There is such a thing as being overtaken by the times.
I saw this with my late dad towards the end of his well lived tenure on this earth. He was ordinarily a very intelligent man but at one point in his life time literally zoomed past him. The man who at one time was able to import the very latest Toyota Corolla way back in 1966 never managed to use an ATM. Neither could he send a short text message from a cell phone. You could never convince him that these days one can get a decent hotel without cockroaches and dirt on River Road (Kipepeo is a very popular clean magnificent budget hotel for tourists, bang in the middle of River Road) and indeed he would never dream of buying anything downtown beyond Moi Avenue. Interesting because in his early days in Nairobi (in the late 50s) Africans were not allowed beyond River Road and to the better part of town without a special pass. And so he first familiarized himself with the city starting from that dingy part of town.
Indeed this thing of being overtaken by the times started affecting his judgement in other more critical areas of his life. And worst of all we even stopped agreeing on many basic political issues. He loved Mwai Kibaki and in many ways helped me to understand the thinking of this man who more than any other president of the republic has brought the country to the brink of shutting down. My dad helped me see that Kibaki too is a man who has been overtaken by the times in many ways.
The really sad thing is when a person has been overtaken by the times and tries to do something that worked in the 70s but fails and is absolutely puzzled as to why the “clever” thing they have done has failed to work.
We saw retired President Moi in that position during the referendum campaign which ended up in silly decisions that led to the death of innocent Kenyans after an explosion went off at Uhuru park.
And we are seeing it now with John Harun Mwau.
Incidentally the man is about the same age as my dad (difference of about 6 years). Indeed my dad knew him well and warned me years ago (before I became a journalist) about the man’s corrupt ways and dirty deals.
It is now clear that here is a man who has been overtaken by the times. In his days in the police, the police force was very different and very easy to fool. Naturally because they did not have to deal with the kind of crimes they deal with today. And that is why they were able to see right through the stage managed shooting of his car. In fact the police have been bold enough to say that some of the gun shots seemed to have been fired from inside the car that was supossed to be under attack.
But even before the police gave the public information that hardly surprises most Kenyans people already knew that Mwau’s car actually being fired on by real thugs was as likely as Kenyans abandoning the staple dish of Ugali forever. It just can’t happen.
Of course these kinds of stage-managed games used to work very well in the 60s and 70s when Kenyans were generally not that clever and could swallow anything hook line and kitu kidogo. Not any more.
And that is why keen observers are quickly realizing that Mr Mwau is in very serious trouble. To cut a long story short, he has some problems which he needs to solve by convincing the public that his life is in danger from people who want his vast wealth.
Top on that list (according to Mwau) is President Obama of the United States. Which means that his list of suspects who were behind the “attempt on his life” must include President Obama. HILARIOUS, especially when you consider the fact that the so-called killers were so sloppy as to fire most of the bullets through the driver’s door when it is obvious that Mwau sits on the back left of his cars. But admittedly they are probably so advanced that they were able to fire some of the shots from inside the car. This is great stuff for the well-loved comedian Mr Bean is it not?
So who would want to kill Mwau? Seriously...
The movie you must absolutely watch before you die
BREAKING NEWS: Policeman investigation Mwau shooting suddenly dies
Corporal Gerald Waskie who was a detective investigating the gun attack on Kilome MP Harun Mwau’s shot-at-vehicle collapsed and died a few hours ago.
Wasike was attached to the Scenes of Crime department at the Criminal Investigations Department (CID).
Even more puzzling was the way he died. His colleagues say that he just suddenly started bleeding from the nose and mouth before collapsing. He was rushed to the Nairobi Outpatient Clinic but was pronounced dead on arrival. It has been established that the officer was examining Mr Mwau’s Range Rover at the time of the mysterious incident at the Central Police Station in Nairobi.
He was together with his two colleagues and had been assigned the duty of carrying out further and more detailed examination on Mr Mwau’s bullet-ridden Range Rover car.
