Enumerators Stirs President's Foul Mood

News update
The 2009 census exercise has kicked off to a storm when enumerators incited President Kibaki's foul mood when they asked him about the actual size of his family. The head of state was not amused especially when asked to specify his spouse/s. Heads will definitely roll at the bureau of statistics.

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Working Nation Takes Holiday to Count Tensed Tribes
It is census time and Kenyan style a holiday has been declared for this historic exercise. But while knowledge of demographics and all its varianst are important for national planning, do we have to resort to many holidays for our working nation?

This will be the fifth census for Kenya since 1969. Just like all other institutions and activities we inherited from the colonialist, we have not KENYANIZED our census apart from counting native faces. The 10-yearly exercise has simplye been reduced to a national ritual.

Before apologists fall over themselves throwing epithets in defense of thoughtlessness they better try a honest reflection. We don't have to operate like robots to answer to the 10 year timetable in counting deeply divided tribes.

Typical Moi took it to extreme levels by creating non-existent subtribes for pure political expediency among perceived oppositionists. On the other hand he came up with mega-tribes to boost political supremacy. Just ask yourselves what is common among the Pokots or Turkans with the Nandis apart from being Nilotes.

The whole census exercie leaves you with the gut feeling that it is just another conduit for the politically correct to draw some more blood from prey Kenya. The country is so divided and tensed, counting tribes would be the last agenda on any leader worth his name.

But hey, this is Kenya owned and patented by political scoundrels. We are so unique we heal when tensed by being reminded that we are different.