Facebook Madness
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<!– @page { margin: 0.79in } P { margin-bottom: 0.08in } –>Facebook is a phenomenon. It has helped bring out the best and the worst in individuals. I visited a friend’s wall and couldn’t help laughing at what I saw. I am posting the unedited conversation as it appeared on the walls… I am still in tears as I copy paste the posts.
Simon has just realozed that the best place to fart is when you are crossing the road…..a car just takes it away from your behind and its like nothing happened… 13:35 – Comment – LikeUnlike – Show feedback (25)Hide feedback (25)
Marie Kirgotty at 13:39 10 March via Facebook Mobile
Simon Georges at 13:47 10 March via Facebook Mobile
Daniel Munene Nyagah at 13:47 10 March via Facebook Mobile
Antony Nyonding’ Osanya at 13:51 on 10 March
Samuel Ithiga at 13:55 10 March via Facebook Mobile
Simon Georges at 13:58 10 March via Facebook Mobile
Antony Nyonding’ Osanya at 14:01 on 10 March
Simon Georges at 14:02 10 March via Facebook Mobile
Nyagah na when the driver farts and you’ve sat behind him and only his window is open blowing the wind in your face. Eeeewww!
Osanya still crazy as the good old days in Willis cops come to inspect you and when they lift your blanket, they just leave you.
Mdada, accept the situation and be the bold guy.
Samuel Ithiga at 14:05 10 March via Facebook Mobile
Urs is more like fartioxide! its highly toxic, capable of knockin down 20 adult humans within minutes of exposure. victims first experience sever discomfort, the diaphram collapses then they suffer total lung failure, this is followd by paralysis n loss of consciousness! this fartoxide is unique 2 Gitu.
Antony Nyonding’ Osanya at 14:13 on 10 March
Patric Sitati at 14:14 10 March via Facebook Mobile
Simon Georges at 14:14 10 March via Facebook Mobile
Kevin Kimani at 14:29 10 March via Facebook Mobile
Kevin Kimani at 14:30 10 March via Facebook Mobile
Samuel Ithiga at 14:37 10 March via Facebook Mobile
Kevin Kimani at 14:40 10 March via Facebook Mobile
Simon Georges at 14:41 10 March via Facebook Mobile
Antony Nyonding’ Osanya at 14:42 on 10 March
Namki Wambui Webale at 14:43 10 March via Facebook Mobile
Simon Georges at 14:47 10 March via Facebook Mobile
Samuel Ithiga at 15:04 10 March via Facebook Mobile
Simon Georges at 15:11 10 March via Facebook Mobile
Antony Nyonding’ Osanya at 15:14 on 10 March
Rosie Maison at 19:08 on 10 March
Rosie Maison at 19:08 on 10 March
eeewwww!i can smell the stink all the way here!!
Now this is what we call the Kenyan professionals… all the individuals who participated in this stream are highly qualified and competent graduates (or atleast in the making for some)… they will be parents soon and If I am not mistaken, they are supposed to be the leaders of today. They are all techno savvy, I must say…. and this is how they spend their leisure time. I won’t condemn them… they make me laugh and remember home. Simo keep bringing your madness to the world wide web and thank you for giving me reason to laugh. Bless you
3 comments March 10, 2009
The Last Words of OULU GPO
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I just got this facebook message from somebody who knew GPO the slain Oscar Foundation official. Apparently we belonged to the same facebook group Bidii Afrika, though I have never met him and now will never meet him in person.
Fellow citizens,
Allow me to address you as follows;
That it is unfortunate that most of you are yet to understand the meaning of the words Government and Governance.
That many of you have decided to donate your noble thinking and reasoning to be informed by what you
hear not what you know.
Good people, it is the duty of the government through police force to protect lives and property; to do so to all citizens regardless of their economic, regional, religious or whatsoever affiliation.
It is the duty of the other hand of the Civil Societies to protect all citizens from the excesses of the government. When the government shows that it can not detect and prosecute crime, citizens should not run and blame the Civil Societies.
We pay taxes to the government of Kenya and not to Civil Societies or KNCHR. A government that can not protect her people has no mandate to be in power.
Let it be known that there is no instance in which KNCHR or any other Civil Society deterred the police or security agents from arresting and arraigning any suspected criminal in court.
There are no instances where any civil society has advocated that criminals be not punished. What they have said is that someone in power, some police somewhere should not take advantage of crime to kill and maim, to rob and extort, to intimidate and torture; that is what should be known to all of you in this forum.
KNCHR is not a Mungiki organization; it serves the interest of all Kenyans. It is time that we changed our shallow analysis and quick emotional expressions on issues of generational and national significance. The police have heavily invested in Media Strategy whereby they can afford public support as they advance in impunity. Arresting people, extorting them and killing them is not and will never be the primary terms of reference of the police force and when they involve themselves in such offence, it would be in the interest of the public to see beyond a mere inconveniency in transport sector that may after all turn out to be stage managed by the same police force and government.
We need to look beyond what is presented to us; why don’t we wonder that the anti Prof. Alston demonstrations across the country were not
licensed yet they went on undisrupted? Because the govt. wanted to buy your support; and indeed it got it.
The police should tell us of the number of arrests and prosecution that they will make out of today’s mayhem. After all, we employ police to protect us not to complain of an outlawed group. They should therefore show us the efforts they are undertaking to protect us, not pointing fingers and showering blames.