I would rather have Mwai Kibaki who according to Chris of these worlds is overtaken by events. Reason:
ReplyDeleteUnder the able leadership of Mwai 'shrewd' Kibaki;
1. Kenya has a new constitution after over 40 years of colonial Katiba.
2. We have free primary education.
3. Our roads are an envy of African nations.
4. The economy had been growing to almost 2 digits before ODM messed up. We still has single digit growth.
5. Nairobi city is beautiful and green. The pick pocketers and thugs have been chased out of town.
....the list is endless.
Lets Chris admit that his political hero currently holding unconstitutional office is the one who almost led Kenya to the brink of destruction with his unsatiating thirst for power.
anon 6:50
ReplyDeleteYou forgot to mention
6. CDF that has become a model for other contries across the world.
7. Revival and profitability of government coorporations and parastatals.
8. Farming is now a decent way to make a living thanks to Kibaki who revived KCC, KMC, etc
10. Improvement of civil servant wages. Who could have thought that high school teachers could ever earn 150,000kshs and higher?
11. Freedom of speech and assembly respected. Nowardays, you can insult Kibaki and no police crashes your balls.
and I agree the list is endless.
Only fools set the bar too low falling for TOKENISM as progress. Being overtaken by events includes seeing through events that you have no control over. Katiba's time had come regarless of who is prezzo. Remember 2005 when the status quoists failed?
ReplyDeleteOnly fools applaud tokensim as progress. Endeleeni lakini pole!
Anon 6:50AM
ReplyDeletewe are the envy of DRC and Somali and Ethiopian infrastructure in the index of failed African States
Anon7:16 AM,
ReplyDeleteI agree with you 100%. You are spot on.
And I quote you: "Only fools (such as Anon's 6:50 AM and 7:09 AM) set the bar too low falling for TOKENISM as progress... Only fools applaud tokenism as progress."
Anon's 6:50 AM and 7:09 AM, contrary to what you may think, I am sure Mr Mwai "pumbavu" Kibaki would contemptuously regard you as a PUMBAVU na MAVI YA KUKU... LOL!!
Imagine if KIbaki had been a president as long as Moi had? Kenya would be the South Korea of Africa.
ReplyDeleteImagine if the ODM thieves and saboteurs led by their malindi and molasses land grabber had not interrupted Kibaki's progress a few years ago..We would be registering growth in double digits.
When history is written down, KIbaki will be knighted for his enormous leadership that returned Kenya on course of prosperity after years of Moi's misrule.
Its sad he retires next year.
Had KIbaki been president as long as Moi had Kenya would definitely have experienced genocide on a scale the magnitude of which would have surpassed that of even Rwanda.
ReplyDeleteThis character called Mwau is a thug number one, who nows struggles to win sympathy by posing as a victim. Even Kwalale said it in parliament: The deeds of this man is so grey, we guess he needs security. Translated to mean: Mwau doesnt need beefed security, he is his own security risk.
ReplyDeletePolice went ahead to give him more security. But what do we hear now.
How can a mere policeman become a billionare? Eh? Through hard working? How, where, with what? Drugs of-course.
WE HAVE A NEW COUNTRY CALLED KENYA. We are proud of CJ MUTUNGA.
He should take Mwau to where he belongs. PRISON. 30YRS.
CJ MUTUNGA kick the other thug called TOBIKO. He should go and help Ruto in the Hague.
We want a clean country.
BREAKING NEWS: Police officer investigating shooting of Mwau car suddenly collapses and dies at Central police station Nairobi a few hours ago. See my brief article at the bottom of my article above. Following up story to see if I can give more information tomorrow in a major post.
ReplyDeleteKumekucha Chris
Kenya has a new constituition truly not because of Kibaki. We have a CJ not because of Kibaki.
