By Kevin Omwanza
In 2004, my virtual friend Njonjo Mue scaled the walls of parliament, headed straight to one of the ministers’ cars and wrenched the flag away to symbolize the govt’s loss of legitimacy to govern in the wake of anglo-leasing. He slapped a minister in the process and was arrested and arraigned in court for causing disturbance. During his arraignment, he shot up and sang the national anthem. The magistrate ordered he be subjected to an insanity test…. It is then he gave this rousing speech:
‘NSANITY TEST
But when the magistrate ordered that he be subjected to psychiatric test, Mr Mue sought to address the court:
“If in Kenya today it is considered normal for ministers to drive vehicles worth Sh10 million while a family of six in Kibera subsists on Sh40 a day, then you don’t have to ask a psychiatrist, I will tell you myself for free, I am mad;
If it is considered normal for MPs to be taken to Mombasa on holidays by BAT to be bribed to block tobacco control legislation while our people continue dying of tobacco related ailments, then I am mad;
If it is normal for our leaders to traverse the land hurling insults at each other while our people are robbed, raped and murdered, then I am mad;
And I take comfort in the fact that I am not the only one, we are millions of mad people who do not want to act normal while watching our country going to the dogs.
As for the charge before you, your honour, I beseech you not only to find me guilty, but to hand down the harshest sentence permitted by the law.’
Today Njonjo Mud is in court – a petition to nullify the 26th Oct charade.
….reminds me of a paper in the pipeline ‘The place of Bad manners in democratization of developing countries.’
I have found me an inspiration.
