Makueni voter speaks out

38 year old senator-elect for Makueni Mutula Kilonzo Junior
 
Here is a conversation I had with a voter on the ground on Thursday (the day before the polls and I hereby reproduce it verbatim.)

Kumekucha: Why do you people in Makueni hate the government so much?

Makueni Voter: You must live outside the country. Times are hard in Kenya and it is all the JUBILEE government's fault.

Kumekucha: But you know this government has been there for a very short time and inherited many problems, how can you blame them?

Makueni Voter: I am not highly educated and so I know nothing about financing and the economy but let me give you examples of what I am trying to say. Kibaki was not as good as Moi but at least he allowed us to work and make a living. This government seems to be very hungry for money, I do not know if donors have stopped sending them money. They are determined to tax unga and other essentials. I do a boda boda business in Nairobi during the day and at my home area at night. During the day city council askaris are harassing the whole day asking for bribes. Then at night the police take over. Since the road block near where I live has now been removed and the cops no longer make money from that, they come to collect our earnings for the day. Life is unbearable. How do you expect me to to like the government.

Kumekucha: The examples you have given are about corrupt individuals taking your money, surely that is not the government.
Makueni Voter: But it is the government causing it. They have refused to release money and meanwhile every day they come up with new laws and new ways to take away the little money we have earned through new taxes and rules and regulations that either require us to pay more money or hinder what we are doing to make money. Kenyans are very hard working people and all we need is to be left alone to hassle and make our money. This JUBILEE government is just bringing about suffering. I fear that very soon we will see what is happening in Egypt happening here because the small man has had enough.

Kumekucha: That cannot be true. Kenyans are very peaceful and some people say they are cowards.

Makueni Voter:  I am now sure you do not live in Kenya. There is something called the stomach. When somebody is hungry and he has never stolen in his life, will he not steal to eat? Moi was a hero because he not only always gave us relief food here in Ukambani but he understood the common man and always made sure that we had a way of surviving. With all the hunger and frustration I am seeing you will soon see Kenyans on the streets causing chaos. Our lives are already chaotic.

Kumekucha: There are rumours that somebody is going to try and rig the by-elections. What is your comment?
Makueni Voter: Let them try and they will see what will happen. They will be shocked. We have had enough. I can tell you that some people have been busy giving out money. I was even offered Kshs 5,000 to give out my ID for "safekeeping" until after the election. That is a lot of money but I said NO. The problem is that these people think that people who are hungry and are poor do not have brains that are working. We Makueni people know what they want to do but we will vote and wait to see. Let them even try to delay the results so that they can change things and you will see what will happen.

Kumekucha: In your view what should the government do to improve the lives of Kenyans?
Makueni Voter: They should just leave us alone and release money. We do not need handouts or laptops. We just want to be left alone to survive.

Ignorant as most of the views of this voter were, they sent a chill up my spine. Make your own judgement on the situation in the country today and what is likely to happen if the current government does not start paying attention to the common man wherever he can be found in our republic and whatever party affiliation they may have.


(article courtesy of Kumekucha's Raw notes with sensitive parts edited out).

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