Mzungus have never been corrupt, that’s why Synovate poll is 1000% true

Social media is a wonderful tool. For the first time in history anybody can literally read the mind of the public. In earlier centuries some people could only accurately guess public opinion but they profited enormously from their guesses, one wonders what those clever chaps would have done with the info freely accessible on social media today.

But spend a little time on social media and you will realize that our so-called elite and cream of society do not have any thoughts of their own. It is amazing how people repeat exactly what they have heard in the media like the obedient parrot. And folks that media iko na wenyewe and they have their very clear agenda. Or is the problem our educational system in recent years that encourages cramming and memorizing what is written in the text books so that you can reproduce it word for word in the exam room. There is never any time for students to delve into free thought, experimentation and discovery and the result of that seems to be coming out very clearly.

It is also crystal clear that most people don’t understand politics at all. They believe that American politics is “safi kama pamba” and Kenyan politics should be the same. I wish somebody could make a Nigerian movie (the only way a vast majority on social media learn anything about this life) that focuses on the global nature of politics. But meanwhile I would recommend a popular TV series called Boss which is captivating tale in the backdrop of big city politics in the US. Trust me it is anything BUT boring. Incidentally to most folks on social media that is the most dreaded six letter word (boring). Many young people fear it more than they fear Aids.

The other big problem Kenyans seem to have is this total trust for mzungus. I read between the lines of many comments and this clearly comes out. But I met this guy the other day who spelt it out for me and left no doubt. He reckons that just because the Synovate opinion poll is done by a mzungu it is 100 per cent accurate. He added that it is impossible to corrupt a mzungu because they have principles. This guy is a university graduate no less, albeit in the sciences. I kid you not. I pointed out to him that his perception of white people is dangerous and told him the story of this guy from Europe who went to Uganda a few years ago and started collecting cash all over the place from people who believed they were investing in a brand new airline that was set to be launched in East Africa. The poor Ugandans were falling over themselves to give that mzungu conman cash. They were sure he was not a conman because he was a mzungu. I will talk a little more about opinion polls in Kenya and their dark history in a future post very soon. But you can begin to understand why Kenyans have such short memories and nobody remembers the Synovate fiasco of 2007.

There is another friend who has suggested that the main problem online is the fact that all the major political players have too many of “their people” on social media and their mission is to make their candidate look good all the time.

Whatever the problem is, clear headed debate and political discussions are impossible. Many are even quick to accuse you of incitement when you start asking some hard questions or analyzing what should be obvious to a primary school kid.

Oh shucks what’s the point. Maybe I should just get used to supporting TNA because it has a lot of young guys with swag. Swag will probably create employment and solve our other pressing problems over the next 5 years. Or support Raila because he has suffered a lot for this country, never mind the fact that many others have suffered more like Kenneth Matiba who has had his health damaged permanently in his crusade for a better Kenya.

Or even better, lets vote for Peter Kenneth because he is the most handsome man to ever stand for president of Kenya.

Those Kenyans who have been calling for issue-based campaigns must be mad. To discuss what issues with whom? That’s rocket science in Kenya with the kind of “swag-related issues” being discussed by the elite of Kenya.

Oh boy!!!!


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Battle for Nairobi Senator

From left to right; Maina Njenga, Bishop Margaret Wanjiru and Mike Sonko

If you thought that the battle for Nairobi senator would be a 2 horse race, then think again. Controversial former Mungiki leader Maina Njenga has been cleared to contest the seat by the Mkenya Solidarity Movement party.

His remarks on being cleared are even more interesting; “The party chose on me because I have a plan to transform the city and improve the lives of the people of Nairobi,”  Njenga told the press.

If some Nairobians have been throwing up because of the front runner for Nairobi governor, one Ferdinand “rusha mawe” Waititu, then one wonders what they will do when they realize who two of the front runners for Nairobi senator are.

Although I have said that I am with the low-lifes in my political views and thinking, I can imagine a high powered delegation seeking a twin city deal with Nairobi, say from London sitting down with a meeting with governor Waititu and senator Sonko. You can imagine the quality of that conversation. But alas that is for the majority of voters to decide. Since you Nairobians have promoted policies that have encouraged slums over the last 30 years or so, it is time to pay your dues, is it not?

The local media seems to have a policy of giving Njenga a blackout as much as possible and for good reason. People still fear Njenga because to them he still represents the dreaded Mungiki whose signature has always been decapitation.

Like him or hate him, there is no doubt that Njenga will start out as joint favourite with Sonko to be the first senator of the city. The truth is that Njenga still draws huge crowds and will have no problem collecting hundreds of thousands of votes before he even opens his mouth to say a single word.

Nairobi has 1,778,903 verified voters and this is one race that will be impossible to call. Actually it could go to any of the 3 candidates.

Nairobi has a huge number of Mungiki sympathizers who will vote Njenga and in this way he could pip both Sonko and Wanjiru. It is also possible for Sonko to win by a small margin because he too has massive support in the city. A third scenarios is also possible. And that is Sonko and Njenga could split the votes and Wanjiru could then end up winning by a small margin.

At this rate the race for president will be pretty boring in comparison to the battle of Titans that will be going on in Nairobi seeking the governor’s and senatorial seat respectively.

It is now abundantly clear why ODM has been so eager to avoid fielding a Luo candidate for the senatorial seat namely Elizabeth Ongoro who incidentally has booked her place in history books by being the first minister in Kenya to give birth while in office, which happened in November 2011 when she was assistant minister for Nairobi Metropolitan Development (see picture at the bottom of this post). What ODM has been doing switching around people and claiming that they are settling disputes is very wrong. Why hold nominations and collect hefty fees from candidates when you know you are going to give somebody a direct nomination? Incidentally when they give direct nominations they should refund all monies spent including campaign cash to all aspirants. That is only fair isn’t it? Anyway I digress.

Ongoro’s candidature would have caused the race for senator to degenerate into a tribal issue. I am not sure what Mrs Ongoro was thinking putting herself up for the seat but clearly she would have lost both the seat and plenty of dignity. Nairobi politics like the politics of any big city is ruthless and certainly not for the feint-hearted.

So which of the 3 candidates will win Nairobi senator? Your guess is as good as mine although I would put my money on Mike Sonko.

 

Immediate former Kasarani MP Elizabeth Ongoro at Nairobi hospital on 15th November 2011 shortly after she gave birth to a boy. The legislator worked until the last day without taking any maternity leave from politics. 

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