Who Really Reads Kumekucha?

…and the tribe that lacks reading skills

If you are one of those chaps who believe in coincidences and believe that yours truly here is merely in love with conspiracy theories, then you will have plenty of fun reading today’s post.

A few days ago in a post here I asked where First lady Lucy Kibaki was. I also shared some information about her health that had come to my attention. The very next day she made her first public appearance for months. Mere coincidence? (By the way, it is not enough for her to be “seen” and photographed by the media, Kenyans need to be told where she was all that time and the state of her mental health. After all it is possible to remove somebody from some institution for them to pose briefly for the press and then quickly return them. We need a statement, even if it is the usual lies from Dr Mutua.)

Also Published today;

Hold off Kajwang: Power Brokers Plead With Kibaki

The Raila Factor: A Stark reminder

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Actually there are numerous other cases that I can quote here that will shock most of you. However I will mention just two more.

Weeks after the disputed presidential elections, I wrote a post here about how the electoral commission was yet to officially release the final results of how president Kibaki “won” the elections. Barely two days later those results were suddenly released and the signature of the electoral commission chairman was even forged to facilitate that process. Mere coincidence?

Then there was this cabinet meeting where this PS went and forwarded ideas lifted straight out of this blog on how best to rein in the tribal monster in Kenya and related problems facing our nation. (read the story HERE for yourself). Mere coincidence?

I do not believe in coincidences and I am certain that some very important and powerful persons in the land read this blog religiously every day. I am also certain that not everybody who reads us wishes us well. The campaigns to discredit Kumekucha have been on for a long time and the strategy has always been to use the age-old propaganda trick which is based on the premise that if you repeat some falsehood enough times, sooner or later people will start to embrace it as the truth.

But nothing has fascinated me more in recent days than the frenzied activity here since I was forced to leave the country for a safer destination. Those carrying out the “campaign” and those of you who are observant enough will be able to quickly pick out what I am talking about in the comments sections of my posts. HINT: Look for a pattern.

Why do most of our beloved Kikuyu brethren lack reading skills?

Another very sad pattern that is clearly visible to regular readers of this blog is the fact that most of our Kikuyu brothers and sisters have serious problems with their reading skills. Very few of them indeed (like Wanjiku Unlimited, Ritchie, Fave and a few others) are able to read a post and understand its’ contents.

Amazingly the rest tend to see RED the minute the word “Kikuyu” appears anywhere. They will always conclude that the post or comment is bashing the house of Mumbi. I have watched with amusement as some balanced commentators here have been dragged into long and endless arguments by readers who hardly bothered to read their comments before spewing out all sorts of vitriol. Some regular contributors here will even quickly spew counter posts wholly written in well hidden parables in what they see as a way to counter “the attack” on their beloved house of Mumbi.

I can only shake my head in wonder and offer my sincere sympathy and condolences to my dear brothers and sisters with reading challenges whenever the word “Kikuyu” is used. In fact I will not be surprised if this post is seen as an attack on my dear Kikuyu brothers and sisters. Yet the focus of this post is on the challenge of reading skills on the African continent rather than on silly tribes.

We can of course look at the whole thing from a different angle. It is probably Wanjiku Unlimited and company who do not know how to read. Maybe they are not sharp enough to see all the deadly barbs aimed at the house of Mumbi. What do you readers think? Are they the ones lacking in reading skills?

Although I am trying to add a light note here, the truth is that I grieve in my heart as I write this post because when people cannot read and cannot respond to arguments and points without getting emotional, it simply means that there is no hope of ever effectively tackling the problem at hand. The Greeks once ruled the world simply because they became the first to develop the art of debate and to take the human race away from the age old habit f settling arguments physically in some sort of high noon shoot out where the man left standing is the one who was right and the one lying in a pool of blood in the dust was “dead” wrong (hence the expression). Are you aware that there are very many people who ended up “dead” wrong when they said the earth is round rather than flat?

I declare today the day for all Kumekuchans to develop their reading/listening skills as well as their debating skills. Two qualities we badly need for a better Kenya.

