By Jackson Omondi
In Swahili linguistics lore, there is a saying that goes a little something like this: “funika kombe mwanaharamu apite,” which loosely translates to an act of hiding the truth so that ‘other’ folks cannot be in the know of what really obtains in a given sphere of influence.
The Jubilee propaganda machine uncorked all kinds of innuendo and gimmicks to mask the real pressing issues that have been sticking out like the proverbial sore thumb.
For starters, they didn’t have an answer to CORD’s push for dismantling the pliable IEBC. They never banked on the unanimity in CORD’s peaceful push for sending the political puppets occupying the nation’s electoral body packing. After feeble calls for counter-demonstrations, they resorted to spin.
Their spin doctors resorted to conjecture. Capitalizing on lack of video evidence showing one of CORD’s luminaries (Kalonzo Musyoka) in the thick of things! On cue, the coin-driven apparatus, claimed that Kalonzo conveniently gave the occasion a wide berth for fear of being tear-gased. That theory, fell flat when the Wiper Leader conspicuously featured in subsequent mêlées.
They were not done. The vocal and ever factual economic fact-checker Jacob Juma was felled by trigger-happy assassins and the propaganda machine went on overdrive! This time, the mission was to do everything in their power to divert attention from the public outrage and the morass occasioned by the demise of a substantive fraud-buster and boy did they pull all the stops!
From shamelessly heaping the blame on CORD leaders to mocking the deceased using a friendly media, the goal was to bastardize the legacy of the man who gave Wanjiku his all. Juma explained and broke down the Eurobond ABCs in layman’s lingo and exposed the sheer fraud that was hidden in hitherto complex monetary policy.
Wonder why he had to go? Not anymore.
And then another wave of peaceful protests blanketed the nation and the Utumishi Kwa Wote crew were unleashed to clobber Wanjiku whose ‘crime’ was simply exercising her constitutional right to picket! As images and footage of innocent civilians being brutally clobbered by police hit the blogosphere and international news cycles, Jubilee propaganda wizards threw a spanner!
Body doubles mushroomed from the thin air and the debate briskly turned to footwear, hoodies, hats and last names! All these were calculated efforts to divert attention from electoral reforms, assassinations and police brutality!
Those are the hallmarks of a failed and desperate regime. One would think that a regime led by folks who promised milk and honey to a gullible citizenry would be more than happy to talk about the spanking new five state-of-the-art stadia, wall-to-wall electrification, nominal unemployment rate, a secure Kenya, a booming economy and real free media instead of using pathetic diversionary tactics because none of the aforementioned accomplishments exist.
As CORD goes back to the original plan, Jubilants are anxiously harrumphing back to the drawing board searching for the next diversionary tactic. Granted, we CORDASHIANS felt a twinge when we lost a staunch comrade in JJ, its true that as you mirth on the temporary trance of teargas chaos, remember that we CORDASHIANS, are impervious to state bullying and nothing will stop the clamour for the greater good.
We know that you love to derisively refer to CORD leaders as “Raias,” well, those “raias” have all the time in the world to give you more sleepless nights and lest you forget; the other key actors in CORD are Senators who are virtually free to picket all day and consume all the teargas that you can muster!
There will be no kufunika kombe mwanaharamu apite. CORD has all the time and the human resources to keep on fighting. Program your stopwatches.
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