Opinions Are Like Noses, Everyone Has One but Facts Are Stubborn.

By Dorcas S

Opinions Are Like Noses, Everyone Has One but Facts Are Stubborn.

So I will admit to this fact:

I read comments and postings on the walls of other bloggers and opinion leaders. Specifically, I visit the walls of Jubilee bloggers and supporters to learn their perspective/s as much as to get my daily chuckles from some of their silly spins.

One “analyst” is currently twisting themselves into a pretzel trying to explain Jubilee’s role in conceptualizing and bringing to reality, the standard gauge railway (SGR) while simultaneously ranting against Raila and the nebulous “opposition” for the high price of unga and sugar, not to mention failed implementation of the laptop project – the latter complaints wrapped up in the Arap Moi-esque admonition: That criticism of the incumbency is from “opponents of ‘maendeleo’ and ‘development’ ”.

The “analyst” goes on to spin another yarn about Mr. Kenyatta’s just-concluded trip to China and his upcoming trip to the Group of 7 in Italy.

In full hyperventilation mode, the blogger proclaims how “special” and “important” Mr. Kenyatta is for “being invited” to the summits in China and G-7 in Italy. It is a spin that conveniently overlooks the minor detail/s available in the public domain:

That alongside Mr. Kenyatta, the “special and important” Presidents Muhammadu Buhari (Nigeria), Haile Mariam Desalegn (Ethiopia) and Caid Essebesi (Tunisia) will also be attending next Thursday’s (5/31) summit in Taormina, Sicily, Italy.

And the trip to Beijing early this month (May 14-15) was to continue China’s smooth but insidious co-option of her biggest debtors including Kenya and her neighbor to the north Ethiopia. The “Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation” was designed to hook countries such as Kenya to the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank – China’s equivalent of the dreaded/much-maligned western financial institutions such as the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and World Bank (IBRD).

Yes indeed, the extraction of Africa’s natural resources that begun (violently) after the continent was partitioned by the colonialists back in the late 1800s continues unabated albeit wrapped up in benign and smooth terms such as “equal partnership” meant to “pool resources…..(towards) implementation of projects and improving supportive system.”

So while I understand the need to justify your existence as a “Communication Analyst” for the OP; to illustrate to Bwana Mkubwa that you are “ndani” all the way, at least base your spin on facts. What’s that saying – You can have your opinion/s lakini facts are very stubborn!

“The lizard that jumped from the high iroko tree said he would praise himself if no one else did.” – Chinua Achebe.