So be informed and transform your thoughts and approach to isuues.
OULU
GPO
8 comments March 5, 2009
Apparently, the Kenyan government has always known that the Oscar Foundation is a Mungiki run outfit. Dr. Mutua, the spin doctor is convinced of this and wants us to believe him. I have never believed anything he says…but since I like neither Mutua himself nor the Mungiki I leave it for Kenyans to find out and tell us the truth.
It is however curious of such an announcement to me made after a two officials of this organisation have been murdered.
I have since established that of the slain officials, one who went by the name GPO was a former student leader of the University of Nairobi while the other, Kamau was the CEO of the organisation. Other reports indicate that Kamau has been at loggerheads with the government over the rising cases of extra-judicial killings – of which he has fallen victim of today.
So why hadn’t the government acted on its report earlier? Why couldnt they just arrest these people? Why did the gunman escape on foot? Why hadn’t they deregistered the NGO? So the government can hire lone gunmen to kill those whom they find a menace to them?
Dr. Mutua clear the air on this… don’t force me to smell a rat because to be honest, I don’t like rats.
Add comment March 5, 2009
Breaking News: Oscar Foundation CEO Brutally Murdered
Reports reaching me right now from an eye witness who is also a friend indicates that the CEO of Oscar Foundation – Kenya has been murdered. I will present the unedited notes as they are. The short mail sent me a few minutes ago reads:
“K2, am not going into politics yawa! I have witnesd a horibl scene. Two guys hav been shot outside our hostels at lower state hse road tukiona hivi. They were in a car kwa jam at its like they work for the oscar foundation. I hear they finance munguki. Its bad man, 12 shots on 2men. And gues what? The asasins escapd on foot, no policeman on The scene. Watu wa suti(presidential escort), 10 of them came immediatly, confirmed that they were dying and left. Am unable to study, mie niache na laboratory. No to politics!”
A second mail read:
“Watched the 9pm buletin n learnt he is the CEO of oscar f. The students just drove his car to campus hostels with his body inside. He is right outside my window, dead. The students dont want the polis to take his body away. They r just playing with the copse and demonstrating over what they cal unfair kiling.”
A third mail reads:
“Re: Hi
“Its chaotic here man. The guy who was in the company of the CEO hapens to be a former student leader of UoN and the boys took his body to the city mortury. There is a fight now btwn the students and the gava cos some crazy dudes thro comrade power have puled the car plus the CEO’s body into the campus premises. Teargas dwa nega ka and am just folowing the events frm ma rum. That ceo chap got lyk 7 bulets kwa kichwa and could not escape death hata kama angepelekwa hosi gani. The crazy chaps wanaingiza the body kwa hall and the gava are here! Gota go man!”
I didn’t want to comment on this but I am compelled to ask one question. Ten members of the presidential escort team promptly showed up at the scene of the crime then just walked away. They let students drive the car with the body to the campus and up to now police have not arrived to pick up the body. The Central police station is just a few minutes away, there is also the Kilimani police station and the Kileleshwa police station nearby…what the hell are these damn idiots doing? Some big fella must be holding the key to this puzzle… I am sure the police are under direct instructions… so who is the fella? and what is his motivation? What information did this dead man have? I am waiting for Kumekucha to break this one for me…. you missed this, are you there?”
Add comment March 5, 2009
From his Bedroom to the Kenyan Living Room
If you watch this clip clearly you will notice that Lucy did not hide her mischievous crocodile tears successfully. At some times while bashing KTN she smiled a little then remembered that she was acting mad. That is the paradox, when a mad woman pretends to be acting mad. Still I can – and indeed have – pardoned Lucy for we know that occasionally
when she runs out of medication terrible things are bound to happen. What begs my intelligence is how (and not why – for it is for sheer madness) she drags a supposedly sane man into such madness.
For that matter, I am very disappointed by baba Jimmy. Not that there was anything I held him in regard for – I have always held me in contempt since he misused my first vote in 2002. I know he has done many stupid things in public – including abusing Kenyans – calling them “Chicken droppings,” idios etc. However, this idea of calling a press conference to address the nation on the state of his family affairs is quite demeaning if not backward.
I am so mad I can’t even bring myself to imagine what their children go through when their parents publicly exhibits their nudity. What goes through the Minds of Jimmy, Judy, David? etc. It is a shame!
That the poor old man can master courage to peddle unnecessary lies about his family begs for answers concerning the state of his mental health. Worse still he brought along his ranting wife to shed crocodile tears before the camera thinking that Kenyans would be hoodwinked into believing their cocktail of fables.
Kibaki must know that we ceased caring about how many wives he has or how many kids he has fathered – it is no longer any of our business.
However, we still demand to know why the rejected wives and kids are accorded vip treatment. Why is the so-called PNU activist well protected by government personnel? Why is she driven in cars paid for by tax payers and by people paid by tax payers?
So is Kibaki going to sue the girl who made us believe that he is her father – for she told kenyans that much in public?
I don’t even care much about all these things anymore. What puzzles me is why Kibaki is responding to a mosquito bite with a sledge hummer. If he is considering sueing Muite for “insulting” his family or “tormenting” his family as his sweetheart, Muthoni put it, what does it have to do with kenyans? People file lawsuits everyday without having to summon a press conference.
