaced priorities or misguided outbursts. It is in fact, an affront to wanainchi.

The problem is that we have allowed our leaders to disenfranchise us to the point where we see Kenyan pride in terms of Tusker beer, success in long distance athletics and tribal dominance. Our uncanny ability to survive adversity is seen as a badge of honor….when in real sense, honor is totally avoiding adversity. There exists no powerful affinity to ensure the country’s destiny or identity because it truly does not exist. In other words, we have lost all hope.

How else do you explain our lethargy in confronting the excesses of politicians in power?

This is where we can learn from Lincoln. We should never give up hope. So far, doing so has resulted in a docile Kenyan citizenry accepting of all manner of abuses. If we accept to remain roadside spectators watching hummers and helicopters crisscross the air space, we shall all perish. Let us get involved from all levels. Courage fellas, courage.

The only thing we must not do is wait 200 years.

14 comments:

  1. Kalamari,
    C'on stop WHINING and take a life. Why preach to a choir and if you have evidence against the wahe(wezi)miwas take it to Ringera.

    Now how can you speak of virues and Kenyans in the same sentence? Shame on you! You see we have perfected the art of living a national lie. Our forte is to SPREAD MALICE-security in numbers with apologists in tow.

    But we cannot fool the world, sorry. Kenya had the CHEEK to have an Obama day and now they feature nowhere. All the lies cannot wash and we can spend all the money we want to be near action (inaurguration) whose scent will assault out nostrils from afar.

    Look at it this way: Kibaki is the only leader who declared Obama day in the whole world and his REWARD? Tell the ENVOY representation tale to the birds please.

    Ours amount to dancing yourself lame to a broken record before the real tune andf true dancers appear on stage. Meanwhile the bigots remain at the call and beck of the scoundrels.

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  2. I just copied this from Jukwaa
    this is a shame - can someone explain this...




    NEW DIRECTOR OF THE KENYA TOURIST BOARD "KTB" IS THE DAUGHTER OF FORMER GOVERNOR OF CENTRAL BANK OF KENYA "DUNCAN NDERITU NDEGWA" -she is not qualified for the position!!period! what horseshit....

    How is this possible when she got a job at the KTB curtsy of Mwai Kibaki when he got into power AFTER 2002 - ODM SHOULD CHECK THIS- sources say she was given a job by the order of KIBAKI

    SECOND POINT: Mary-Ann Kabui Ndegwa is not qualified to be a director at the KTB( this is ridicules workers at KTB are very furious.. is ODM asleep on the JOB yet again- A qualified person must be posted on this Important position...

    Sources say MaryAnn Ndegwa was close to the Manaigo safaris owners - who are on the list for investigation...


    Tourism Minister Najib Balala (right) and former KTB Managing Director Achieng’ Ong’on’ga. Balala announced the resignation of Ong’ong’a and the appointment of Ms Maryanne Ndegwa to replace him at KTB.

    FACTS: THE LEAST EXPERIENCE INDIVIDUAL CALLED MARYANN KABUI NDEGWA DAUGHTER OF THE FORMER GOVERNOR OF CENTRAL PROVINCE OF KENYA HAS BEEN GIVEN A DIRECTORS JOB AT THE KENYA TOURIST BOARD BY THE ORDER OF MWAI KIBAKI WHO GAVE HER THE FIRST JOB THERE WHEN HE COME INTO POWER!! in 2002
    (this is not acceptable to hardworking kenyans who's jobs do not depend on the elite in kenya)

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  3. Loser not looser

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  4. Kalamari aka "Kalo"
    No i don't think we are a failure country-we are the true success story of Africa because which other country is exclusively governed by PhD holders(Dr.Raila and Dr.Kibaki?) also we have peace to show for it too -sample this

    1)ours is one of the most educated manpower this side of sub-sahara-progressive, hard-working, enterprenuring, able to endure years of hardship with a smile-bonhomie extrodinaire

    2)we fund 95% of our budget ourselves-5% is done by our development partners whom we don't even need.primary and secondary education is free also just bring your own clothes, food, desk and fees stupid

    3)we've been to hell and back(PEV and national peace accord) in less than 12 months with only the small irritant of IDPs to show for the inconvenience-not even Rwanda can lay claim to that boast of fame

    4)We gave the world the next future president of America who is a history maker and world record breaker-Barry

    5)we have a free and liberal media who were so unregulated they brought regulation on themselves-where else can you hear someone making fun of "the baks" on the street corner while chewing OFAL and TRITE?

