Those who never lived during the Moi regime may not be aware that sycophancy creates tyrants. Some who did have sadly forgotten. By George Mulala To those of who dont know what tyranny is let me tell you a story. In 1990 while reporting for NMG in its Mombasa bureau. We went out to have a drink in Mkomani with my two brothers Tony Mulala, Jeff Mulala and a friend Michael Njenga. We all lived in Mkomani so Coco beach Bar and Restaurant was our home pub. As I was tired after knocking off work, I left the three guys enjoying their drink but lent my brother tony my jacket as it was getting chilly. Their drinks became sweeter and the conversation turned to politics. Multiparty politics. As was custom then everyone was for many parties except the government of Moi. Little did the three politics young men know there was an informer in the bar. He called the police and accused the three of insulting the government. He walked out. 10 minutes later 5 bully men in both police uniform and plain clothes burst in to the bar and brought the din to stand still. Everyone was ordered to lie down. Then the snitch went ahead and identified my two brother and Michael Njenga as the three men abusing the government. They were hauled out in the harshness of the night like common criminals. Once out they were ordered to match towards Nyali Police Station. The five policemen walking behind them kept on butting them on their back with their guns, prodding them to hurry up. Michael who was more senior and bigger in body couldnt take this torture anymore. Being a former boxer, he swiftly turned and kicked one of the policemen on his balls so hard he bellowed like a bull being slaughtered. Michael then vanished into the mist of the that chilly Mombasa night. Two of the policemen where hot on his heals as the other three guarded my two brothers. The brutes had already started battering them to avenge their comrade now writhing in pain on the ground. Long story short. When they caught with the fleeing Michael at his doorway at Ratna Saquare, they broke his leg by smashing it with batons. And not before they had slapped his screaming wife into deafness in one ear. Michael was arrested and chained to his bed at Coast General while my two brothers were incerated at Nyali Police Station. My notebook (a simple 40 page little notebook that all newspaper reporters are familiar with) in my jacket that I had lent my brother Tony was to be used as the main evidence for their subversive activities. Two weeks later, a deal was reached that the state wouldnt go withe case enemies of the state if the said subversives gave up their case against police torture. I wrote a small story that appeared in Taifa Leo. Those who dont know what a government bent on fighting its citizens is capable of doing, think twice.
Posted on: Wed, 17 Dec 2014 10:22:16 +0000
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