I know, as much as every other kenyan knows that Kibaki is a hands off man who is not bothered by peccaddiloes. If this widely publicised “maxim” is true, then why is he incensed by Muite’s casual remark about his family? Let us compare the nature of this incident and the developing national security threat to Kenya on the Islands in Lake Victoria. Which of the two merits presidential press conference?
Why this dramatic ovature? Important news items that were overshadowed by this nonesense include Tibaijuka’s humiliating dismissal as the head of UN in Kenya, ODM Party’s demand for a renegotiation, release of KCSE results among others.
I was about to forget, given Lucy’s statement does it mean that kenyans have the license to storm media houses whenever they publish stories that don’t excite us or is it a preserve of Muthoni alone.
Don’t forget the poor man was moralising Kenyans on “telling lies” while that is what he was doing – telling lies. I am fed up with such hypocritic pharisaic behaviour.
The Press also did a poor job today. Only one constructive question was asked. They couldn’t think of other questions – especially having asked them before. Like what is your relationship with Mary Wambui? Why are you being linked to her? Will you sue Winnie for claiming that he fathered her? Why does Winnie call herself Mwai?
Considering that Kibaki rarely calls press conferences, is this the best he could have done? Fellow Kenyans are starving, corruption is the order of the day, no electoral commision (we are at the brink of a constitutional crisis), our territorial integrity is threatened with Ugandan soldiers patrolling our land, beating Kenyan citizens and arresting Kenyan police officers. And what does the president do? Tells us about his wives.
Sounds like the events preceding the Biafran war in Nigeria. I am afraid… very very afraid because Kenyans are getting impatient. This time the war will not be fought with stones and machetes and i don’t want to predict how bad it will be. But i can say with confidence that the writing is on the wall.
1 comment March 4, 2009
Shun Tribalism: A Plea to Preserve the Diverse Kenyan Ethnic Identity
“Muwacha mila ni mtumwa, mkosa mila ni mfungwa.” Only an idiot will think ethnicity is negative. The hypocrites will argue than ethnicity should be shunned then go back home and practice the very same ethnicity. In their very limited comprehension and use of language they have taken to the street shouting “you are naked” defining naked as “allowing any part of your body to be seen” while they walk around with their faces uncovered. If that is not sheer stupidity or hypocrisy, then educate me on what it is.
For those linguistically challenged, I implore you to bear with me as I develop this otherwise very complicated thesis. Quite often tribalism is a hotly contested subject discussed by many people who beyond their personal experience know much less than the spelling of this word. So I start by asking a rhetorical question. Who is to blame when a pen writes the wrong spelling – the pen or the writer? maybe both. I have purposed to clarify my terminologies so as not to leave any doubt as to what this post is meant to communicate. Three words must be looked at: tribalism, ethnicity and ethnocentrism. At some point, the word nation and its cognate, nationalism needs to be understood too.
Tribalism comes from the word tribe which is viewed historically or developmentally, as consisting of a social group existing before the development of, or outside of, states. Many anthropologists use the term to refer to societies organized largely on the basis of kinship, especially corporate descent groups that link back to clans and lineage. Some theorists hold that tribes represent a stage in social evolution intermediate between bands and states. Other theorists argue that tribes developed after, and must be understood in terms of their relationship to, states (Wikipedia). It is this latter theory that Kenyan politicians and other like-minded elements have often exploited to achieve some of their dirty goals.
It is what leads to the definition of tribalism as “tribal consciousness and loyalty ; especially : exaltation of the tribe above other groups.” Tribal people see only the members of their own tribe as “people,” and denigrated all others as something less. Many languages refined their identification as “the true people,” or “the real people,” dehumanizing the other people or simply considering them inferior. In this sense, tribes – though an inevitable fact, unfortunately leads to tribalism, which is indeed a crisis today.
Ethnicity or ethnic identity, on the other hand, refers to membership in a particular cultural group. It is defined by shared cultural practices, including but not limited to holidays, food, language, and customs.
Ethnocentrism can be understood as the disposition to read the rest of the world, those of different cultural traditions, from inside the conceptual scheme of one’s own ethnocultural group. The ethnocentric attitude assumes that one’s own ethnic Weltanschauung (worldview) is the only one from which other customs, practices, and habits can be understood and judged.
Ethnocentrism thus is conceived critically as involving overgeneralizations about cultures and their inhabitants, others’ or one’s own, on the basis of limited or skewed, if any, evidence. So the notion of ethnocentrism is conceived as a profound failure to understand other conceptual schemes, and, by extension, practices, habits, expressions, and articulations of others on their own terms. Standing inside our own conceptual schemes, we are blinded even to the possibilities of other ways of thinking, seeing, understanding, and interpreting the world, of being and belonging—in short, other ways of worldmaking.
It would seem to follow, as many definitions in fact insist, that ethnocentrism is a claim about the superiority of one’s own culture or ethnic standing. While this is perhaps a strong presumption in many ethnocentric claims, we should be careful not to make it definitionally so. As a matter of fact, everyone is ethnocentric through no fault of their own. Man is essentially finite and thus cannot overtly claim comprehension of everything that there is in the entire universe. We all follow the primary school mathematical principle of moving from the known to the unknown. So when we encounter things that alien to our understanding, our first instinct is to interpret them in light of our own experience. The fallacy lies in the belief that all that we know is all that there is. It is the reason why nations develop and implement obnoxious and ineffective foreign policies. They use their own historical prejudice in judging the situations in other nations. It is the reason some missionaries have made mistakes, presenting their culture as the Gospel.
