Hapa Kenya No mincing of words

The inauguration of Barrack Obama as the 44^th President of the United States of America, to me as a Kenyan evokes lots of varied emotions. It makes me sad and happy both at the same time, glad that deep in a Kenyan village, we can trace the roots of the most powerful man in the world. This son of a Luo father has raised the hope of millions all over the world. On the other hand, sad, because, everyday in every corner of this country another son is born, probably ten times better than Obama, but he might never be what Obama is. It makes me sad that the socio-political environment in this country will consume him, destroy his soul and craft a monster out of him. He will grow to be the enemy of his own people.

This inauguration, reminds me of the feat that we will never be able to achieve as a nation. It is like that dress you always wanted as a young girl but never got, like that image of yourself you expect to see in a mirror but never see.  Many Kenyans have wondered aloud whether one day this country will be able to create its own edition of Obama, a true idol of his own people, and as I watched and listened to his inauguration speech, it dawned on me that YES WE CAN’T! Not in this lifetime at least.

Kenyan politician, just like insects undergo some transmutation. They metamorphoses from  this loved creature that traverses the electoral zones initiating development projects and making endearing ideas, to this ugly corrupt, tax evading, less caring and mentally retarded bigot who does nothing that he/she is mandated to do. Just before changing to the latter, they become divisive and full of hate; they propagate violence and segregate their people on the slightest front. They later get what they want and become what they are now.  All this makes me wonder, “Suppose Obama had the unprivileged opportunity of leaving in Kenya! With his charisma, he would have been definitely been a leader back here.” The question is, would he have survived this transformation? I guess not.

In Kenyan politics, today’s saints will certainly be tomorrow’s imps. The activists, who yell loudest about the ills of the present regime, will be in tomorrow’s establishment, but nothing will change. I recently saw PLO Lumumba almost shading tears over the ill ways of the current system. That scene reminded me of a similar occurrence, this time it was Kivutha Kibwana of the defunct NCEC back in 1995, no need to go into the details, but it’s rather obvious what Kibwana became as Minister. It is said that we always get the leaders we deserve; this theory seems truer every time I look at our leaders.

Those who voted ODM live with the imagination that some change would perhaps have come. They forget that as much as they dislike Michuki, probably ODM would have recreated him in the name of Orengo. The bad manners of Muthaura would have been manifest in Caroli Omondi. The wrath of Lucy would almost certainly be raw in Idah.  We imagine that, had we elected younger leaders, change would have come, but hey, look at Namwamba, Kitunyi, pyschophants who are now implicated in the maize scams.

I would hate to hurt anyone’s feelings but the so called enthusiasm going round among the youth that probably youthful leaders will bring change or to some extent emulate Barrack, is off the point. The desire to recreate Obama phenomena back here is hooey and is bound to fail. The likes of John Kiarie, Rachel Shebesh, and Anthony Kibagendi just to mention but a few, offer very little that is new other than the old tricks sugar coated in age. The so called young leaders are engraved in greed; the young leaders offer nothing other than youth. They practice the same old ways and exhibit very little of the Obama charisma. Lest they be reminded that age is never a leadership quality.

Can we recreate the Obama Phenomena in Kenya in the near future? YES WE CAN’T!