Lace not an olive branch
With venom and poison
Lace it not
With the spit of words
Unkind and haughty
Lace it not
With foul breath
Ferrying untruths and hubris
Lace it not with the sound
Of ignorance and conceit
It is an olive branch
Tag: Politics
Why President Ruto Must be Wary of GMOs
We know the West has tried to regain its foothold in the country after realizing it “lost” us to the East. Could Ruto’s reconsiderations about GMOs have been occasioned by the pressure from Uncle Sam? If that is what the president is giving in to, he must be told he is on the wrong track. He risks driving us into a ditch. If the move is not informed by his own advice of back when he was the Minister for Agriculture, Ruto needs to be cautioned. If he does not retrace his steps, it is this scientific matter that will be the undoing of this scientist president. Hot on the heels of economic issues’ undoing of an economist president, this will be disastrous for Kenya.
Fare Thee Well, Mr. President!
The man whose picture simultaneously stared into my eyes and into the distance past me has now rested. The hero pilot who steered the plane that was definitely headed for a devastating crush back to safety and laid a basis for safer flights has bid us goodbye. I celebrate his life even as I mourn his demise.
For restoring hope to the hopeless, for rekindling the dying flames of a Kenya where dreams and aspirations are possible and realizable, for a life of service well lived in service, for setting an example and being a yardstick in an impossible environment, for doing more and talking less, may Emilio Stanley Mwai Kibaki find a special place with the saints and the angels. May his soul rest in eternal peace.
The Mtu Wetu Syndrome: A Brief Analysis… and a Warning
Now, Uhuru and Ruto are the greatest of antagonists. Their former common foe is Ruto’s adversary but Uhuru’s best friend. All this with nothing having changed: the corruption issues that Raila used to castigate Uhuru’s government for have not been resolved and Ruto is still Uhuru’s deputy having been his treasured running mate twice! But Raila’s current opinion is that Ruto is corrupt, and Uhuru a good president. Uhuru now echoes Raila with the claim that Ruto is a thief.
Why President Kenyatta’s Politics Threaten Kenya’s Democracy
President Kenyatta has systematically hijacked the fruits of the second liberation that, having been delayed during KANU’s stint at the helm between 1992 and 2002, had begun ripening under NARC and later the Coalition government.
For one, Kenyatta obliterated the opposition in the guise of uniting the country through the handshake. Moreover, the president sought to discredit the fourth estate by mocking, demeaning, and attacking the media using words such as “Gazeti ni ya kufunga nyama.” Additionally, the government eroded the right to peacefully demonstrate by countering peaceful protests with teargas and beatings. Then, using cabinet secretaries and other executive officials sycophantically loyal to him, the head of state weakened the other arms of government—the judiciary was brought to its knees through a reduced budget while the legislature went to the dogs when the sinister pact between the president and Raila Odinga gave the former unfathomable power to unleash severe punishment towards the law makers who dared stand up to his ridiculous stances.
City of Thorns by Ben Rawlence, A Review
The author’s meticulous interaction with refugees in Dadaab yields detailed accounts of the circumstances that brought them to the camp, the impact of their residence in the camp, and the kind of future each of them likely faces. We also get a rare insight into Kenya’s Northeastern region and national politics, the terror of Al Shabaab in Kenya and Somalia, regional intergovernmental relations especially among the nation-states of Kenya, Somalia, Sudan, and Ethiopia, as well as a glimpse into the malady that tribalism is for Africa.
Other than giving the Dadaab refugees a voice and revealing with such intensity the multiple intricacies of their lives in the face of the numerous forces operating in their world, a major strength of this book is the author’s use of description. With his words, Rawlence paints vivid images of people, places, and situations, easily taking the reader with him into and around Dadaab, as well as through parts of Kenya and Somalia.
Ten Lessons from the Life of Nelson Mandela Drawn from Dare Not Linger
Both as a regular person and as the president of newly free South Africa, Nelson Mandela’s life was full of qualities worth emulating. The book Dare Not Linger: The Presidential Years by himself and Mandla Langa contains some remarkable exemplifications of notable aspects of this iconic world leader’s life. Here are ten of them:
Ruto Must Not Quit, A Response to Nation Newspaper
Since securing a second term as president, Kenyatta, who in previous occasions repeatedly promised his adamant and unwavering support for Ruto, has developed cold feet. Isn’t Ruto justified then in seeking to galvanize his political persuasion in the country without considering the president’s agenda? The trouble in the ruling party is the president’s doing. Ruto and indeed all other politicians should not pay the price. The fact that the author’s thoughts differ raises keen readers’ eyebrows. Is this editorial an indication of the side of Nation’s bread that is battered? It certainly cannot be that the author believes in what he/she is advocating for. Neither Ruto nor any Kenyan should pay attention to the editorial, therefore!
Why and How “Hakuna Matata” May be Reclaimed from Disney
Disney’s move to trademark “Hakuna Matata” entails an unfair restriction of the use of the phrase by its owners. It is theft of cultural property. It is not too different from colonialism. This is cultural imperialism. It is unacceptable and must be resisted.
It is probably a moment to ask not what your society can do for you but what you can do for your society, to paraphrase JFK.
A Dirty Game!: Who Soils Politics?
…the greed and heartlessness of politicians, results from the heavy price they pay to get elected… every time we ask for money from politicians, we are encouraging them to steal our taxes to meet those needs.
The Caged Bird Sings 