Ethnocentrism leads us to make false assumptions about cultural differences. We are ethnocentric when we use our cultural norms to make generalizations about other peoples’ cultures and customs. Such generalizations — often made without a conscious awareness that we’ve used our culture as a universal yardstick — can be way off base and cause us to misjudge other peoples. Ethnocentrism also distorts communication between human beings.
Ethnocentric thinking causes us to make wrong assumptions about other people. It leads us to make premature judgments. “They” may not be very good at what we are best at. By evaluating “them” by what we are best at, we miss the many other aspects of life that they often handle more competently than we do. We cannot do so much about our ethnocentric predispositions apart from recognizing that we do not understand, that we are falsely assuming something that is not the case and is out of context. But how can we consciously become aware of something that is happening subconsciously? In this case, how can we know when we are being biased? I leave that for another day’s discussion. This article is meant to help us clear our guilt – those of our own making and those imposed to us by people who have made us believe that we are better of born in other sociocultural settings. I submit that ethnocentrism is not the greatest threat to our national stability and unity – tribalism is. Other people in reacting to ethnocentrism, which they confuse for tribalism, have embraced xenocentrism, thus rejecting everything they have always regarded as right. Some have been encultured while others have gone native.
As the debate for the Kenya we want rages on, we must be careful enough to rid what we don’t need yet at the same time preserve what is valuable and distinguishes us as authentic entities of our own kind. I introduce celebration of ethnicity as the only bridge that can help us extinguish tribalism while at the same time diffuse the guilt of ethnocentric feelings. It is not the fault of any living being to have been born in any social or cultural group, strata or sub-stratum. I was born a Luo through no fault of my own. A Luo I am and so forever I will be. It is meaningless, futile and retrogressive beginning to think of myself as something different – better or less Luo. However, when my luoism gets into my head and I begin to think that anyone not Luo is backward, limited and carries no intrinsic human value, then there tribalism begins.
Moreover, I become tribal when my tribal instincts compel me to think, believe and consequently act in ways that extol the luoism as the only authentic way of life and depict every other way or some specific tribal and cultural groupings inferior. When this worldview has been incubated, it is hatched into nefarious and atrocious undignified tendencies. Like pride, the problem with tribalism is that its authority is illegal, its correction is difficult and its punishment is severe. This must be understood eschatologically – with the end in mind, that is.
It is the genesis of corruption and subsequent decay of our moral substance that takes away our human worth. It inflicts us with the seed of impunity and makes our heart grow callous. We become stiff-necked and begin to define impunity as purity. It beckons our destructive nature and trashes every other moral code. This superiority begins to find its way in employment opportunities, social gatherings and political spectre. When we feel tribally superior, we begin to employ only people of our tribes. It is uncommon to see various organisations, Churches and government departments employees of one tribe occupying over seventy percent of the positions allocated – qualification and competence not withstanding.
In some places of employments and in institutions of learning, individuals come together to extol their tribal superiority. They speak in their vernacular where there are individuals from other tribal groupings who do not understand the same. Where they are contemptuous enough, they openly insult or use derogatory language against colleagues who belong to other tribes. in fact a big company in Kenya is reputed to have many underqualified staff from a certain tribe placed in positions of higher authority than the qualified ones from other tribes. It is also said that they sometimes conduct business meetings in their language and when asked say it is the country’s official business language. A friend was once told that it is the people of this paticular tribe who run businesses in Kenya and if he wanted to keep his employment he’d better start learning and speaking the language.
In the political spectrum, ‘leaders’ appeal to people of their own tribes when they want support, they also use their tribes as leverage when they bargain for positions and favours in government. Whether we are using others or being used to fulfill certain agenda that has a tribal denotation, we all remain guilty of tribalism. So “small” as well as “big” people have been perpetrators of tribalism as in the case of ethnic cleansing where some incite the violence, some fund and some perpetrate the funded violent acts.
Many proposals have been made on how to fight tribalism in Kenya – some have proposed legislative measures akin to the Rwandese resolve others think intermarriage is the magic. I will not comment on either but leave it upon you to use your head to determine your reason for marriage… as for me I would marry any “pulchritudinous*” girl, whether from Pokot, Punjab or Othaya.
Everything has been said about tribalism but one thing remains unsaid: The problem with tribalism is that like pride, its authority is illegal and its correction is difficult. Finally its punishment is severe. This must be understood eschatologically – with the end in mind, that is Having said all this, celebration of ethnicity remains my pet subject.At least I have endeavoured to distinguish myself from one with a tribal mindset or one about to die of acute ethnocentric fever.
Many pieces have been written about tribalism and all its related terms. Most of the time they fall short of admonishing us to shed off our cultural identities something that I am not prepared to do and will not do. I hear the rallying call to patriotism and nationalism. By the way nationalism for those not in the know is derived from nation – Nationality refers to our citizenship — in other words, the nation we are a member of. People can share the same nationality but have different ethnic groups. For example, citizens of Kenya are of many different ethnic backgrounds. People who share an ethnic identity can be of different nationalities. Asian citizens of Kenya and Asian citizens in India share an ethnic identity but are of different nationalities.
