By A Shiundu
Take home from Ndii’s brilliant article.
1) Cruel marriages end up in divorce or death. Divorces, even the thought of divorce is messy. Unsettling. Death, well, death is cruel. That’s how I read the headline. Is that a lie? No!
2) We don’t have “a national narrative” (ha ha unless you want to talk corruption and politics, see… everyone understands that) or an unyielding “comradeship” (Comrades Power!) Well, we even forgot how to say ‘Najivunia kuwa mkenya!’ Yeah, that’s how bad it is. You still want to crucify Ndii? Ha! That was just the kicker, the subhead.
3) ‘We are now hurtling towards another election more ethnically polarized and angry that ever before’. You think that’s a lie? Then, why, pray, did people fight in Mathare over voter registration? You read that right, not nomination (you are used to that) or elections (2007 was bad, remember? Aha! The International Criminal Court? Rings any bells).
4) “…all our multiparty elections with an incumbent President defending have been violent.” Fact! 1992 (actually the Akiwumi report on the clashes is available at the Government Printer Bookshop), 1997 (Remember Likoni? You should hear Senator Boy Juma Boy tell you the story), 2007 (should I go on with Kriegler, Waki, Agenda 4, Kofi Annan, Condi Rice and Jakaya Kikwete). You have the picture. Good! Usiseme Shiundu hakusema.
5) ‘When people find that they cannot live together, they part company’ –Ha! That is pretty straight forward.
Disclaimer: I read Ndii faithfully. I enjoy his reasoning. Anyone with the confidence to tackle such thorny topics at this time in Kenya usually gets my admiration. I also love XN Iraki, Godwin Murunga, Fr. Gabriel Dolan, Barack Muluka, Muriithi Mutiga and Mutuma (ha, though he rattles the cage sometimes), of course Kwams (Kwamchetsi Makokha) and KT (remember how he told you about Jeffrey Archer’s ‘Honour among thieves’ when affidavits were all over?).
I have the two latest books of Miguna Miguna, plus I read the speeches of the Chief Justice Willy Mutunga religiously. While I don’t have Snowden’s books yet, Julian Assange is my hero (Mwalimu Mati almost got us introduced back in the day.. ha ha I wish), and I loved how Sean Penn scooped everyone to get El Chapo. All said and done, I have immense respect for lawyer James Orengo. He always guarantees legal refuge.
