UP MAGAZINE EDITORIAL
In the 1950s, Kimathi, General China, the Mau Mau and
like-minded Kenyans put their lives on the line to fight for freedom, justice
and independence. 50 years later, Kimathi’s statue stands regal in Kenya’s
capital but the battle is still on—only the characters and weapons have
changed. From the forests it’s now the streets, the blogosphere, the wit,
Parliament and petitions. The Wangari Maathais, the Boniface Mwangis, the
Omtatas, the Davinder Lambas and the masses, the civil
societies and the media are all pressing for freedom—50 years on.
But who exactly are they up against? Poverty, the political
class, the extended unofficial hereditary hegemony aided by condescending
masses—masses contented with food and shelter for today, deaf to the cry for
justice and numb to the feel of equality.It is a classic re-enactment of
Orwell’s “Animal Farm”: lesser animals are quickly subscribing to the
philosophy of other animals being more equal than others.
On 14
November 2013, IPSOS Synovate released the findings of a public opinion poll
whose scope of survey encompassed security, crime, the Westgate Attack, Somalia
security issues, Muslim clerics’ killings and the ICC process. 67% of the
Kenyan population believes that the Westgate attack could have been prevented.
An overwhelming majority feel the laxity of government apparatus allowed the
Westgate attack to take place. In short, the average Mwananchi is aware of the turn of events in the
country, but has given up trying to change anything. He has chosen the path of short
memory or worse, apathy.
And for the leaders entrusted with defending the Constitution,
it beats logic for one to send himself to trial. “The foreigners and ICC want
to jail us,” they say. We say, “Come; let us gag the media and civil societies.
Let us join the continental despots, turn East and save our skins.” Besides the
two media bills meant to slash the beaks off the nosy media, civil societies
and NGOs have the Miscellaneous Amendment Bill 2013 aimed at limiting foreign
funding to a maximum of 15 percent of their total budgets. Well, who provides
supplementary public medical care in the ‘forgotten frontiers’ of Kenya? Who
fights FGM in the arid lands? Unless those services are not too important,
compared to politics of the day.
The Judiciary is not safe either. The principle of separation of
powers matters no more. Recently, six members of the Judicial Service
Commission were suspended and a tribunal set up to investigate them. The head
of this tribunal, appointed by accident or design, happens to have an axe to
grind with the JSC for not being shortlisted for a post he applied for back in
2011.
All the
same, we, Wananchi, down here, the other 99 percent, are doing
just fine. Never has there been more creativity in our ranks; never has there
been more invention and entrepreneurial spirit, in spite of those who purport
to lead us.
So, let’s celebrate the Jubilee, by all means. Freedom is ours,
and it is what you make of it. As an African saying goes, ‘whoever thinks he is
too small to make an impact has perhaps never spent a night in the company of a
mosquito.’ That’s freedom.
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