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The man who can't stand women

The Raila Factor: A Stark Reminder

Story of the week:- Hold off Kajwang: Power Brokers Plead With Kibaki

Guest post by Sam Okello

The question uppermost on Kenyan's minds today is...what's happened to Raila Odinga? I've met many Kenyans during my travels who've asked me to explain what the ODM game plan is. I don't pretend to be an insider in ODM politics. Matter of fact, I'm just a humble writer. But I know something about the Hon Odinga's kind of politics because I've watched the man for years. I therefore propose that for us to understand where the Prime Minister is coming from, let's study how he has handled the most crucial public moments of his life.

1. When I first heard of Raila Odinga, I was in Form 1 at Kamagambo High School. On a Sunday morning, I was told that the Moi government had been overturned and that a certain Lt. Ochuka had acted in concert with Mr. Odinga to beat another bunch of plotters led by Sir Charles Mugane Njonjo. I was intrigued by the events. When you are a young man, such things as coups are very exciting. But to come to the point, the important thing here is to answer the Why question. Why did Raila find it necessary to kick Moi out by force? The answer is simple. Moi was literally raping Kenya. Be reminded that the man was presiding over a regime that instigated and abetted tribal clashes in the Rift Valley, killed political rivals like Dr. Ouko, looked the other way as corruption threatened the economy, and enriched his family...and the families of his cronies...beyond measure. So why did Raila do it?

2. As I became of age, I watched as the Hon Odinga transformed himself into a political machine unrivaled in Kenya politics. Matter of fact, I'm persuaded that the Langata MP is the most charismatic, most formidable politician Kenya has ever produced. JM came close. The point here is that Raila decided to become a politician to save the nation. You have to remember that during that time, the winds of democratic change were sweeping across Africa and the world. The only way to legitimately acquire power was through the ballot. So Raila did just that. If you ask me, that's a man who plays by the rules.

3. Now that I'm a grown man, I've watched Raila handle fame and fortune with dignity and humility. He's managed to build a business empire and a political following that makes his rivals go through sleepless nights. You'll recall that he led the nation to defeat the retrogressive Constitution fronted by Kibaki during the referendum. He led the nation to defeat the Uhuru Project. He led the nation to floor Kibaki at the polls. He led the nation to find peace after Kibaki stole the elections in a fashion befitting a man blessed with just a quarter of a brain. Did somebody say Kibaki was a Makerere alum? How he shames his alma mater! The point I'm making here is that Raila has always led the nation...to a better place.

4. Finally, we all watched, after the stolen elections, how Raila handled one of the most explosive situations Kenya has ever had to deal with. Love him or hate him, what you saw was a man who worried about Kenya more than he worried about himself. He chose to create peace for Kenya's children rather than create space for himself at the State House. That tells a lot about a man's core beliefs and character.

Fellow Kenyans, I've brought up the matter of the Hon Odinga because many people don't understand what the plan is for the future. What we must all understand is that we are up against the forces of doom. We're up against a cartel that has horded power and wealth since independence. They derailed our democracy in 2007, but we will not let them again. So when you see Moi scheme in the Rift Valley, just remind him that we defeated the Uhuru Project and we will defeat him again. When you see Kalonzo map a GEMA game plan, just remind the traitor that we are writing his final chapter in Kenyan politics. And when you see Kibaki's allies do everything to humiliate the Prime Minister, just remind them that we beat them before and we will do it again...at a time of our choosing.

Why am I so confident? Because I trust the Kenyan people. And I trust Raila Odinga. I know for sure that a time is coming when a different kind of politics will have to be played. But, friends, that time is not now. The wise know that you only tip your hand when the path to victory is clear. So as we go forward, let us rejoice that the youth of Central Province, led by the Mungiki leadership, have teamed up with their fellow Kenyans to create a just and humane society. A society where all Kenyan children are cared for regardless of where they come from. Can we do it? Yes we can!

So let the Hon Odinga draw his game plan. In the fullness of time, he'll tell us where we are going and how we'll get there. When that time comes, don't be caught sleeping. Let the man who has called himself the bridge to the future cross the Jordan with us, then we'll pick the fruits when we get yonder!

For love of Country.

Check out Kasarani.com, a new way to meet and keep in touch with Kenyans worldwide. You can even start your own blog on Kasarani! Click here to go to Kasarani.com now

The man who can't stand women