I'm Back But Some People Are Smelling Like Shit

I have been away for quite a while, slightly more than a month but I don't feel I have missed much anyway. Kenya is still Kenya, the usual shenanigans over appointments, Mau, starvation, power games etc. Of these, one thing that has aroused strong feelings is the debate on Mau conservation. It's been painful watching one set of politicians open their foul mouths to once again use their communities to defend their corruption while another set retreat from doing their work because of political considerations, their rhetoric notwithstanding. It is someone who lives on another planet that still needs to be convinced of the urgency to save the Mau complex, and other water towers. I almost threw up when the former president Moi opened his mouth to comment on the same issue, the very person who had 24 years to right any wrong as far as our environment was concerned. It also sickens me to hear his defenders come out daily saying what a marvelous job he is doing...this is one guy who should consider himself lucky to be still walking about freely...

...Then there is Ringera but the less said about that the better!

In both these cases, the people who come out smelling like shit are:

On Mau...(Raila, W. Ruto, I. Ruto and the Kalenjin MPs, arap Moi and Kibaki)

On Ringera...(Kibaki, Mutula Kilonzo, Kalonzo, Ringera, Martha Karua)

Kikuyunizing Our Failures and Successess

Blame it on the Kikuyus. Going round the country discussing the root causes of the post election violence, nearly everybody except the Kikuyus, seem to think that the Kikuyus are the problem in this country. Of course this is rather disturbing to anybody who might have a clear grasp of what the genesis and nature of our problems are. Here are a few charges I have heard labeled against the Kikuyu:
1. The Kikuyus think that they are the ones born to lead. In some of the workshops I have attended, people are quick to point out that Kikuyus think they are born to lead and use the fact that Kikuyus have never voted en mass for a presidential candidate from another community since the advent of competitive multi party politics in the early 90s.
2. None Kikuyus cannot own land or successful businesses in Central province. Kikuyus have refuted this claim but I still wait for tangible examples.
3. Kikuyus "ate" during Kenyatta's regime, specifically benefiting from the former 'white highlands' and have also benefited from Kibaki's era. It is worth noting that nobody explains exactly how they have benefited from Kibaki's time. The yardstick for this is that a lot of senior government jobs were given to the Kikuyus but exactly how does that benefit the Kikuyus as a community?

These are just but some of the accusations that I hear left right and center but the main sticking point, especially in the Rift Valley, Western Province and Coast is the issue of land. on the other hand, I have also heard Kikuyus explain how they are the engine of this country, producing most of the food that we eat and generally propelling the economy. When Kikuyu leaders have been in charge of the country, the economic performance has been generally good, compared to the Moi era. My point here is not to vilify or praise the Kikuyus but my concern is that if this sweeping anti-Kikuyu sentiment (especially upcountry-- it is not so noticeable in the cities) continues to grow, we might be looking at a time when people will be determined to cleanse out the Kikuyus. Could this be leading to the making of an atmosphere conducive to genocide? In Mumias for example, we heard sentiments that "this time we shall not wait for the elections to get rid of the Kukuyus"...meanwhile I am aware that there was a ministry created to promote national cohesion. I wonder who the minister is. If we are to address the real mabadiliko in this country, we need to start confronting these issues.

WAJIBU: Public Debate, 2 July

WAJIBU is a quarterly journal that has been published in Kenya since 1985. It is unique among Kenyan journals in that it has consistently focused on social, economic, political and ethical issues that are topical, relevant and of common concern. It has invited a wide variety of thinkers, coming from many different backgrounds to contribute to the debate on these issues. WAJIBU is also special in not-for-profit journals in that it has managed to be published for now nearly 24 years without regular donor funding.

Each issue of Wajibu addresses a different theme; previous issues have focused on the environment, the role of women, education, characteristics of good leaders, work ethics and working conditions, the role of NGOs in development, the lifestyle of the young, crime and punishment, globalisation, the information society, ingredients of a just society, memory and identity, values for a planet in turmoil.

We at WAJIBU wish to invite you to a public debate on a topic of concern to us all.

Since the events brought about by the 2007 election fiasco, there have been many voices in Kenya calling for a complete change of direction in our country. At the same time there have been calls for all Kenyans of good will to come together and provide alternative leadership.
However, there is no consensus of how change is to be brought about and who will provide the alternative leadership.

Might active non-violence be an answer and help us on the road towards a just society?
We invite you to join us in this debate.

Towards a just society in Kenya: non-violent options

*Date: 2 July 2009, 6.00 pm.
Place: Goethe Institut, Loita/Monrovia streets

Speakers: Mwalimu Mati, Philo Ikonya
Moderator: Paul Oyier
*
If you should be unable to attend, please become a subscriber, renew your subscription if you are already a subscriber, subscribe for a friend, a school or an institution or make a donation to assure the future of the journal.

Current and previous issues of the journal will be for sale at the function.