Lessons from the party nominations
Kenyan politics
are made from stuff that can make the most dramatic soap operas and make the
masters of all soaps, the Mexicans, proud, but the only tragedy with this
political drama is, the precision at which they so predictably turn tragic.
Last week I witnessed
a gang of men knock out three canines from a young lad who had allegedly fled
with campaign money which had been dished out by a politician.
The incident happened
near Kangemi
where, as has been the custom when big shot politicians come calling
and hunting for votes, youths, market women, street children and people of all
walks the streets of life line up for the windfall that will be dished out and
not for the unending promises that politicians make.
Now, this lad
happened to be so near to the campaign trucks and when that time came, he was
among the ones who grabbed wads of notes from the grubby fingers of campaign
mandarins, and as predicted, made a mad dash that could have made David Rudisha
proud.
Drama unfolded
when a 500 strong army of hungry youths and market women descended on him,
eager to get something from the fall, and man! It was a sight to behold as
people rushed, bashed, jostled for space and outran each other in hot pursuit
of the money laden guy.
Tragedy strikes
After about ten
minutes of the gold rush, the fleeing guy’s journey was cut short by one sweep
that knocked him to the ground and within no time, he had been relieved of all
the money.
The tattered
notes, some torn in half and others into minute pieces were strewn all over the
place, perhaps to serve as a reminder to the locals of their greed for money, and
just for the record, I saw a guy gobble up a wad of notes into his mouth.
Worried man
I was a worried
man. Worried because I expected that at this day and age people should act with
a certain degree of civility. Who knows, if they lined up and shared the cash
in a civilized way, maybe everyone could have gotten something to take home and
no money could have been wasted. But then I realized it the same Kenyans who are
dirt poor and can’t wait to lay their hands on the money, some just to feed
themselves.
I am not about to
preach civility to Kenyans, because I know will fair badly off. But it’s time
we changed our archaic and barbaric ways as far as political campaigns are
concerned.
At about the same
time, just when I was chatting with a heavily inebriated youth who was weak
enough not to fight for the windfall, tragedy stroke.
There were cries
and shrieks but one particular horrific wail signaled danger.
A man’s eye had
been gorged out, and three of his front teeth knocked off. Reason, he breached
a contract.
On getting closer,
I realize he is the same man who bolted with campaign cash. It was a plan, I
learn, by a group of youth to run away with the cash and the man made a fatal
error when he fell, denying the others their lion’s share of the loot. And that
was the price to pay.
Now this is the tragedy
Every five years,
Kenyans live in peace, tolerate each other and work together regardless of
their tribes and political affiliations, but come electioneering period, and
they turn against each other, thanks to politicians who successfully divide
them along tribal lines and feed them with stolen cash.
Most people get a
smattering amount of this campaign money, some getting as little as KShs 20,
money that cannot even buy a packet of milk!
The party
nominations came around last Thursday and anyone who witnessed the tragic drama
can bear with me that violence, voter bribery, mass importation of voters and
sheer anarchy ruled the exercise, shaming Kenya as a democracy.
Two pence
If what we saw in
the sham party nominations was a sneak preview of the general elections, we
better be prepared for more anguish, more pain, more internally displaced persons,
more bloodshed, courtesy of we Kenyans for allowing the politicians to use us.
When politicians
use money to control our minds, when the police will be caught unawares again,
we are poised to have the mother of all post election violence!
I rest my case!
No comments:
Post a Comment