These ethnic groupings are endowned with unique forms of art and culture which distinguish them from other ethnic groupings. Sometimes their morphological make up, that is structure and appearance (including complexion) differentiate them from others. These are certain attributes that we cannot call upon our fellow citizens to shed as a show of patriotism. Whenever we consider throwing away our tribal orientations (if at all we will ever, being the gullible idiots we have always been) we must not confuse it with our ethnicity. This goes especially to our civil educators and religious leaders as well as other moralizers.
We appreciate their good campaign but we must make the critical definitive distinctions on these matters. The call to discard tribalism must not be understood as or confused with the call to discard our ethnic orientations . Indeed, however much we try we will never. Our ethnicity encompasses much more than how we speak. It is deeply who we are – it is a cultural stamp. Some Christian pietist is about to ask me the place of Christ in culture. I know that but for the sake of this article: its scope and thesis, hold your horses for a different discussion. Modern science has brought to our knowledge the danger of some primitive cultural practices – those we know and have no business sticking to.
As responsible citizens, we must not shy away from pointing out and shunning tribalists from our midst. This important act of good citizenry must be done regardless of whether they belong to our tribes or not. Tell them and tell them that they are enemies of development.
However, some cultural traditions and practices that define who we are – especially to the core, both functionally and aesthetically cannot be discarded. I have a friend who does not forget to remind us that she is a true “Manyala” and not a “Luhya.” I sincerely can’t tell the difference but if there is any, this is the distinction that must not be allowed to die.
I grew up eating osuga, akeya, athola, aliya, obambla and drinking adila and as far as I am concerned, most of these have been considered as weeds by other tribal groupings, with the exception of the neighbouring Luhya and Gusii. I have eaten many things as I travel round the globe, but nothing else meets these foodstuffs. They remain my very best. I listen to music but I will tell you that I compare nothing to rhumba – Mbilia Bel and Franco to be precise.
BBC and CNN teach me a lot and so does KTN and NTV however, I have been thoroughly entertained as well as well taught by Abich Jodongo – a traditional programme of the KBC Luo service. I love the guitar and the saxophone but orutu and nyatiti will make my day. I once served as a Youth Pastor for three months in Nairobi. This church had a youth group (which I still technically belong to to date) which played hip hop. Before then, I only knew Coolio’s tribute to Tupac “See You When you get There.” In three months, I was wrapping along with the boys as we propagated the gospel all over. I still don’t feel hip hop is music – but what the heck, if it plays its role so be it. That is why I still treat Franco Luambo Luanzo Makiadi as my best musician and I still listen to D.O. Misiany and Ochieng Kabaselleh when I want to relax with good music. Of course I love country music too. Now with all these diversity, does this make me a lesser, inferior being – not so. At least, not so far as I am concerned. Does that make my hip hop boys backward or most forward, not so. I wouldn’t trade if I had the option, and would die teaching despite the fact that my dad retired as a school teacher and has not so much to show for it. i just love to teach – it gives me little or no money but it gives me fulfilment that trade cannot bring.
I say this because most of my contemporaries are struggling with the question of ethnic identity. I will say this without batting an eyelid, If reincarnation was true and I was asked where I would like to be reborn, I would still spell LUO with confidence. I love Luo, I was cultured as one and is the only thing I understand how best to be. I don’t disrespect or disregard any other group but I see some things differently from them and would prefer some different things from theirs. The other day I was looking at my phone books and emails and true to it, I hang out with everybody else in this world. Significant people in my life, apart from my parents and siblings are not Luo and I intend to keep it that way. My previous house-mates were two Kikuyus and one Gusii and now I live with Americans. My most preferred Pastor is Luo and the other is Kamba. I read a lot of Greek literature and would love to visit Israel someday. I have always wanted to marry a Kikuyu but I have been open to any eventuality of late.
This is what I call unity in diversity. We are all different. We have different preferences but we are together in the universe. So I say, bring on those cultural nights and let the Luyhas dance the kilumi if they want to. I will still attend the Ramogi nights and if I have an Indian wife i’ll carry her along. I will also invite my Taita and Egyptian colleagues and if you invite me to your Maasai or Mumbi night, count me in as long as it is humanly possible. I will enjoy the diversity but will still go back to my “simba” and appreciate the fact that I came.
This is the ultimate synthesis to the tribal antithesis – unity in diversity. God created me a Luo and intends to keep me so – at least anthropologically, it remains so. I may speak other languages, I may borrow a cultural practice here and there but I will remain a Luo. It is my heritage and pride. This heritage should lead me to appreciate my nationality and richly bring to the nation a diverse cultural fabric that beautifully displays a united but diverse Kenya to the world. The tower of Babel depicts disunity of the nations, the Pentecost experience brings back various nations to one understanding: that through Christ and In Christ we are one. We essentially exist in many sheds to display his glory, to witness to the universe in many colours and to point the whole world back to its maker. So let the Maasai enjoy their culture and still be proud Kenyans as the Kikuyus as well as Giriama, Pokomo and Ogiek will and so Will I as a Luo. God did not make a mistake, He meant it jsut that way. Nothing else makes much sense to me!
