I love watching 24, the series from Fox TV.
Those who have watched it know that it is much more than just a cops and terrorists action thing. Indeed in my book the script writers predicted correctly that America would get a black president sooner rather than later and their prediction about America’s first woman president (Hillary Rodham) will come to pass very soon. On the other hand students of movie-making will quickly recognize the fact that the script writers and directors pay very close attention to characterization and that is part of the reason why watching 24 is not good for heart patients (there is way too much suspense).
Indecisive Presidents Can Cause Serious Trouble.
But let me stick to the politics portrayed in 24 and its’ relevance to Kenyan politics at the moment. I recently started watching earlier seasons in sequence and at the moment I am enjoying Season 4. In the particular episode I have just watched. Terrorists bring down Airforce one and the president of the United States is critically wounded necessitating his Vice president, Charles Logan (Gregory Itzin plays the role brilliantly) to be hurriedly sworn into office, in the middle of a crisis.
President Logan’s first act as president is to retire to the bunker (which is about 200 metres underground below the White House) for his own safety. And even while there he is still very much concerned about his personal safety “The terrorists will come after me next,” he screams at his chief of staff at one point.
But even worse is what happens next when quick critical decisions need to be made. Students of management will tell you that a quick decision that may turn out to be wrong is much better than no decision at all.
President Logan reminds me a lot of President Kibaki (remember the nickname his own constituents gave him years ago, General Kugoya-excuse my Kikuyu spelling) which means General Fear.
Kenyans forget very quickly but historians will note that it was President Mwai Kibaki’s indecisiveness that got us to the brink in January 2008. Older Kumekuchans will remember the timeline of events I gave that led to the troubles that almost shut down the country.
Now at the sunset of his presidency, Kibaki true to his character is leading the country into another serious crisis. Two ICC suspects have been traversing the country with a tribal message very similar to the tribal messages the Kibaki campaign team was promoting in the last presidential elections. The gist of that message is best portrayed in what John Michuki said in front of witnesses in late 2007 and I quote; “A Jaruo president of this country? Over my dead body.”
Supporters of these two mass murder suspects have already declared severally during their rallies which they conveniently call “Prayer meetings” that “NO RUTO AND UHURU, NO ELECTIONS.”
Why is the president hesitant to stop Uhuru and Ruto? After all he is not standing for a third term (or is he?). Could it have something to do with the ICC being after him? What is really going on?
And to make matters worse the government seems to have sanctioned the hate rallies because the Vice president of the republic of Kenya is always at most of these rallies. Besides one of the suspects is still the deputy prime minister of the republic of Kenya.
Mercifully, according to my information the ICC (which is much more decisive) may put a stop to this madness soon. But if they don’t, God help Kenya because the decision from State house will never be made.
It is instructive how President Charles Logan’s presidency ends and I believe that Kibaki will end up in exactly the same way after he leaves office at the end of this year. Just watch 24 season 4 (towards the end. Start at episode 15 to get a true gist of what happens).
Those naïve Kenyans who are very loud here in Kumekucha comments but have never really learnt about the realities of politics need to watch 24 again, this time round paying close attention to the politics.
TI Reveals just a little of the real Ruto/Uhuru message during their "prayer meetings."
TI Reveals just a little of the real Ruto/Uhuru message during their "prayer meetings."