A Whole New Kenya
Posted by Edward Karani , Monday, April 26, 2010 7:08 AM
“What!” the Kenyan president exclaimed, the Daily newspaper in front of him, stated than more than a hundred million shillings from the ministry of education that was supposed to fund the free primary education program had been misappropriated. “Call the minister of education now!” he ordered his secretary.
The president was on holiday in Mombasa for the Christmas holiday with his wife and three children. He paced around the room as wife and children watched, they knew he was just about to cut their holiday short. His secretary came back in.
“Sir, he is out of the country.” She said.
He moved as though to attack her, causing her to fall back.
“Doing what” his voice was fierce, the first lady knew that her husband hated any of his ministers sleeping around in their offices, while millions was stolen by corrupt officials.
“Maybe he is one of the thieves too.” He remarked as he walked around. “Let him stay wherever he is and enjoy the money because the minute he steps in this country, he is going to jail. Call a press conference.”
He was Kenya’s first forty five year old president. He had chosen to run for presidency using the ticket of a very small party that was virtually unknown to Kenyans. The Wazalendo party, but in each province he had been elected overwhelmingly. His wife was a well-known socialite who loved dressing in elegant West African attire and a headgear accompanied every outfit that she wore. A model wife, one who had the nation at heart, she had campaigned fiercely for her husband, defying every obstacle that labeled her husband as henpecked. His opponents had used every weapon that they could use against him.
“He has no tribe, how can he lead a nation that has forty two tribes.”
“Do not give this man the presidency, it is better for one us, from our tribe, to be at the top, so that we can be safe.” Others said.
“It is our time to eat.”
Their time had passed; they were speaking to a people that could not be easily dissuaded, a people that had made up their minds.
They ganged up, all the tribes against him, they presented a united font to Kenyans, and they all seemed determined to work together. “We will work together, for a united Kenya.” They said to virtually empty stadiums, the media was there they covered everything and showed it to the public, but whenever these politicians that had divided Kenya for so long were shown, people switched off their televisions. They were tired, of nation whose growth had stagnated even though it claimed to free.
They had had it with leaders, who for so long had applied the divide and rule so that they could remain in power and plunder the nation, and the masses, irregardless of the tribe had remained in abject poverty, while the leaders continued to increase in size, their earning tripled, they grabbed forests which they sold to the poor Kenyan people, only for them later to come back and accuse the poor people of land grabbing. They paid compensated billions of Kenya shillings, for land they had stolen.
They had turned an entire nation into a nation of beggars; while they used every single cent they could to amass wealth.
No wolf in sheep clothing could convince Kenyans otherwise, they wanted a leader by the very sense of the word, they were tired of tribal cocoons, they were tired of killing each other every other general elections, they were ready for a new start, they wanted a man or a woman who would unite them as Kenyans, a president of the people, a man of the nation. One who would dream, live and work for Kenya only. A leader led by the heart and not his pockets or his stomach. One who would not forget about the people who gave him the power, one who would work day and night for a better Kenya.
The politicians cried out to Kenyans. “Give us a chance to unite this nation, from the Kikuyus, Luos, Kalenjins, we will heal this nation where blood has been shade.”
“Heal!” Kenyans asked. “On our ignorance you have thrived, so as to divide us. It is because of you have many have lost their lives, because of your divide and rule policies. We have lost our parents, children, neighbors, brothers and sisters, our land and so many things but as Kenyans we have decided we will not lose our lives aimlessly.”
They had dropped some of the politicians from other communities to see if the majority would be appeased but nothing seemed to work. They resulted in blaming the media.
In the more than forty years that Kenya had been independent, these leaders had had thousands of chances to prove themselves, there had been droughts that ravaged the nation, time and time again, yet they had done nothing about it, even as the food prices went up, they did not care, after all they had their tax free salaries and allowances. When Kenyans died of hunger, they just watched and exclaimed over lavish dinners. “The government is doing something about it.”
Drought and famine came and went, thousands of lives were lost; it was the international community that came and saw them through. Disaster unprepared ness saw hundreds of Kenyans lose their lives over and over again. They had finally learnt they hard way.
Floods had lavished the land, deforestation had taken place, and Kenya was on the blink of collapsing as a state. Kenyans were shocked to hear their leaders state that rain came from heaven and that trees contributed nothing at all. Dare say that in the new Kenya, and next day, you will not be a leader anymore. The scandals were increasing by the day, from Golden berg to stealing funds meant for free primary education, no type of scandal was new to Kenyans, they were used to it. The politicians’ and the people in high places were now inventing new ways of stealing. There motto. “No amount is too huge to be stolen.”
Yet the presidents had watched and did nothing while Kenyans, were being plundered. Nothing was said silence filled the air. After all, you could not punish your friends.
Alas, Kenyans realized that a country got the leaders it deserved, and whenever there were calamities, even though they voted as tribal bloc, they died as Kenyans. They decided that it made no sense for the to die to lose their costly lives, because enough blood had already been shed for that course. They wanted change!
You can never oppress a people forever; an oppressed nation cannot remain oppressed forever.
“Enough!” they said with one voice. “We are tired of being used.”
Indeed they were, as the general elections drew closer, the politicians realized they were fighting a losing battle. They were staring defeat in the face. The world watched in awe. There was strength in unity, the people realized. The winds of change had swept over the nation of Kenya. There was no turning back.
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