10 comments February 24, 2009
Valentine’s Day: Another Deception
Golda do you love me? ... Samson for forty five years I have cooked for you, made you bed and given you children. What is that if not love?
It is February 14, 11.12 pm , just about two thirds of an hour and this “evil” day will be gone. Valentines day is the day that haunts most men. Every man prays that his wife does not buy into this over-hyped business idea. Unfortunately, the prayer of every man never sees light of the day. It is indeed unfortunate that such an important virtue as love has just one day set for it in the entire calender. Love, like every other abstract noun is not seen but is felt quite strongly. Love is not just an idea or concept that comes with seasons. It is not a force either. I may say with a tongue in the chick that love is “an interesting psychological phenomena that attacks a man the moment he ‘meets’ a beautiful woman.”
It must be emphasised that this otherwise misconstrued virtue is the reason why men would do thinks they have never thought of…rendering some temporary fools while others preliminary geniuses. Indeed, master Plato was precised in saying “at the touch of love everyone becomes a poet.” Martin Luther, the German monk captured it even better: “Who loves not wine, women and song, Remains a fool his whole life long.” Luther proceeded forth to abandon his life of celibacy and married Katharina Von Bora who had escaped the convent. He addressed her as “my lord Katie.” With that kind of radical conversion what more would one need as evidence of love? indeed the logical conclusion is that no man can survive apart from love… even Adam of the yonder at the sight of Eve exclaimed “wow man” instantly giving Eve her generic name – Woman.
It begs my question and understanding when I see hypnotised and absolutely hysterical women getting inordinately historical as they will tomorrow and a few days after as they remind the “poor male species” who did not observe the evil valentine day.
Man and woman must express their love for each other day in day out. Expression of love for a dear one cannot be relegated to a one out of three hundred and sixty five and a quarter days. to It is utter degradation that lowers the inherent value of a woman. To think that just one day should be valued more than others is incomprehensible to me – I call it utter insanity and I won’t winkle or bat an eyelid for saying that.
Whats more, and equally annoying is the fact that some men are coerced into this mischievous plot and they end up spending money they did not have on things they did not like on women they did not really know, leave alone love. These coerced species annoy me more than their deceive gullible counterparts.
So what did I do to observe this day? I will tell a story to explain what I deed. Martin Luther when asked what he would do if Christ was returning in the next two days. He said he would simply go on planting trees. what Luther meant was that we must live our lives in consistency to what we profess to believe. So in being a good lutheran (not in the religious sense, for I am a Calvinist to the core) I just received my late evening phone calls from her and we chatted like any other day … no flowers, no chocolates, no nothing and I intend to keep it that way to my grave, praying and hoping that no one corrupts the mind of my super nyako, indoctrinating her with stale heretical valentinian philosophy of lust and undesirable indulgence…
Smile or cry, that useless day came and went leaving many people with debts and scars and they are not better than they were before… Like Ken Saro-Wiwa, I pitty your ignorance and envy your complacency.
2 comments February 15, 2009
Family, Faith and Freedom
Family, Faith and Freedom are very important ingredients in human life. Where do you stand on these issues? I hereby post a comparison of the Republican and the Democrat’s Platforms based on these issues. The publication is a verbatim quotation of the two parties as viewed in light of the FRC’s 25 Pro-Family Policy Goals.
I hope you will be enlightened…
Add comment December 24, 2008
Modesty: The Virtue that Protects Chastity
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Defining modesty is quite a daunting task. Modesty is multifaceted and takes on different dimensions. The Webster’s Dictionary defines it as “freedom from conceit or vanity; propriety in dress, speech or conduct.” This definition brings out two aspects of modesty, the inward and the outward. Both aspects are related; inward modesty leads to outward modesty and outward modesty is a sign of the inward quality. Christians need both.
The Webster definition suggests a degree of incongruence when we confine modesty to, or rather directly address, otherwise culturally relative behaviour such as skirt length or necklines. That kind of thinking leads to pietistic pronunciations that have no scriptural back-up. The concept or rather fact of modesty encompasses a wide spectrum of life. It includes but is not limited to speech, adornment, deportment, mannerism … though one must admit that the most discussed and visible aspect is in the dressing. For the purpose of this article, I choose to focus on the dressing aspect without downplaying the other aspects listed above.
Like one wise person retorted: “modesty is that quality which flows from a humble, reverent, and chaste mind and heart, and manifests itself in speech, behaviour and dress that communicates a moderate estimation of one’s own worth and importance, and a high estimation of the beauty of purity in a Christian walk.”
I aptly borrow the definition for indeed, to a consistent Bible believer, truth is absolute. In a similar breath, I denounce the mischievous conception that morality changes as cultures and situations change. Yet at the same time we must acknowledge that what seems to be properly modest in one situation would be immodest in another situation – take for example, a beach picnic wear. In which case, therefore, a heart check precedes a hemline check. While it is absolutely consistent with God’s genius of creation to desire goodness – including the desire to look good, it is outrightly inconsistent and as such at variance with God’s truth to desire to look flirty. Being flirty is a comrade of licentiousness as opposed to purity. In addition, flirty dressing seems to be a consequence of a greater problem – the desire to draw attention to ourselves. We need to behave and dress in ways that are appropriate to the situations we find ourselves in… Thus there is need to employ a critical balance in practising the former and shunning the latter.
