Our politics can truly be disgusting. I couldn’t believe I was watching Gachoka MP, Mutava Musyimi, on TV stating that Uhuru Kenyatta has to be the presidential candidate for TNA alliance no matter what. That not even a fair contest for Presidential ticket between Uhuru and Musalia Mudavadi will make them accept the latter. That’s democracy Kenyan style! I first knew Mr. Musyimi immediately after high school when he was a pastor at the Nairobi Baptist church along Ngong Road. He was eloquent, intelligent and inspiring such that his Sunday sermons were a must. I followed his profile thereafter as secretary general of NCCK where he always advocated for justice, democracy and leadership integrity which he epitomized. When he later joined politics, I thought privately it was good for the country for such people go to Parliament and build a mass of modern-day politicians who will help build idea based politics devoid of base ethnicity and self centeredness. And, although his career in Parliament has not been as illustrious, he has been a voice of reason, tolerance and hope, and that is why I felt let down by his sycophantic belligerence. Although I am not a TNA member or supporter, the stand by Central Province MPs concerned me as a Kikuyu because of the brazen tribal chauvinism it demonstrated. By taking this stand, the MPs were unwittingly serving grist to the mills of detractors who always paint their community as chronically selfish and arrogant. Mukurweini MP, Kabando Wa Kabando attempted to give this chauvinism an ideological face by claiming that they will not allow Kanu to regroup in the alliance. But he did not tell us why Musalia Mudavadi will make it more Kanu as a presidential candidate but not as junior partner to Uhuru Kenyatta. Can Kabando honestly state that Musalia Mudavadi is more Kanu than Uhuru Kenyatta or even William Ruto? It’s high time Central Province MPs took stock of their style of politics against Kenya’s interest. It is former President Moi who, during clamour for multi party politics in early 1990s, repeatedly said Kenyans, especially Kikuyus, were not fighting for democracy but just wanted to get rid of his government and replace it with their own. Since Moi’s departure 10 years ago, Kikuyu leaders have done nothing to disabuse this notion and are now the biggest enemies of democracy and even the new constitution which appears to stand on their way. Let’s be honest here: the Kikuyu community initially supported ICC over post election violence and even the then prosecutor, Louis Ocampo, became a household hero after whom donkey carts, kiosks and matatus were named. But when it emerged that a Kikuyu was among the suspects, the Central Province leaders shamelessly beat an about turn, and waged a propaganda campaign against ICC and the prosecutor. Now they are arrogantly supporting candidates suspected of worst crimes against the people –just to protect a Kikuyu, in flagrant disregard of national interest. Indeed the hypocrisy and double standards exhibited by Central Province leaders clearly demonstrate that they would rather roll back the reforms painstakingly sought by Kenyans just to pave way for a Kikuyu President. What a disgrace; that Kikuyus leaders would rather have a Kikuyu dictator than a non- Kikuyu democrat; they would rather have an incompetent Kikuyu President than a non- Kikuyu performer who would bring peace and prosperity to their people. When former Attorney General, Charles Njonjo, said he was ashamed of being a Kikuyu in 2005, I thought it was an extreme statement then, but now I understand where he was coming from. The greed, myopia and intellectual barrenness of the Kikuyu leadership is just nauseating and for once I am embarrassed for being a Kikuyu
Posted on: Thu, 06 Jun 2013 12:36:11 +0000