KENYAN PEASANTS, IT IS TIME TO DECODE

We are tired of fighting, it is time to flow and live. We are tired of complaining, it is time to agree on basics and move to the next level. I agree with President Kenyatta, either we assist in providing solutions or we shut up. It is time to reflect on our contribution as patriots. I believe strongly that it is time to decode. I wanted to write about my intent to deCORD but then I realized that Decording is just half of the deal. We can only manage to deCord this country if our Jubilee friends also smell the coffee and in a digital way choose to decode for the good of our nation. It is sad that since March 2013, the daggers remain drawn and insults are the order of life between jubilee and Cord die-hard. While we continue hurling insults at each other:-

a).  The rich in this country continue to safeguard their interests at the expense of everyone else

Think about it this way; agitation for higher salaries is by the privileged few in our country, who are employed. We claim that unemployment in Kenya is very high, but then how do we afford to sustain this clamor for high wages? All state officers in Kenya earn top dollar and they plan to introduce a bill in parliament seeking to redefine who a state officer is just to escape being held to account.

We thought that devolution would help, but then it is clearly a tool for the rich to reward themselves even more through county perks, tenders and extravagance. Children of peasants look on and wonder. Who is holding brief for the peasants; the walala hoi of this country? I remember George Orwell’s animal farm and I am convinced that all animals are not equal. The pigs will continue seeking more milk and luxury because they think for us.

b. The President and His Deputy are Happy with Kenya as their Ransom

We do not have to lie to ourselves; against The Hague, Kenya is ransom for Uhuru and Ruto. I suspect Uhuruto are innocent. However, no matter what they do, down memory lane, it will be remembered that they took Kenya ransom through a state machinery fueled tyranny and populist tyranny to cover their backs against The Hague. We have no choice; we have to accept them as our leaders. Without them as many would want us to believe, Kenya has no answers to its challenges.

c. The status Quo Remains Intact

There is no break from pre-colonial egoistic powers; the so called capitalist elites that took over the Kenyan state and hang on its rails. The founding fathers had their feuds, now it is their children with their feuds and if we do not watch out, it will be their grandchildren and their feuds. It is not just kenyattaism and Odingaism and Moism, the elite children from those regimes hold the Kenyan state in a suffocating grip. They would rather die than let Kenya free. They are willing to milk Kenya dry to the last drop of blood. They have mastered the art of using state machinery and political demagoguery to hoodwink the masses. How sad that we the children of peasants are happily fighting their war as they laugh behind our backs. I remember the writings of Ngugi wa Thiongo in the River Between and I can only feel sad for poor Kenyans. For those that have read the nice Play Visiki by Khaemba Ongeti, we have no choice but to move on because we are mere stumps in the eyes of those that own the state.

d. The Capitalists and the cost of Living

There is an insatiable desire to tax and the recently introduced exercise duty and VAT are supposed to bleed the leech so the heifers do not have to cut back on anything. Without doubt the cost of life in Kenya is bound to rise. According to the Jubilee government, taxes affect the middle class. However, they have not factored in the dependency levels in Kenya. Each single middle class is a source of livelihood and hope for more than 5 other Kenyan households in the villages. Moreover, I wonder what they have to say about and multiplier effect of increase in transport fees, increase in the price of everything in our shops; how is this supposed to affect only the middle class?

Kenya being as it is, capitalists joyfully pass on any cost to consumers. Even banks that make abnormal profits do not find anything immoral in passing on taxes to consumers. What does it cost the bank for an individual to withdraw money from an ATM machine. The banks charge you 30 bob and with introduction of exercise duty, the price is increased to reflect exercise duty. It is not just the banks, every traders uses any available excuse to increase prices. I wonder how we are supposed to continue singing Uhuru and Raila praises in such an economic environment.

It Is Time to Decode

In all the mentioned scenarios, I have not seen any concrete alternative offered by CORD. Politicians across the divide are busy with petty issues rather than seriously interrogating issues that affect common peasants. We have supported Raila just like many others have supported the Kibaki’s and now Uhuru.

It is time to decode, it is time to move beyond rhetoric and focus on real issues. To hell with CORD and its rhetoric. To hell with Jubilee and its PR gimmicks e.g. recent title deed issuance that is aimed at hoodwinking coast people. It is not the first time tittles are being issued by a president; Moi used to throw titles around; equally, Kibaki issued titles.

Kenyans do not need favors, they do not need tokens. What we need as Kenyans is a framework that delivers real value and makes things right. Raila has failed in demonstrating that he can deliver value beyond demagoguery. He has failed in strategy; to be beaten twice by a system whether cleanly or through theft is not excusable. You can not always cry foul; if you are playing with a rogue player, you take precautions that are commensurate. Raila has had his chance; it is time for him to retire and only offer an opinion like any other Kenyan. How happy I would be if he focused on grooming a successor. In the meantime, let him work more on development projects and leave criticism of the Jubilee government to senators and parliamentarians. Let him give Jubilee its chance to make its mistakes.

The Jubilee government does not need Raila to fail; actually they are helped by Raila because in him they have an excuse for every blunder they make. The Uhuruto government is not just divisive due to its tyranny premise, it is a government bound to fail terribly. The fundamentals seem wrong e.g. this clamor of looking east and courting China. Whether we like it or not, the circumstances will wear down some individuals. Then rubber will hit the road as squabbles become the order of the day. Then 2017 will be very close, and they will be back to us blaming each other. We better be wise, we can not be fooled again; especially by Uhuru and Raila. It is time for the sons and daughters of Kenyan peasants to rethink their political engagement.