Arrows and shields
BY FWAMBA NC FWAMBA
In the Prof J.R.R Tolkien’s fantasy trilogy; The Lord of the Rings, the role of one character Gandalf the grey, who later becomes Gandalf the white is very conspicuous. Gandalf belongs to the group of wizards, the wisest and most knowledgeable creatures in the middle earth.
Unlike Saruman; another wizard who attempts to get the ring of power for himself, Gandalf sticks to his mission of helping the middle earth rid itself of the ring of power by helping in assembling and leading the team to destroy the ring of power in the same chasm inside the crack of Mount Doom where the ring was forged. The ring of power has a history of bringing down great leaders and kings including Isildur; whose heir is Aragorn camouflaged as Strider carries the duty of reinstating Isildur’s lost glory. Gandalf’s efforts to inform Saruman about The whereabouts of the ring turns out to be a calamity for its later discovered that Saruman has defected and joined Sauron; the dark lord to claim the ring.
The ring is in the shire, the land of the Hobbits. Gandalf is faced with the challenge of ensuring that the ring is destroyed before his former ally Saruman or the main antagonist Sauron land their hands on it.
Kenya is a county at the crossroads now. The political challenges that face us to day are akin to the conflicts that bedeviled the middle earth. Kenyans have attempted for long to bring about change. All efforts have been futile because of the greed of the leaders that have hypocritically come together in the name of destroying the establishment of impunity and corruption have ended up being corrupt and unreliable. They have always instead just like Saruman been converted and become allies of impunity and subjects of the same ills they purported to oppose.
Kenya has gone through turbulent waters since the days of colonialism. Every political step in Kenya has been a make believe to the Kenyan masses that time for national redemption has finally come. The chronology of the Kenyan leadership starting from colonialism has always been a disappointment. In Kenya’s war for independence, the freedom fighters fought to return the land that had been taken away by the British colonialists. When freedom was finally granted, the country was optimistic that with an African leader all Kenyans were going to have better lives with equal opportunity to access education and resources compared to the previous regime which had been oppressive, racist and discriminatory against Africans.
It emerged that their celebrations were in vain for the new African establishment became no different from the practices of the British colonialists. Fertile lands that had previously been taken by the colonialist were then taken over and shared among the African leaders that had taken over the reigns of power.
The ordinary Kenyan who had fought so hard for independence became a disappointed person. It emerged that those who were landless during the colonial period remained landless; those who were lucky got small portions of land where they stayed as squatters. It was not forgotten that those who had taken power led by Jommo Kenyatta had claimed that they wanted change for an ordinary Kenyan African who was lacked opportunities because of racism and other forms of discrimination. It was evident that the African government substituted terms but continued with the oppressive ways of the colonialist.
It was not lost to Kenyans that terms like racism were replaced with tribalism. Settlers were replaced by African land grabbers. It’s known to Kenyans that it was under the African regime that those who spoke out their mind like Pio Gama Pinto, Tom Mboya, Argwings Kodhek and JM Kariuki had their lives cut short because of having alternative views on governance.
In 1978, Moi became president and people who had witnessed Kenyatta’s misuse of power and practices of tribalism thought that with change in the leadership, things were going to be different. It however turned out to be more disappointing that Moi declared that he was going to ‘fuata nyayo’(follow Kenyatta’s footsteps).Under the nyayo era, Moi perfected the art of tribalism, corruption and impunity. Under Moi’s leadership, democracy was crushed and detention without trial; a law that had been put in place under Kenyatta’s regime became more effective than ever.
It’s during the Moi era that many pro democracy activists and university student leaders like Tito Adungosi and Wafula Buke were jailed over trumped up charges. Many activists disappeared without trace. It’s during this same regime that saw Kenya’s first Vice President and doyen of opposition Jaramogi Oginga Odinga was put under house arrest. Under the same regime more political assassinations and mysterious deaths occurred. It was during this regime that Bishop Alexander Muge, Dr.Robert Ouko and many others died under suspect circumstances.
The atrocities committed under the Nyayo regime saw progressive politicians like Jaramogi Oginga Odinga, Ahmed Salim Bahmariz, George Nthenge, Masinde Muliro, Philip Gachoka and Martin Shikuku to team up and form the Forum for the Restoration of Democracy (FORD).It was a new dawn for Kenya when after pressure from the international community Mr.Moi repealed section 2(a) of the then constitution of Kenya which ushered in multiparty politics.