For a consistent Bible believer, Scripture is the final authority on matters of faith and conduct and as such I will endeavour to look at this otherwise litigious issue from this background. To start with is Apostle Peter’s (1 Pet. 3:3) assertion that inward and outward modesty are two inseparable realities. He warns strongly against the fallacy of unnecessary concentration on outward adornment without consideration of the inner. The tone of the speech is clear; the verb ‘to be’ is in the present imperative, meaning a command that calls for an immediate obedience. In which case, therefore, Peter is not making suggestion, neither is he guessing a thought, rather he is talking with utmost certainty and he seems to imply that disobedience to this imperative comes with its consequences. The scriptural command therefore is not an option; on the contrary, it is what God wills for His people.
There are two biblical principles that guide us in the issue of modesty and dress. The first principle is that we must not seek to draw attention to ourselves by the way we dress Secondly, we must very careful not to cause others to stumble into sin on account of how we are dressing.
The first maxim concerns pride and vanity that is in our heart. The desire to be seen above everybody else, or put in a different way the persistent insistence to place ourselves above our legitimate positions as provided for by and within the divine providence. The natural human tendency to exalt ourselves above the positions apportioned as sometimes overwhelmingly takes toll of us such that we exceed the conventionally expected limits of our indulgence. When an individual thinks that he/she is not perfect in her original state of creation and chooses to enhance her ‘beauty’ beyond that which already exists naturally then we must acknowledge the disdain that the individual has for his/her creator. God’s creative act is the best and he declared so at creation when God saw all that He had made and it was very good. Thus indecent dressing with the sole motive of creating attraction is not only idolatrous but also contemptuous and amounts to gross insubordination. It is pure contempt of the creator’s motive as well as his ability thus pouring contempt on His attributes and character. God is omnipotent and thus cannot fall short in any of His works. He is also moral and therefore cannot maliciously make bad that which can be better. In other words, there is no significant additional contribution that man can make on himself that will override that which God has done. You see again, this outward immodesty (indecent dressing) is definitely a reflection of inward immodesty (disdain for God’s perfect creative work).
Indeed, such indecencies displease God and he will most definitely judge the haughtiness as He has promised in Isaiah 3:16-17. Let me mention that men are equally not inoculated from this kind of pride and vanity. Both men and women are thus called upon to dress themselves with utmost decorum.
If at any point, a person dresses in a certain way so as to attract another person of the opposite sex, some questions needs to be asked. Isn’t God able and hasn’t He promised to provide for us all that we need? Isn’t God honest enough to be taken at His word? Isn’t indecent exposure a border to immoral sexual behaviour – at least suggestively, if not that yet. Really, the act of “flesh peddling” is wrong for it is born out of the simple reason of pride and contempt of God. Negative adornment with the motive to draw people to ourselves rather than God and His beautiful act of creation is sinful and parallels Satan’s attempted coup and rebellion.
The other maxim is pegged on Paul’s “stumbling block” principle. Out of love for our neighbours we may not allow ourselves the freedom to dress however ways we deem. Behavioural science teaches that one aspect of communication is miscommunication. It is highly probable that a woman may dress in a certain way that is perceived as provocative and sexually stimulating. It is also possible that the woman in question might not have the nearest motive to indecent sexual behaviour (though in most cases that is the goal), yet by that kind of dressing she stumbles a man. Because of the love and care for such weaker brethren, then the Bible talks of those things that are permissible but not beneficial. Prudence calls for this loving sister to consider the weaker brother and forego perceived and desired right to dress as she so desires for the sake of this brother so that the man may not lust and consequently sin.
Women need to understand that men are more visually-oriented than them. It is indeed true that men can be easily aroused and tempted by sight than their female counterparts. This calls for the female fraternity to shelve off their naivety of this reality and adjust appropriately to the environmental dictates. I know that some women or even men – the strong ones (of which I am not), may defensively say that is not their problem. Especially in this new world of individualism, one might say, “Who cares if he’s put his mind in the sewer?” To this I respond, since your motive is not to stumble this brother who has got his head in the sewer, as you aptly put it, go along the way to ensure that his head is out of the sewer. Are you not called to be a good Samaritan? Are you not expected to be your brother’s keeper? Or will you answer this question with a negative like Cain did? Good sisters, do not tempt your brothers beyond what they can bear. Our business is to usher individuals into the kingdom, not out of it. If you won’t care, Christ still will but you’ll account for your careless attitude someday.
So then, beloved of the Lord, and as those created in God’s image and likeness, let us be true bearers of this image. Our bodies are sacred and we cannot reduce them to objects of sexual desire and fulfilment. Therefore we must strive for true modesty. Indeed, modesty is the virtue that protects chastity.
Add comment December 23, 2008
Leave the MPs and Their Taxes Alone
Leave the MPs and their taxes alone. I know most of you feel like lynching me for making this profound statement which I dare repeat: Leave them alone!
A storm has been brewing for the past few weeks. Championed by the civil rights groups, catalysed by the media, now the average Kenyan voter has just awoken from long slumber.
While I appreciate this collective fighting spirit, I must say, though, that it is misdirected. It seems to me that Kenyans will most easily look for a common enemy to fight rather than have a common friend to embrace. In less than a month we have moved from John McCain, to “the Waki Report” and now to the MPs salary. In each quest, we have fought a losing battle – even for McCain, only the myopic Kenyan would think that he lost.
