We
never learn from history do we?
The truth
is that revolutionaries and popular candidates never get elected president of
Kenya. But compromise candidates do.
Let’s
take a brief trip back in time shall we..
Oh
boy there Kumekucha goes again with his boring history lessons, I can hear you
sigh and fart in your comfortable chair in some nicely air conditioned office
far away from the reality on the ground.
But
I insist because it is impossible to see the road ahead clearly without
understanding exactly where we are coming from.
In
1963 it was not popular nationalist Tom Mboya who was elected the first
president of Kenya. Nor was it the radical Jaramogi Oginga Odinga whom western
powers were not comfortable with because of his close links with Moscow. It was
moderate scape goat Jomo Kenyatta who had been bust preaching reconciliation
with the colonial government having given up on the hope for independence any
time soon. The old man found it hilarious that the likes of a young man called Tom Mboya were
chanting Uhuru sasa!!!
In
1978 it was not President Kenyatta’s nephew Mr Fix it, Njoroge Mungai who ascended to the
presidency nor was it radical nationalist and former vice president Jaramogi Oginga
Odinga. It was in fact a clumsy heavy Kalenjin-accent moderate whom nobody
respected called Daniel arap Moi.
In
2002 it was not revolutionary popular Kenneth Matiba (the true people’s
president) who took over as president nor was it the faithful long-serving vice
president of the Moi era George Saitoti. Nor was it the man who had been on
permanent campaign mode for many years, Raila Odinga. It was the moderate Mwai
Kibaki.
The
way things stand now Musalia Mudavadi looks like he is the one. He has all the
right characteristics going for him. He is the ideal moderate candidate and the clever but corrupt people backing him have read the situation very cleverly and positioned him as such. Indeed if the elections were held today he
would win by a landslide and there would be no need for a run off.
And
that is where the problem is. The elections are a long way off and yet a mere
week is a very long time in politics. Just as well because if Musalia Mudavadi
were to win the presidency the political class in Kenya will have won yet again and the
people will have lost... yet again. It is really as simple as that.
I
have been very busy in recent days trying to measure the true impact of Mudavadi’s
recent moves on the ground and I can report that I saw the kind of excitement that I have not
seen in a long time. Even the Kamba who have generally snubbed Raila Odinga are
uncharacteristically excited about a Mudavadi candidature. It seems that in Kenyan
politics it pays to be quite and humble fence-seater and never step on anybody’s toes (just
like Mwai Kibaki was before he ascended to the presidency).
I have just released the most explosive raw notes I have penned in
a very long times. Get free samples of past raw notes at
rawnotes@listwire.com
Musalia Mudavadi must resign immediately so that 'one of own' may be appointed as the next deputy prime minister and fly the flag high for our party and supporters as soon as possible.
ReplyDeleteIn the meantime, the man who was once considered by many to be a 'Weakleaf' seem to have found the nerve and spine of steel to transform himself into a hardened 'Broadleaf' that already busy seeking to attract much needed tropical sunlight and abundant moisture in search of the presidency.
A strategic move that continues to anger some of the self-deluded personalities (henchmen) and an inner circle of servile self-seekers who have been so busy trying to out-do one another in their attempts to win the PM's attention by flattering his ego at various social cum political venues around the country, such as the chest thumping and self-professed vows of uttermost loyality that were on display at a funeral function held in one of the counties in western region.
Unfortunately, 'flying a flag' is all that matters at this point and time for the self-appointed political sub-chiefs who care most about the temporary crowing instead of seeking the much needed development and progress in their poverty-stricken constituencies.
Chris
ReplyDeleteAre you UDF (pro Musalia) or URP (pro Ruto) or ODM (pro Imanyara) or PUNDOM (pro Taabu) or......?
just curious bro
UHURU TUKO PAMOJA
ReplyDeleteLuka my brodaI am PUNDOM (pro Taabu.
ReplyDeleteWe never learn from history do we?
ReplyDeleteWhat more could be said on this subject? We have been shown - by time and time again - what to do, when to do it, how to do it, and why we should do it for the express purpose of enabling ourselves (the majority) to have a better nation in which we can at least be proud of and above all enjoy living in it for a change.
Chris, one thing is for sure, it does not matter who wins the presidency, because we, the people, will still end up on the losing end, as well as find ourselves on the wrong side of the equation after the 2013 general election.
Unless fundamental changes are made and implemented in all branches of government, the private sector, including all regions of the country.
Otherwise, we, the people, and the fifty year old nation will get another so-called new president (bus driver with moderate driving skills) but remain stuck with one of the world's most dilapidated bus, with the same old myriad of mechanical problems, same old makanga ('marks'), same old untrustworthy mechanics, same old rough and rowdy passengers.
And left with no alternative but swallow our collective pride and accept - as usual - to be driven on the same old unpaved roads that can't handle floods brought about by the seasonal torential rains.
Well, Musalia Mudavadi may seem to be the lesser of the other four evils (contenders), but corruption incorporated and tribal extremism unlimited will not just evaporate in a matter of weeks and months unless majority of the known godfathers and culprits are prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law and forced to forfeit their ill-gotten wealth from way back when.
We, the people, have divorced ourselves from history on numerous occasions in the name of collective amnesia, and that's one of the reasons why we've continued to pay a very hefty price, fifty years after independence.