ReplyDeleteKibaki is for impunity, continuity, yesterday. You remember road-side CJ+DPP without PM consultation, shuttle diplomacy, deferal, Ongeri Free Primary times two, Ruto Maize and Y92, Kimunya Grand Regency, Kiraitu Rape a willing woman, Anglo-Lease, Uhuru the computer budget mathematician, ETC. Kibaki has his protecting hand everywhere.
This man has done more harm to Kenya than good. Without the keen observers (RAO, British and US-Diplomats, Martha, Ababu, Orengo, etc) we would be nowhere.
@Anon 6:50
ReplyDeleteBlack Africans are not capable of noticing all that you listed there. All that matter to this primitive race is wether their tribesman is the Commander in chief.
It is scienctifically proven Africans (sub-saharan) have the lowest IQ.
@6:50
ReplyDeleteThe economical growth of two digits is really the contribution on Mzee Kibaki.
But only in one region and due to
1. nepotism
-All Bank CEOs have names starting with M or K, Central Bank Governor included. 70% of employees at Treasury, Educa Ministry, Energy, Nbi City, Police, Army, etc are from one region.
2. Stealing at the highest level never seen in Kenya or Africa Anglo-L, Grand Reg, Oil Scand, Free Prim, etc.
Under these circum you must have 30% econmic growth.
It seems ODM disturbed this system after RAO had won the precidency clearly.
@11.55
ReplyDelete........lowest IQ including you.
@6:50
ReplyDeleteWithout Moi you would not be stealing 8-4-4 exams and taking your children to parallel studies in the numerous universities with stolen money.
I dont see the difference between Moi and Kibaki. One is Nyayo, the other is a Mugumo tree.
@6:50
ReplyDeleteWithout Moi you would not be stealing 8-4-4 exams and taking your children to parallel studies in the numerous universities with stolen money.
I dont see the difference between Moi and Kibaki. One is Nyayo, the other is a Mugumo tree.
The detective was killed by Juju aka witchcraft
ReplyDelete@12:10 PM
ReplyDeleteI said "scientifically proven" not me who said "Africans have the lowest IQ". You need to counter (with evidence of course) your aurguement to the scientists who found that.
Any "scientist" who is capable of researching an entire racial division of mankind and concluding that they are inferior to the rest of mankind is obviously a quack-kwani he's measured the IQ of every Caucasoid, Negroid, Mongoloid and Australoid to conclude that Africans have the lowest IQ?
ReplyDeleteTalk about white foreign Quacks
Maybe scienetists has taken into account the fact Africans are amongst the poorest despite living in the most 'richest continent'. Which Negroid country in the world can you say is better or near the white land in terms of development and civilitization?
ReplyDeleteHow many Africans are invetors, scientists, done discoveries, expolorers, etc etc.....
How many African countries are at war with themselves? Take example DRC which is probably the richest country in the world in terms of natural resources and minerals, but look instead of making money and improving their lives... is WAR war and more war... it is also the only country in the world considered too dangerous to be a woman.
How many Africans cares about human rights of their fellow Africans never mind animal rights. They kill albino people for money and love portions. They cut young girls clitoris, they offer human sacrifices to idols in order to get power and wealth...and the list is endless.
Africans are just f*cked people!!
Anon@1:37PM,
ReplyDeleteYou must also be a quack. if their IQ is so high how come there's child poverty in Europe, religious extremist fighting in the middleast,human sex trafficking in North America and the list is endless of problems around the world?
By the way why did you migrate to America and did your IQ automatically increase once you crossed the atlantic sea line? LOL
If u really want to know how Africans are backward, just look at Ghana, the first country in Africa to gain independence, which coincidentially is the same year Singapore also gained independence from Britain.
ReplyDeleteJust look at these 2 countries today and tell me if there is no visible difference?
The process of economic and social change takes place gradually and over a period of time-it is not magic and certainly it is not a race to the finish line
ReplyDeleteYou may not even be alive to see "backward" Ghana one day overtake developed Singapore and claim a stake as a "first world" developed nation. unless you are some all knowing powerful deity who can forsee the future how can you conclude that IQs are low etc?
