Kenya is heading towards an election, and as usual, the battle lines were drawn a long time ago. I observe from the Diaspora, though I visit every year
On the one side of this line, stands my tribesmen and another, whilst the other side is also made up of two other major tribes. The rest support either side of the antagonist.
But it is my fellow brothers and sisters from the lakeside who I wish to address
For a very long time, we have fed this nation with brilliant intellectuals in each and every field conceivable.
However, we have continued to behave like captives of illiteracy and ignorance. This, we have paid a heavy price for, as our homeland has been a bedrock of all that ails a society; poverty, HIV Aids, Political thuggery, dwindling resources, wife inheritance…..etc
Yet through all this, we have allowed ourselves to be enslaved and or held captive politically by one family. The last remaining Chiefdom in Kenya.
However, a look at the rest of the nation paints a picture of other communities who have embraced diverse leaders with divergent opinions that ensure that one family and or individual holds sway over a whole people, their hens, livestock etc.
The upshot of this has been that we have allowed ourselves to be led through paths that have not augured well for us, either politically, socially or economically by a minority among us, that has exploited the unemployed and uneducated in our midst to create a cult like following, that is beneficial to no one in particular. Nyalwenda and Manyatta have remained the same pathetic crime ridden slums since time in memorial. They have no importance to the ruling class at all, and only feature during elections, where we are promised that they will be turned into miniature Switzlands!!!!!
Consequently, this has seen our region producing some of the most astute, accomplished and dedicated sycophants and bootlickers. That what they support is wrong does not matter until the ego of one man is massaged, soothed and praised.
Few examples will serve.....The Hon James Orengo and Nyongo, both very brilliant minds in their fields have had the indignity of been unelected to parliament at the expense of lesser minds when they were in Ngilus SDP just because they were not in chama ya baba.
Today you might mistake the two for bodyguards of you know who. Shame!!
A look at other regions of this country paints a different picture;.....In Eastern, the Kalonzo/Ngilu Rivaly ensures that the Kambas have a choice. In Central, the Uhuru/Kenneth and uncompromising Karua ensures a choice for any disgruntleds, Our shemejis have Musalia/Watengula axis, Kisii-Obure/Ongeri. Even at the Coast, they have no one leader there, the Joho/Shabhal axis is providing people with a choice, same case for the Rift- Ruto/Moi.
This is matured leadership and democracy.
However in Luo Nyanza, sycophantism rears its head big time. One man and his family are everything. So much that his siblings, cousins etc wanted to impose themselves on the electorate.
That is why as much as I weep for, my Luo nation, I am much encouraged by the drama that was witnessed during the primaries in Luo Nyanza when a tired, burdened people finally said a BIG NO, that has even led to the dropping of the silly and counter-productive Six Piece Voting
May be, just maybe the first rays that will save our people from the whims of one man may be coming to an end.
That is why I weep......but weep with a smiling heart, because the first seeds of a revolution in Luo Nyanza have been sowed. I pray that they may germinate, FULLY
May be...just may be.
J. Odipo signs out!
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