It is no longer a matter debate that Jubilee six year rule is nothing but economic plunder, misrule , corruption and unemployment, all these vices are ingredients of a near failed state with more than 60% of the population living below the poverty level. Well, an opportunity to kick out Jubilee and set country on a recovery path under Baba Raila, Musalia Mudavadi, Isaac Ruto among other well meaning Kenyans was muted by Mt Kenya mafia who clinged onto power and requested for peace in order to spur economic growth
Question to Moses Kuria and his Nairobi business community; how has the peace you demanded help sort out poverty stricken Mt Kenya voters? Can we ever rise above politics of tribe?
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By Dorcas Sarkozy
SOME THOUGHTS ON THE ON-GOING CULTURE OF PERSECUTION COMPLEX AMONG SOME KENYANS
Defined, the term “Persecution Complex” is “…..an irrational and obsessive feeling or fear that one is the object of collective hostility or ill-treatment on the part of others.” (Wikipedia)
A close relative of the term is “Persecutory Delusion”: A set of delusional conditions in which the affected persons believe they are being persecuted (Mayo Clinic)
Finally, the corollary of the foregoing is playing victim or developing a “victim mentality”.
Defined, a “victim mentality” is an acquired personality trait where a person sees themselves as a victim of the negative actions of others, and behaves as if this were the case even when the evidence of such circumstances is scant. (Wikipedia)
I wanted to address this construct because of yet another attempt by some Kenyans to deflect from the on-going reality of a leaderless and rudderless country and a moribund economy in a deep nose-dive to a desperate search for sympathy – as reflected in the inanity – that the “right to assembly and association (sic)…..is no longer a guarantee…..blah….blah…..” – as read on some FB wall.
This desperate search for sympathy has been latched onto by many including one commenter during this AM’s exchange who offered that “the persecution complex has to be there”.
The commenter offered the view in response to the morning’s post about the treachery of Uhuru Kenyatta and his Mt. Kenya base – against William Ruto and his Rift Valley base.
Let me set aside the ensuing avoidance when I explained the irrationality that underpinned the comment and point out that there IS a belief among some Kenyans that they are (being) “targeted” i.e. (being) persecuted for a host of reasons:
These Kenyans believe that they are (being) persecuted because they are “hard-working”; “god-chosen”; “stalwarts of the fight for independence” and a host of other self-congratulatory bullshit that they pile on to make themselves feel, in the words of John Rogers, “hard done by” – ESPECIALLY when criticized or called to granularize their self-perception.
They go on to distort any questions about their self-perception and self-described “accomplishments” and “achievements” into a woe-is-me narrative; that since they are “being persecuted”, they must be doing something “right”; this the classic argumentum ad martyrdom trope.
These folks have convinced themselves that their allegedly prominent role in Kenya’s “fight for independence” and her “unparalleled and enviable development” has made them the targets of “hatred” and of “jealousy”; of “kimnadho” by others not so “blessed” with such grit and determination!
The self-fulfilling and circular narrative of personal certainty continues along this line: Why would anyone subject themselves to “such hatred” and “vitriol” unless they were doing something “right”; unless they believe in their “vision”; in what they are doing?
Convinced that “everyone” is out to get them, these people circle the wagons and dig in their heels – deeper!
Unfortunately, what they forget is as elemental as it gets:
– That self-perception is as powerful and as it is misleading.
– Worse, that some people have suffered, even lost their lives trying to prove falsehoods. Some have lost everything supporting demagogues or holding on to interpretation of history written by slick-sounding snake oil salesmen – aka politicians – and their toadies aka 36 Bloggers.
And when asked to personalize these slights of persecution i.e. to offer evidence that they ARE indeed victims of unfair and/or unwarranted hostility, very few of the supposedly persecuted can do that and if/when they do, their narratives are few and far between.
Importantly, most of the narratives these people offer reflect (genuine) differences of opinions and/or of philosophies.
Most of them default to sweeping banalities including the tried and true “We just want ‘peace’ so Kenya can ‘develop’…” – as if those who disagree with them love dodging bullets or truncheon-wielding policemen while living in a permanent state of chaos!
Others echo a triumphalism and chest-thumping that masks genuine fear because they know the country’s history and it has proven them wrong – repeatedly so.
The fact is EVERYONE has their story, their truth to tell.
However, dismissing the reality of those in danger or less-powerful; those threatened or hitherto shut-out by a system, any system – instead, flipping the discussion to one more favorable – only widens an existing chasm while heightening the skepticism – offered by those crying foul.
For my part, I will repeat what I wrote in response to comment on persecution complex:
That I am at a peace with speaking out against and/or calling out the socio-political happenings in Kenya as I see them; as I see fit – confident in my opinions and in my views and those who feel “persecuted” can continue to feel so.
“Now go and cry out to the gods you have chosen. Let them save you when you are in trouble.” – Judges 10:14
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