This one's for Boniface Mwangi for Telling the truth as it is.

Kenyans, I am going to stand with Boniface Mwangi on this one. Not that he needs it. I would rather straddle the fence to be honest but I think there is a place for the type of protest Boniface Mwangi is exercising. Even if it wouldn't be my style, that is his style and it serves a purpose. Here's my case:

I think in a society where impunity reigns, where everyone around the Emperor can't tell him he has no clothes, we need the Boniface Mwangi's of this world to speak truth to power in very direct, creative and loud ways.

I may be wrong, but some of us are viewing Ruto as this powerful man and rich man - who can unleash everything legal and extra-legal on him; but don't you see that is actually the problem? That our concern is for a man that few of us would vote for, rather than the person who sees him for what he is, and dares say it loud. A man who at the back of our minds, we think could get away with bending the system to exact his whims against Boniface Mwangi (hence our concern about his "impetuousness" towards him?)

In Kenyan culture, it is indelicate for us to upset the apple cart. I see that every time I sit through an inane government that everyone in the room knows what the right strategy is but won't speak up when the PS in the room. No one wants to upset the big man, and so the big man never gets to reflect on his life, his actions and decisions.

The Deputy President has on many occasions called people fools, shit, uncircumcised, and in the interview he gave, called activists and other critics lazy drunkards who add no value to daily life in Kenya. He is the master of insults. You don't need a lot of convincing to agree with that. Why aren't we concerned about his behavior and his utterances? 

As to the merits of the law on libel, I have always believed we should err on the side of freedom of speech; but that is for the courts to decide.

I think Boniface Mwangi serves a purpose to break the echo chamber that is impervious to any negative criticism that our leaders hide themselves in. I think some tactics are such a shock to the system for some of these powerful men that it forces self reflection, however brief. It rattles conscience - and I think that is a positive thing.

If I also put myself in Boniface Mwangi shoes, and we know Boniface , nothing we know about Boniface says he is a lazy drunkard. He is an accomplished young man who loves his country deeply. He has a family who cares for and staff that look up to him. He has friends that care about him. He has value. It is not OK for the DP to call him names. Whether it can be proven in court that he was referring to him or not, we all know at least at the most basic level of our understanding who he was referring to. We are not legal experts, but we are people with brains. We know who he meant. He is our friend.

Let's also consider the temperament of a leader who won't ignore a tweet from a "lazy drunkard". Who also seeks to take legal action against ICC witnesses. (As received from one of my friends)