Greed engulfed the country, for every politician saw an opportunity to ascend to power since Moi was very unpopular. Many opposition parties were formed. After the mysterious death of Masinde Muliro at the Jommo Kenyatta International Airport three months to the general election,
Ford split into two factions Ford Kenya which was led by Jaramogi with headquarters at Agip House and Ford Asili that was led by Kenneth Matiba that moved their headquarters to Muthithi House (now Occidental plaza), the Democratic Party (DP) and the Social Democratic Party were formed and registered. Young people like Ruto and Jirongo saw an opportunity to become politically relevant. They formed Youth for Kanu 92’ thereby saving Moi’s regime from extinction by mobilizing the youth vote.
The divided opposition driven by greed for power lost to Moi. The same situation was repeated in 1997.The opposition fielded many presidential candidates who included Mwai Kibaki of the Democratic Party, Michael Kijana Wamalwa of Ford Kenya,Raila Odinga of National Development Party and Charity Ngilu of the Social Democratic party. The opposition lost again and the country continued wallowing in the culture of impunity.
With new wisdom acquired from lessons in the past election losses, in 2002,the opposition united to defeat Moi and his ‘project Uhuru’.The optimism of Kenyans was renewed.Most Kenyans believed that with the exit of Moi, the country had been saved from all the ills that we had fought against.
That was never to be for after one year, the government was grappling with corruption allegations. A mega scandal akin to the Goldenberg that had occurred during kanu’s dark days happened; the Anglo Leasing. It dawned to Kenyans that the greed for power and wish to occupy Moi’s shoes was the driving force for the opposition unity. Kenyans discovered that it was greed for power and money and not good governance that had caused the opposition to unite to defeat Moi and ‘project Uhuru.
In 2007, it emerged that both the incumbent led by Mwai Kibaki and the opposition led by Raila Odinga had been in government. It was declared to be the mother of all battles. The tight race between the two presidential candidates led to a disputed result.
I contend that Kenyans didn’t know what the post election violence was all about. It was about greed for power. 2012 is beckoning and we face the same challenges that Kenyans don’t have a leader who wants to create a respectable state. Kenya needs a Gandalf like figure who will not get entangled into power struggles. Kenya needs someone with an opportunity to be president but because of being selfless will choose not to seek presidency, but will assemble a new generation of leaders who will ensure the country has a new beginning. Kenya needs someone to sacrifice, someone who is above temptations for power, someone with the interest of the nation at heart.
If Moi and old Kanu establishments represent Sauron and Kibaki is Saruman, is Raila going to sacrifice his presidential ambitions and be our Gandalf?
Dear Fwamba,
Your writing is very perceptive. I think the hope you put out there of Raila playing a Gandalf is very unlikely, but yes, you have hit on a serious point, that there are very few scenarios’ we have which would allow us to enter the world of political and economic modernity as a collection of Africans who occupy one state.
Though my tribal background is irrelevant as to whether this large swath of people called Kenyans will ever become innovators, producers, and creators, as opposed to being aid dependent people who are forced because of the failure of past leadership to view politics as a path to riches instead of private enterprise, I will say I am of Agikuyu background.
That being said, it is obviously clear to me that anybody who sincerely cares about all the Africans who inhibit Kenya ,would at the least say that Raila is the best choice of the two or more evils (Kenyatta, Ruto, Kalonzo etc). This may not be saying much, but it is saying enough.
This is for two reasons. One, the likes of Kenyatta, Ruto, Kalonzo and even Karua have actual at times worn their tribalism as a badge of honor, showing lack of empathy not only for the suffering of those from Western Kenyan, but for the suffering of the rest of the people of our nation, Central Kenyans included. This, well being done with the backdrop of their gross accumulation (especially Uhuru) of money and land is beyond immoral.
The second reason Raila would be the better of two evils, is that, as unpopular is it may sound on this blog, I will sincerely say, that even Raila himself is not the man who will bring development to Kenya as a whole. What he will do is a little something to better the lives of some people in Western Kenya. But, why the better of two evils…because at the end of the day, the West of Kenya can never ever really be development, unless the whole control is development, because development comes from economy of scale, from free flowing of labor, weak ties, social trust etc., the kind of things that only a post-tribalized leader can bring.
So, it took me all that time to see I agree with the principle behind your statement 100%. Raila will not bring Uhuru for Kenyans regardless of what region. He will bring a little something, but that little something will be no more or less than the little something that has allowed the majority of Gikuyu to still be living in poverty,. We, as Africans must not use the fact that 50-60 percent of Gikuyu are impoverished as a barometer of what Jaluo should aspire to, because the fact is, this only means millions of both Gikuyu and Jaluo are impoverished.
We need to have higher broader aspirations, just as all other peoples in the world have done, but that only begins when we say that the “majority of Kenyans are impoverished” only through that mentality will we ever bring development.
I really do hope Raila can rearrange history, because I as an Africa find noting more upsetting than knowing that our goals and vision as Africans are always so petty and small in contrast to others. Its simply an issue of African pride.
