Reflections & Deflections: February 2010

Friday, February 26, 2010

I Have The Leaders That I Deserve!

They say a country deserves the leaders it gets, I wonder how true this is for Kenya. Let me reflect on this by picking out a few leaders we have and put this theory to test.

Obviously the place to start is Kibaki, the president. Personally I think Kibaki is petty and only concerns himself with pettiness, unless of course pushed to act by other forces. In the midst of more pressing national concerns, the old man from Othaya will find time to call a press conference to claim that he only has one wife. As if we care. The bugger will chuckle at himself when he calls one pumbavu. Recently, he was quick to suspend several PSs only after he heard that those in the office of the PM had been pressurized to step aside, in the process suspending even those who had already stepped aside. The guy will only react when the PM has actually done something, it is like he is trying to tell Raila "I am bigger than you", or "my thing is bigger than yours!" I will contrast this to the manner in which Kenyan media were so glued to the Esther Arunga / Hellon story. As if it matters. So the public gets hooked on the fact that an adult of sound mind is keeping the company of someone they don't like. You go on twitter, facebook, TV, radio, it is all you can see or hear about. Then a mob at the coast decides that they have nothing better to do with their time than try to stop a gay wedding! I am sure that if you mark those faces well, you will see them pop somewhere else pleading with the government to come and help them because they are so poor!

Another high profile leader we have is the thug from Eldoret, William Ruto. I call him a thug because those of us old enough to remember 92 can still recall the thuggery that went on to ensure that Baba Moi remained in charge. Now the other day I see folks in Rift Valley protesting and demonstrating because he has been suspended for allegedly stealing maize. Simply because he is in a power struggle with one that we don't like, it is now alright to stay put as a minister even when allegations of corruption are hanging over your head. Tomorrow we shall be blaming the government for lack of willpower in fighting corruption. I am not trying to say that I approve of the government's way of handling corruption, but the point is that the person who has to be a victim of this fight has to be from the other community!

Another high profile leader we have is Kalonzo Musyoka. The chap is self confessed committed christian, like many Kenyans. Many Kenyans are so committed a christian that they cannot withstand the provision of the Kadhis court in the constitution. They are so committed a christian that they will not hesitate to pelt with stones, hack with machetes or burn down those they consider to stand in their way. There is no contradiction in being christian and promoting tribalism, watching after your stomach first while the country burns, or ignoring a public promise for political convenience. That is why we Kalonzo as our leader!

Because we are Kenyans, someone will deduce my ethnicity from my profile and ask why I am not alluding any negativity to the PM, and will therefore conclude that I support the PM so I will not point an accusing finger at him. One will therefore say I am tribalist. But just to give them that satisfaction, I will stop here.

PS: Re Raila (I can't resist it) - You campaign to be the people's president. You then burden them with the likes of H Kosgey, W Ruto, D Otieno and all those who had faithfully served in the same regimes that you demonized as autocratic, undemocratic etc etc.

Friday, February 5, 2010

From Kakuma to Lodwar

Last week I traveled by road from Kakuma to Lodwar in Turkana. Here are some pictures of whatever I saw on the road. Not a professional camera and in a moving car so don't mind the quality.