I do not wish to take sides, and I wouldn't like to really say who is right and who is wrong at this stage, but how the hell are we going to sort out this mess and pick our lives back up off the floor.
Yet how is it that our Mr. Kibaki (or President Kibaki as he likes to be known at the moment – however no-one knows how long that will be for..) – went to visit displaced people in the Rift Valley and yet he only addressed the Kikuyus from his own tribe.
Behind him, they burnt houses and he tried to fob it off as a burning of the grass – "Would that be for planting Mr. Kibaki, and sowing of the land that people have been displaced from and have no money or means to buy seeds to plant their land or anything else for that matter as they are living in showgrounds waiting for the next delivery from the Red Cross?"
No, Sir, I’m afraid you’ll find that is yet more homes going up in smoke and while you stand there and preach to your fellow tribesmen how they are entitled to their land, we do not disagree with your sentiments, but we most definitely disagree with your words as, as much as you would like to diss tribalism, by speaking the words that you do to only your kinsmen, you will be the cause of further tribalism and bloodshed surely.
Kibaki seems to think by naming half his cabinet and putting in a bunch of non-Kikuyus – although only his own supporters of course – this will solve the problem and show he is not favouring his own.
Er …. Wrong. He has just made a farce of the peace efforts surely and we all live in a continued stalemate.
The Nairobians are doing a marvelous job of pretending everything is absolutely fine and trying their best to get on with their jobs in the usual manner (whilst they still have them and the economy hasn’t yet bitten us in the arse) – during daylight hours anyway. In the early evenings they rush back to their houses (those who still have them) before it gets dark, and lock themselves in and pray they will make it until tomorrow, and that their neighbours won’t turn on them overnight, and burn them alive as they sleep.
LATEST HALF HOUR: I have just heard that all the wives of the ODM leaders are walking down the road towards State House, to have a few words with the lady of the manor Lucy Kibaki I assume. I think it’s the Hilary Clinton winning some votes in the States that has got them all ‘girl powered’ up. But, they’d better watch out, for as all Kenyans know well, (and more than one reporter and government official has experienced), Lucy Kibaki has a mean backhand on her!
( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lucy_Kibaki ) - she's an absolute doll!
Behind him, they burnt houses and he tried to fob it off as a burning of the grass – "Would that be for planting Mr. Kibaki, and sowing of the land that people have been displaced from and have no money or means to buy seeds to plant their land or anything else for that matter as they are living in showgrounds waiting for the next delivery from the Red Cross?"
No, Sir, I’m afraid you’ll find that is yet more homes going up in smoke and while you stand there and preach to your fellow tribesmen how they are entitled to their land, we do not disagree with your sentiments, but we most definitely disagree with your words as, as much as you would like to diss tribalism, by speaking the words that you do to only your kinsmen, you will be the cause of further tribalism and bloodshed surely.
Kibaki seems to think by naming half his cabinet and putting in a bunch of non-Kikuyus – although only his own supporters of course – this will solve the problem and show he is not favouring his own.
Er …. Wrong. He has just made a farce of the peace efforts surely and we all live in a continued stalemate.
The Nairobians are doing a marvelous job of pretending everything is absolutely fine and trying their best to get on with their jobs in the usual manner (whilst they still have them and the economy hasn’t yet bitten us in the arse) – during daylight hours anyway. In the early evenings they rush back to their houses (those who still have them) before it gets dark, and lock themselves in and pray they will make it until tomorrow, and that their neighbours won’t turn on them overnight, and burn them alive as they sleep.
LATEST HALF HOUR: I have just heard that all the wives of the ODM leaders are walking down the road towards State House, to have a few words with the lady of the manor Lucy Kibaki I assume. I think it’s the Hilary Clinton winning some votes in the States that has got them all ‘girl powered’ up. But, they’d better watch out, for as all Kenyans know well, (and more than one reporter and government official has experienced), Lucy Kibaki has a mean backhand on her!
( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lucy_Kibaki ) - she's an absolute doll!
4 comments:
The Waswahili say,when two bulls fight its the grass that gets hurt.The poor are suffering fighting proxy wars for them.
Mr kibaki,while adressing the people,told them that everything is alright,only to be interrupted by the crowd to show him the smoke allover. What kibaki is trying to do is to defer a problem and sit pretty,but if the source of the trouble is not solved then it will simmer and explode later.The displaced have lost what they had worked for for many years,he cannot just tell people to go back and continue as normal,while their ancestral lands are too crowded.This is a major test for kibaki,this is where we will know if he really cares for the country or he is only interested in his own selfish gains and his tribesmates.This is his only chance ,otherwise he will be classified in the same group with Mugabe,Pol pot,Amin,Bokassa,Pinochet,Milosevic et al.A generational change is what is most needed,need to ban people above maybe 55,from the next elections.They older still live trapped in the 1940s,50s,where identity in origin was ones pride.In school when growing up,I still remember no one cared about anyones origin,I remember we usually elected a sikh class prefect since we thought the turban looked cool.The politicians instill their own ancient ideologies on the younger so that the can be 'president' or something, i guess politicians and drug addicts are all same, the need help!
Njoroge, Ukraine
Thanks Njoroge for your comment. I think I agree with the politicians and drug addicts being the same in needing serious help!
For sure the grass is suffering.
Aren't the Kikuyus and Luos at each other throats? It sounds like tribal violence to me !
Yes Paul. Right now it is most definitely tribal although caused through politics. My headline was written "tongue in cheek".
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