    6)we love foreigners but hate each others guts-this is a unique trait exclusive to our shores

    In any case "Kalo" we won't have to wait 200 years-vision 2030 promises that in 21 years time you and i will be able to drive down the road while sending an sms to find out if your wife Akinyi's passport and i.d. have been processed

    yes go ahead, i know you want to...you can set the ringtone of your mobile to "bado mapambano" polyphonic tune. the wallpaper on my phone is a jpg of the ever smiling comedy immigration minister

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  5. Kalamari,

    I love the way you have put it down.

    True we must never give up. We need to keep reminding fellow kenyans that there is another life besides the one most of us have seen from the day we were born.

    We have got to put our pride and success elsewhere. We have got to be involved in all levels in running Kenya. And we have to keep it going at all times.

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  6. I hear that the PM one Raila Odinga has jetted out to India to learn about food security and farming. Is it true? OMG!

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  7. Kalamari said

    'If we accept to remain roadside spectators watching hummers and helicopters crisscross the air space, we shall all perish'

    our say

    sure talk of a whole 'saviour' (molasses raila) cruising in Kibera with a hummer while his impoverished constituents are begging for maize floor (see picture un todays standard).
    now he has taken a 200 million delegation to india to learn how to keep food for the time of hunger!!!
    talk of a biggot!! where are the noisy taabus, chris, phil and all the matope reporters of Kumekucha to criticize this? or is it so obvious that when it comes to their molasses saviour they keep a safe distance lest they cut the hand that feeds them?
    molasses took this trip when he was told with finality by the american embassy that his likes and ilk were not welcomed in the US of A for the inauguration of obama. president kibaki on the other hand with 8 invitation letters turned down the gesture albeit kindly.

    so what is a 200 million delegation of the ridiculous PM doing in poor india for crying out loud????
    imagine if the buffon was the president?
    na jaluo ni jaluo tu!! jinga hii

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  8. it's all about upbringing and value system if your parent brought you up on stolen citizentry cash you will copy him/her and do the same with your kiddies it's a vicious cycle of deception fellas if you really want to change anything in Kenya lets all refuse to our children ill gotten wealth

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  9. Poor Raila! He has to witness the inauguration of his "cousin" on TV from thousands of miles and continents away. What did he do to deserve this? He even donated 50 bulls to Mama Sarah and Kogelo people to eat and this is what he gets in return. This world is very unfair to the Luo messiah. Let us go for mass action; let us go and stone someone; let us go and uproot the railway line. This historical injustice will not stand!!!!!!!!!!

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  10. It is unbelievable how jealous some people are of the Luos. The low self esteem is evident in all the negative stuff that they say. Like they say where I come from 'Money anyone can have, superior intelligence is what differentiates men'. There is no denying who belongs where as the Luo cousin has proved to the world.

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  11. Anon 1.53
    Who is Raila? Obama's "ka-chini"?

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  12. Anon 2.27
    It must really hurt to know that your worst nightmare is about to be true. Raila's cousin is about to become the prezo of the USA!!! The sarcasm of calling Obama Raila's cousin does not fool anyone. Like I said 'Superior intelligence' my friend!

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  13. Anyone in Kenya with an ounce of brain, even standard two kids know that if you are rich in Kenya, you can't go to jail, period. KACC can raid the Kenya pipeline, ministry of agriculture etc, but it's our ever smiling sham AG Amos Wako who will decide the rest.

    You can scream all you want till cows come home, but rest assured no big fish will be fried! The fact is that ODM and PNU thugs are busy outdoing each other in looting from public coffers as much as possible for the 2012 campaigns, while good old Kibaki turns a blind eye, as busy as ever in slumberland.

    It's time to move on, just like we did on Goldenberg, Anglo Leasing, Arturs, Grand Regency, Qatar land lease, Standard media raid, Killings of Tom Mboya, Jm, Ouko and land grabbers like Kulei, Moi, Kenyattas. Let's move on otherwise too much prodding and probing may cause Rwanda style genocide.

    Haki yetu? The joke is on us!

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  14. Well done Kalamari, Kenyans have to remember what the ultimate goal is, and smell the coffee; we have created monsters

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