I know as much as Obama does, that on the 21st of January he will take oath of office which will include the protection of American citizenry, of which McCain is. He will not swear to protect Kenyans from their thieving ruling elite. In this case therefore, McCain will have a president – one in whom Kenyans have confidence – and would most willingly import to replace the now senile megalomaniacs. Kenyans, on the other hand, will still have to do with the same failed old “duly elected, duly sworn baba Jimmy.” – the supposed alpha and omega to their problems. They will still have to do with the pre-independence chiefs turned post-independence thieves.
Back to our MPs and their taxes. I say that it is a waste of time shouting on the streets as we have threatened to on December the 12th. In the first place, this is not even a secondary contract that the electorate made with the MPs. The last political contest that was fought with more money than ideas was not devoid of promises. These are the promises upon which we are to hold our MPs accountable. Once we are done with the promises, we can move to other subsidiary fights. To me the MPs’ tax omission is just a peccadillo and is not worth spending our energy.
Secondly, the MPs untaxed salary is not illegal. It is within the constitution and requires a legislative amendment for it to be active. Methinks , consolidating Kenyans to march on the streets will not force the MPs to pass a legislation that they consider harmful to their well being. I see no political expediency in the move. After all, Kenyans are forgetful; they will get another enemy to rally around shortly. Alternatively, they may set up a special task force to look into the matter just to fool us, and before we know it, it will be a forgotten matter. Our MPs can do whatever they want and get away with it: look at the alacrity with which Khalwale et al drove out Kimunya from the treasury. Where did that zeal go? Simple, it is of no political worth. Thus the march is an exercise in futility – a waste of energy and time.
Thirdly, even if they were to pay taxes, not even half of your problems will be solved. If the MPs pay taxes we would save just a few hundred million shillings. There are other plausible ways of addressing our problems than crying for the few pence. And that brings me to my fourth argument.
I think this campaign for the MPs taxation is not the mwananchi’s idea. This must be a somebody’s battle, maybe even a smokescreen. Come April 2009, the peace accord will be one year old and the promised “new constitution” will not be there. Could somebody be diverting the attention of Kenyans on less important issues? Remember, the majority of Kenya’s woes can be solved by enacting a brand new reasonable law. Part of the reason why you we fought ourselves at the dawn of the year was poor legislation. It is this poor legislation that has provided inequitable distribution of resources. The same law has left a large room for corruption, and the same patched old law has given the MPs power to make decisions concerning their salaries and sometimes yours and mine.
My take is that we need to spend our energy on something meaningful …say, fighting for a new constitution. A new constitution that will change everything, including the MPs’ salary and taxation plan. It will be a better and a cheaper way to bring the so desired changes rather than go for the same tactics they use on us: peace meal changes. Now they have lied to you that a temporary ECK is a good idea, yet they refused the same before last year’s election. Now that there is no impending election, the ECK is urgent! Friends, can’t you smell the rat?
I contend that the MPs are sacred lambs in this campaign. This onslaught cannot work, just like the Adventist’s doctrine of the substitutionary atonement. The campaign is a smokescreen. It is meant to distract us from kill the real culprit..flawed election, bad governance, archaic laws and false peace.
I understand the frustrations of my beloved countrymen. I understand the hunger and consequent anger it brings. But I also know that our ugali is not in this tax alone. The larger part of this national cake lies elsewhere and this is what they won’t let you see…or didn’t they say let the sleeping dog lie? Wisdom demands that we choose our battles carefully. It is Chinua Achebe who said “since men have learnt to shoot without missing, birds have learned to fly without perching. We may go to the street but our stone will not catch them – they already know it is coming. I am not a pessimist but this battle is already lost – be wise, choose your battles and live to fight a meaningful war some other day.
So when Atwoli stirs our anger and calls upon us to demonstrate on Jamhuri day he is deceiving us. We would rather look for a better place to vent our frustrations.
Lest we forget. We are responsible for part of our problem today. We had a chance to change things for good but we traded it with tribalism. We were fools enough to have voted most of the corrupt individuals in. Some of them have lawsuites that have taken years yet they are your ministers. With that key to power who would be the fool not to use it to defend his interests? Why are the Kituyis, Tujus, Kibwanas, and Murungarus not ministers? because some sensible people spoke.
Do not be deceived. We only reap what we have sown. It must have been Aristocles (Plato) who said the price intelligent people pay for not participating in politics is being governed by fools. That is what we have. We cast our votes to the most ineligible and now we are crying to the same as if we expected anything different.
My take, a rather radical one, and seemingly insane is to declare every individual who has previously held a political office ineligible for running come 2012 or whenever the next general election comes. That way we shall weed out all the bad seeds and separate them from the good. That day of harvest is near. We can have a new beginning with a brand new set of leaders who do not have blood in their hands, who do not have a dirty behind to cover.
Yes, MPs should pay taxes, I agree but our timing is wrong and so is our strategy. Kenyans can come together when they have a common enemy. I know we will come together. But that day is not today. That battle is not this – save your breadth kenyans, this is not our fight. We can fight another day…
In 2012 we will have a brand new set of legislators that pay taxes. We will make it a mandatory requirement for every aspiring candidate. It will be so because “Yes we can!”
4 comments December 4, 2008