George
In response to Fwamba’s Gandalf proposal
The analysis of Kenya’s problem as being greed for power and money by political leaders which leads to the serial betrayal of the people’s aspirations and hopes every time one ruling elite/ mafia replaces the other by Fwamba NC Fwamba was exciting and fresh. And it is a solid analysis. But that is an analysis that explains the reason why the fruits are bitter without telling the reader what the roots and stem of the problem is. Greed, hypocrisy and deception are evils that are necessary for clothing the vile nature of the system. These are the fruits that we reap but the poisonous tree must be uprooted and a the nutritious fruit tree planted.
Having agreed that greed is at the core of the political system, it is recommended by Fwamba that if one Raila Odinga moved out of politics by refusing to run in 2012 and instead assembled a team of new leaders to take over that this shall save our nation from the greed in politics which is represented by the Moi cabal on the one end and the Kibaki forces of greed and evil on the other. He says that “Kenya needs someone with an opportunity to be president but because of being selfless will choose not to seek presidency, but will assemble a new generation of leaders who will ensure the country has a new beginning. Kenya needs someone to sacrifice, someone who is above temptations for power, someone with the interest of the nation at heart”. This recommendation is at best cosmetic, is not tried and is not tested.
This proposal sounds exciting immediately but actually turns out be a mere prescription of pain killers for malaria for your child. It is not the right medicine. The right medicine was recommended many decades ago and Kenyans are already on the way to creating a new state and a new society.
Firstly a new constitution and new institutions established on the principle of separation of powers, accountability of public officials, punishment for theft and abuse of power and reward for those who promote the national values of equality, justice and unity have been put in place. This will deal with our disease number one: Institutional capture of the state.
The way to deal with the second evil of impunity has also been dealt with the structure of the new constitution. What needs to be intensified is the building of stronger social movements to eternally be vigilant and ensure that every single individual who violates the code gets punished without fear or favour and that everyone who does follow the rules shall be rewarded. The rule of law must be upheld continuously even if this shall be at the expense of politics. The current social movements are so totally weak that they do not deliver vigilance and sanctions that are required. Our social movements are not drying the swamp with energy even though the Katiba has created tunnels through which to dry the swamp where the malaria causing mosquitoes are bred in millions.
The third evil in our society has been inequality which impunity, bad policies and state capture gave birth to. The way to deal with inequality is first by devolving power and resources. Secondly by building the capacity of citizens to elect and hold accountable effective leaders into government at the national and county level to ensure that every single Kenyan meets his or her seven basic rights namely food, housing, water and sanitation, education, basic health care, infrastructure and energy and security. Thirdly through affirmative action to ensure that those who were traditionally marginalized and mistreated by the state are given affirmative support to cover ground and come to the same level where the rest of Kenya is. Northern Kenyan districts from Mandera to Tana River and all the way to Turkana and Samburu must be given affirmative action programme in revenue allocation and capacity building terms to ensure that they recover and gain ground.
The fourth evil of our system is intolerance and instability that has come out of the inequality, the impunity and institutional capture of the state. Intolerance has taken the forms of tribalism and marginalization, discrimination and collective punishment of certain people because of there political, religious, geographical, racial or ethnic identity. The people who are treated as such always rise up against such a system that aims at systematically marginalizing and subjugating them. In return these people are further punished for rising against the same state. The treatment for this the employment of several transitional justice steps including punishment of officials who violated the rights of citizens, restitution and reparations, truth and justice processes, memorialization and other actions of honoring those who were violated. These steps must be augmented by institutional and legal mechanisms that will ensure that no Kenyan ever gets mistreated or violated ever again without the violator being punished.
It is well known that peace is not the absence of violence but the presence of justice. Justice can never be secured without ensuring political, economic, gender, environmental and socio-cultural justice. These tasks leading to the building of a democratic and just step require good leadership- the kind that we sometimes call philosopher-king leadership- to steward the nation. If Getting this leadership is the fifth challenge we must continue to work for and towards then it is work in progress and as you know it is only very few nations that have been lucky enough to get such leaders but because of the first four steps nations have managed to make massive progress. In fact the achievement of the first four steps will naturally allow the best leaders to compete and not the worst as it is the case today.
In a paragraph therefore, our salvation does not lie in the actions of a man as was in the mythical world of Gandalf and Robin Hood for that will be to become simplistic. Instead our salvation is underway and at hand; because we have chosen to be born again and to follow the spiritual path to morality as a strategy of re-establishing the culture of life and to overcome the culture of death that is so pervasive in our society. All over our nation the revolution has commenced and the transition from the authoritarian state of impunity to a democratic and accountable state is happening in real terms. Raila may become victim of this revolution if he does not read the signs and movements of the revolution itself.