Just be honest about the reasons why you migrated to America and the truth will set you free.
Ghana (and other African countries) will only overtake Singapore and other developed countries when the African man stop being selfish and stop thinking with his dick!
ReplyDeleteMmmmm! "CDF a model for other countries across the world"?
ReplyDeleteWe must be kidding ourselves because CDF has been around for over 65 years, supporting cooperative enterprise worldwide.
All we did was copy and paste, reinvent the wheel so that others may continue embrace one of Kenya's trademaked activities, what Githongo once termed as Our Time To Eat.
Some people seem to be living a Kenya that's totally different from the one I have became so accustomed to for as long as I can recall.
ReplyDeleteAnyway, the real difference between the previous Moi's regime and the current Kibaki's regime is worth a 1940s King George's ndururu that can still be found in the Mau Escarpment.
So far the lucky few, the rich have continue to get more wealthier, while the majority, the poor continue to wallow in abject poverty.
With all due respect to Mzee Kibaki's current tortoise development progress stories, there is nothing remarkable about it, except grinding poverty, 1000s and 1000s of Kenyan school children still attend classes in the open, under trees, others in very dusty conditions, most lack access to school books and qualified teachers.
There are zero regional hospitals worth mentioning, lack of rural access roads, and cleaning drinking water is still the order of the day in most parts of the country.
Kenyans are still dying of hunger and starvation, preventable diseases, while others continue to be kiiled by crossboarder bandits and local thugs in our midst.
Even the Kenyan shilling has taken a nose dive in protest of the status quo, business as usual, and kazi endelea policies that serve the well connected.
Land grabbing continues with impunity. Every cabinet minister and majority of the assistance ministers, PNU/ODM, continue to indulge themselves in the affairs of It's Our Time To Eat.
Looting of the treasury is still condoned by a toothless judiciary that has yet to prosecute and imprison wwhite collar culprits.
$40 million in school funds, and other millions of dollars and euros intended for health care and infrastructure development has vanished into thin air.
Very little has changed for the ordinary Kenyans, and it's business as usual for the lords of impunity as was the case under the previous times when Daniel arap Moi was King of Zamunda.
The process of economic and social change takes place gradually ...
ReplyDeleteWell, well, well! Let's forget Singapore for a moment and look elsewhere for achange.
The rise of Suth Korea, a lesson for Africa.
In 1961, South Korea's per capita income stood at $82, less than half of Ghana's at the time ($179).
Today, South Korea is an industrial powerhouse, with per capita income in five figures.
It took the UK over two centuries (between the late 18th century and today) and the US around one and a half centuries (the 1860s to present day) to achieve the same result...
Korea's progress is as if Haiti has turned into Switzerland. How has this 'miracle' been possible?
Let's leave South Korea's miraclous economy for another day, and return to the gun industry has manufactured bulltes that beam themselves into a target and then strike or explode in the opposite direction through a seamless transition, away from the occupants.
As was the case in Mwau's Car Fired At... From Inside The Car Under Attack"
Anon 9:12PM
ReplyDeleteI saw the same quote you copied and pasted on South Korea and US on Wikipedia. Give us something fresh/or original please, and who told you development is a race? why are you in a hurry to see Africa develop as fast as South Korea or USA?
Nigeria exports 2.2 million barrels of crude oil daily.
ReplyDeleteThat translates into 120 million US greenback dollars ever day. Nigeria is among the world's top exporters of crude oil behind Saudi Arabia, Russia and USA. And beside Oil Nigeria also produce and export Palm Oil, Cocoa, Cotton, Coal, Tin, Rubber…
So why is Nigerian still poor? Why are 48% of Nigerian living below the poverty line?
I think these scientists has a point when they say Africans have the lowest iQ