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Rev Jesse Jackson has run for president of the United States, twice but did not even manage to win the Democratic Party nomination that would have seen him go beyond the preliminaries. By Kenyan political standards the man "ameanguka mara mbili" (has failed twice) and is therefore a failure. However on closer examination this is very far from the truth.
In actual fact what has happened is the Rev Jackson has pushed many of his ideas forward through other candidates as a result of his two memorable campaigns. Most notably through former President Bill Clinton. Jackson has also managed to draw a lot of attention to civil right causes. The net result is that the quality of life for blacks in America has improved dramatically through initiatives that trace their origin directly to Jackson and his civil rights cause.
In Kenya, we have this big problem that if you stand for high office and you have no chance of winning, then you are just wasting time. This is one of the reasons why so many young people are frightened to run for any political seat and yet they will be the first to complain loudly about how bad our current leadership is.
Part of the problem of course is that election campaigns in Kenya have never been...
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It seems 2012 is when someone like me might have alot more to comment on here in the Kumekucha,as that is when FINALLY some new people with new ideas will be elected and Kenyans will begin to get the leadership they deserve
ReplyDeleteI hope John Githongo will be one of these people
The present must therefore be the grooming period for those harbouring political ambitions who are patiently waiting in the wings-how i wish they would be willing to take the plunge now, they would be surprised and overwhelmed by the unparalleled support they would receive from Kenyans regardless of being novices
Incorruptible, anti-tribalist, stupid-proof true leaders
Word of advice to whoever these firebrands are going to be-unfortunately you may not have any mentors to prepare you, as the current crop of elected&nominated politicians till 2012 are all rotten apples. you may need to seek political experience-training elsewhere, but never fear even Moses was raised in the wilderness
PS:-If only old dogs could learn new tricks, i would be singing "GDP ya jenga nchi" with my brother Derek or shouting Nyundo with rafiki Phil or joining vikii,Kalamari etc as foot soldiers. Alas i remain sceptical with ndugu Taabu
Chris will tell you that any news item or article for that matter must have a peg to hang it on. Ideas are the pegs with which integrity and all other virtues are hang. Asking present Kenyans to buy ideas is like asking them to take a hike into the Sahara without compass. You gues right, they will never contemplate leave alone venture there.
ReplyDeleteBesides negative ethnic ideologies (thanks Koigi) we Kenyans have internalized commercialized politiics to a level that leaves any aspiring candidate corrupt in the mind even before declaring his candidature. The fact that such a guy would be using his hard-earned money aganist looted wealth from public coffers leaves your lips burning with red-pepper rage. And knowing the result of such a venture even before the race starts makes the bile inside your tummy go berserk.
JG may the closest we have for a hypothetical saviour but trust me he wwon't like the murk once he rolls his sleeves. Now MAYBE a chance but come 2012 and other Kenyas will shamelessly remind you of which language his tongue is formatted in. The predictable line then will be 'kwani sisi (fill in your tribe) hatuna akina mama wenye tumbo ya kubeba president. Get the drift? Welcome to politics made in Kenya.
You're increasingly getting inspired by comments posted here, which may mean you are a good listener.
ReplyDeleteI suggest people who want to run in 2012 start preparing now. Here (Kume)is a good place to start collecting information on waht may work or what some people think is needed to 'save' Kenya, only watu wajipange na mbinu za kununua hummer za campaign juu hapa hakuna dough.
I think we have some brilliant chaps here at Kume and don't see they shouldn't be running for parliament or after five years. Just don't raise our hopes and then suddenly apply to go get a master's degree 7 months before the polls. Because that exemplifies very poor planning skills - enough reason for not vote for you in 2017.
Uhhmn...Chris...I'm ish-ish about my namesake Jesse. It is my suggestion that he, alongside the Rev. Al Sharpton have not been particularly faithful to the African-American cause or indeed the wider civil rights agenda in the mould envisaged by the man whose disciples they say they are - Dr. M.L King Jr. But I agree with the general tenor of your submission.
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