Wow! Has it been that long? I cannot believe that Chris of Kumekucha had gone AWOL, while on a mission of gauging political temperatures, and people's moods in various counties ('new found bastions of hope and regional political power') around the country.
ReplyDeleteDid you by any chance remember to gauge the pressures that are already amounting on incumbents as well as potential challengers who have yet to declare their political intentions, as the general election season rapidly approaches?
And if I may ask, what of yours has Kalonzo Musyoka eaten that you are now trying to treat him like that - as if he was one of those unwanted cousins twice-removed that keep showing up at every family gathering for all the wrong reasons?
The man from Tseikuru may have been missing in action lately, leaving many observers to wonder how long it will take him to reinvents himself, crafts a new political mantra and bounce back into the limelight with his eyes fixated on the prize that has eluded him in the last decade.
Don't count him out yet, for he may once again end being a real 'middle' force to be reckoned with by onyone of the two leading thoroughbreds that will end up in the run-off race to the state house.
By the way, don't forget to place a certified bet on one who would be a thoroughbred of your choice - Peter Kenneth (PK), Raphael Tuju (RT), James Ole Kiyiapi (JOK), Eugene Ludovic Wamalwa (ELW), George Saitoti (GS), Martha Karua (MK), William Ruto (WR), Musalia Mudavadi (MM), Raila Odinga (RO), Uhuru Kenyatta (UK), et al - before the beginning of the one and only historic State House Derby 2013.
Will someone out there challenge Kenyans from all walks of life to defy the cultural norms - sickening tribal extremism - that compel us never to look beyond our myopic ethnic prism during the much dreaded season of our so-called democratic general election?
ReplyDeleteOur cultures often insist that we continually strive to support our anointed tribal chiefs during peaceful times, and stand behind our tribal warlords in any type of battle and war, while not informing us that the traditional circling of ethnic wagons for whatever reasons known to us can be a never ending-abyss of discontentment and disillusionment within those very communities.
So far, Kenya has been in desperate need of political leaders cable of 'providing' nurture, safety, healing, development, and vision, and not experts in tribal fonger-pointing and sabre rattling before and during election season.
Those of us who survived the post election violence, or were very lucky enough to have not been affected in any way, shape or fashion during the deadly mayhem of '07/'08, should never forget the obvious, that anything can go wrong, and what can go wrong will go wrong if we don't change our national psyche, retrogressive ethnic psyches as well as warped (devilish) personal political interests.
As a matter of fact, the next president, including all of the elected officials and government will not be able to help most of us - you and me - deal with any misfortunes in life that are bound to head our way (God forbid) between May of 2013 and May 2018.
Such as personal economic collapse, divorce, devastating illness, death (within our immediate families and respective communities), usual insecurity, displacement, vehicular maimings, myriad of related complications that come with aging, on and on.
Hence, just because some of us already believe that we are on the right side of history - whatever that means after fifty years of political decadence and ethnic strife that are bound to continue after 2013 - does not give us the right to hate, abuse, despise and look down on our political opponents with malice and hubris.
I will be one of the first people to go off on a limb by saying that there are no guarantees in the coming general elections, and as mater of fact, things are not what they seem to be.
The presidency will not be won on silver platter due to the fact that the dynamics in the country have changed a lot and will continue to change beyond our wildest imaginations.
All things taken into account, may the best candidates win the general elections, and may the most qualified presidential candidate with a national appeal end up being elected by the majority of Kenyans.
The general election is always a time when long term friends become enemies and sworn enemies end up becoming friends. While there are bridges that get razed down for good. Such is the good side and ugly nature of politics. Deadly at times.
ReplyDeletei wud rather Ruto PHD MSc holder or Mudavadi BSc hons than some1 with pseudo academic qualifications ..look where Nyayo error got us we never learn with history we never learn that with leadership makaratash ni muhimu..its must be a kick for colonialist seeing us toying and entertaining with mungiki KCSE cert leaders they must be pointing out 40 yrs down the line we still stuck with dogmas and native euphorias as barbarians ..it is time to move playing modesty with education can be costly ..nyayo error taught us better
ReplyDeleteAti academics!
ReplyDeleteHas emilio proved better outside makerere?
Kumekucha, if you have ever felt unwanted in a particular place, among colleagues, group of people, or even by your own so-called friends, then trust your instincts by all means, because it always turns out to be true in many ways than you may have suspected.
ReplyDeleteCase in point, Musalia Mudavadi has now become an open target for his lastest opponents and especially former colleagues to slig mud and their personal attacks galore. His family, wife and children have not been spared from engineered art of homemade political revenge.
That goes to show how much he was really loved, wanted and highly regarded by his one time comrades-in-politics and within his former larger political family.
So far, the long curved swords have been drawn and it's now open season for taking swipes at him, and backstabbing him from every which way possible.
Whoever said that politics is a beast with several heads, knew exactly what they trying to describe for their ancient political peers, given the manner in which the nature of personal attacks aimed at Musalia Mudavadi continue to be unveiled in more ways that it had been expected earlier on.
However, there are who believe that Musalia Mudavadi is not a political novice at this juncture of life, he is no stranger to such well orchestrated personal attacks, and he must have developed a thick skin by now because he had expected a heated bakclash, and at the same time, he must have been aware of the fact that the business of professional mudslinging and backstabbing always comes with the territory.