By Albert Nyakundi Amenya aka The Banana Peddler
When Nairobi Senator Johnson Sakaja bailed Babu from Parklands police station, Jubilee supporters expressed a lot of concern as to why he went to the rescue of an ODM member. Nevertheless, it is only a few unreasonable sycophants led by Gatundu MP Moses Kuria who exhibited tribal chauvinism. One thing I am sure of, Sakaja did the rightly and these sycophants will realize it later.
But before these people purport to castigate Sakaja, there are a few things I would like to inform them:
•Moses Kuria and company must be reminded that Brand Sakaja has never and can never entertain or be confined in politics of tribe and sycophancy. Politically, Sakaja is level headed, nonpartisan and independent minded. On the other hand, Moses Kuria is tribal and a masquerade of sorts.
•Moses Kuria and company must know that Babu Owino is a Kenyan and it is his constitutional right to fair trial. Sakaja did not go to Parklands Police Station to free Babu Owino and pronounce him guiltless. He only went to stand in for him as a guarantor and assure the police that he would produce him before the court to face the charges leveled against him. Sakaja’s intervention did not mean the boy was off the hook.
•Jubilee apparatchiks led by Moses Kuria must be brave enough to understand that the continuous victimization of Babu Owino earns him unstinting sympathy from the public, thusly making him the people’s darling. The incessant victimization of Babu Owino would only build his political career and if not well checked, the boy might run this City in 2022 given that NASA voters outweigh those of Jubilee in Nairobi. Sakaja’s move was timely and advantageous to Jubilee party.
•Someone should edify Moses Kuria and company that Babu’s uninterrupted detention would give Baba a good reason and environment to create commotion in the City for instance through the UoN students. Remember he had unsuccessfully tried to secure his release. The move by Senator Sakaja preempted such occurrences given that Nairobians are tired of commotions and need to focus on their businesses.
•Senator Sakaja does not have the powers to order for the detention or release of any suspect. Everyone knows where such powers rest.
•Babu Owino is a member of Young Parliamentarian Association in which Sakaja is chairman. Back in the University of Nairobi, Sakaja was Babu Owino’s secretary. Their comradeship seems to have been around for some time. It was only fair for Sakaja to intervene and ensure his comrade gets a fair treatment. At the police Station, he reiterated categorically that that our criminal justice must not be manipulated by a few to settle political scores.
•Moses Kuria and the Kikuyu community must know that without cohesion and collaboration in Nairobi, they are a minority. To their own advantage, they must treat Babu as an individual by ignoring his theatrics and political attention seeking without dragging his tribe to it.
•When the same Moses Kuria was detained, Raila went to his rescue. They then proceed to Kosewe to eat fish together with Baba. The same Moses Kuria lauded the move saying he wanted to be with Baba to promote cohesiveness between Luos and Kikuyus. He even asked Luos and Kikuyus not to hate each other because of politicians. My point is this, why didn’t anyone complain Raila’s intervention to have him and the rest released? How many Luos blamed Raila for betraying them? Going by his recent insinuations, Raila should have left him to pay for his sins but people kept quiet. I remember Junet Mohamed saying he thought Moses was man enough but when they were remanded, his plastic balls shrunk.
•When Fidel Castro Odinga died, President Uhuru Kenyatta stood by Prime Minister Raila Odinga. He personally ordered four Kenya Air Force choppers to take the remains of his brother Raila’s son to Bondo. In addition, the president gave a personal donation of Ksh10Million to offset burial expenses. The president’s gesture was warmly welcome by Kenyans from every nook and cranny. Kenyans showered their President with saintly accolades. By then, I did not hear any Jubilee politician blame the President for helping an enemy.
•When the Kisii MCA said “Uhuru anavuta bangi State House” Although the MCA was arraigned in court, President Uhuru never bothered. In fact, he invited the MCA to State House and they had tea. As a result, the MCA felt remorseful and vehemently apologized to the President. The President simply said, “It’s okay my brother, forget about the past”
Long story short, Kikuyus must be very strategic on how they handle some issues. They must eschew heeding the rants by the likes of Moses Kuria. They must prefer brains over thorax. Kenya is still convalescing from a toxic and divisive electioneering period. They must have a unifying figure or be seen to promote a non-Kikuyu who commands respect across all tribes. They need a level headed figure who shares traits that transcend all political parties.
albertamenya@yahoo.com
(The writer sells Bananas in the streets of Kisii and Nairobi Counties)
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