I refuse to suck up to this fake sense of Kenyan patriotism. I grew up reading books on Kenyan history and singing to the tunes of patriotic songs that were constantly propagated by the Kenya Broadcasting Corporation. I went to school in a single party state when there was no difference between government and political parties. I was taught history that was cooked by the curriculum developers to deliberately make me become patriotic to the country, Kenya.
At school, I was taught to sing the national anthem as well as recite the national pledge, which at the time, was coined to end up with pledging loyalty and allegiance to the president of Kenya. I was taught that Kenyatta was the Kenyan Jesus. I was taught how to sing for the president, and bow my head in respect.
In church, I was taught to obey and not question authority. I was taught to take it as-it-is, accept and move on, not to follow my emotions, and not to question. I was taught that I deserve nothing but grace. I was taught to pray with my eyes closed. I was taught to be silent in the face of injustice, by simply praying for bad people doing bad things – that they may be forgiven and go scot-free.
Manufacturing a deeply complacent citizen
In reality, we are divided as the branches of a tree. Whereas we come from the same roots, we have made branches that ensure that we do not converge as we fight for sunlight and air.
Then I was brought to Nairobi, where I met pastors who steal from their congregation, in daylight. I met employers who sucked the last drop of energy from their employees, and gave them 2,000 shillings for end of year bonus. I met friends who made me believe the “I am looking out for you” doctrine while they meant “I am looking out for myself through you”.
Sadly, mid-life clarity has taught me that – education, religion and a large part of Kenyan socialization is a well orchestrated ploy to manufacture a deeply complacent but very functional citizen, a hard working but extremely hopeful citizen – one that pays immense tax but does not question the government on how it uses it, one that should be easily duped by fellow citizens that calamity and disaster brings out “the best in us”.
In 2008’s Post Election Violence, we were not one
And so, with time, I have come to make thread of Kenyan patriotism. It is inspired by disaster and calamity. We are happy to have calamity bring us together. It’s the only language we understand. It looks like a language that could finally unite Africa. It looks like a language that Africa can speak together. We seem to often get united by grief.
That having been said, I decide that I won’t suck up to the fake sense of Kenyan patriotism that is currently being shared around. We are one? No we are not. WE ARE NOT ONE. We are not! We are not one. Let me remind all of us that, it is the season of pretending to be ONE. It has happened before and now it is here, fresh with lilies, graphics, hysteria, poetry and related paraphernalia.
In 1998 bombing of the US Embassy in Nairobi, We suddenly were ONE. I forget much of “We are or We are not ONE” events that happened between 1998 and 2008, but came elections in 2008, then we were NOT ONE all of a sudden. Came the Kikuyu + Kalenjin + Luo post election violence in 2008, and then we were ONE, immediately condemning attacks by our own terrorists.
Westgate, we are one?
When it came to taking suspected criminals to the International Criminal Court, We were not ONE, all of a sudden. Came hunger and starvation in Northern Kenya in 2011, and then “Kenyans for Kenya” campaign made us believe that we were ONE again. Came elections in 2013, and then we were NOT ONE again. Came terrorist attack in 2013, and then we are ONE again, all of a sudden? wtf?
We are pretending to be one, and many of us are utilizing the limelight to gain political “I do good, I do well, I am also human” mileage for future prospects. Kenya is a cunning economy. We are NOT ONE, we are selfish individuals who sing at the pulpit when the song is nice to our ears, but we turn ruthless, aggressive, malicious and viciously greedy when the curtain closes on us.
Then I saw this list of these names and I wondered – how are we one? Michael Gichangi, head of National Intelligence Service; Julius Karangi, head of Kenya Defence Force; Ndegwa Muhoro, head of Kenya’s Criminal Investigations; Uhuru Muigai Kenyatta, THE head of Kenya. This list sounds like a public university graduation ceremony. …..Aketck, Akoth, Atieno, Atika…. Are we one? No we are not.
We are not one when police wielding guns and black radios continue to throw me out of the road so that a More Important Person (MIP) get a privileged pass. We are not one when priests and pastors continue stealing and fucking their own congregation. We are not one when the first agenda on the list of Kenyan leaders is to add more salary, even before beginning to work. No we are not one.
When Africans kills their own, we are one
We are not one when Indians continue oppressing their African workers in the export processing zones and the manufacturing industries. We are not one when we do nothing to bridge the capitalism divide that continues to deepen in this country. We are not one until thieves stop raiding my village with guns.
We are not one when development organizations continue to spend almost half of the development grants traveling to Africa in the name of “safety & security, Africa travel, hardship allowance, and close monitoring of projects”. We are not one when development partners keep creating self-existence development cartels that distribute money, jobs and favors to friends, so they too may come, live and enjoy Africa.
Consciously and conspicuously, we are ONE against this mzungu (white person) court because it is targeting the Kalenjin and Kikuyu communities in Kenya and Africa at large. This is finally, Africa United, we are TRULY ONE. We are ONE in Africa, and now we see on the news, every often, another African president joining in frustrating the mzungu court and condemning how this mzungu court is undertaking the criminal proceedings on Africans.
When Africans (read Uhuruto) kill their own, we are ONE in accepting, forgetting and moving on. I won’t suck up to this WE ARE ONE facade. I often sign off greetings with “ONE Love”. What does ONE mean? One love to me means, unity, equality, peace, justice and fairness. It is a deep understanding and interpretation of “ubuntuism” a philosophy that I never learnt in any class, but one that I came to embrace. It is about “human kindness”, which is far from what we see, hear, speak and feel today. We are NOT ONE until UBUNTU.
I wish all of us calmness as we go to bury our dead. Life continues, it has a way of going on. I too lost a young friend to a different type of terrorism – terrorism of life. He took his own life. I knew he was carrying around a tough weight behind his back, one that he did not choose to hurl onto himself. He put on a brave fight for the days we talked. But at the end of it, terror attacked, and his walls caved in. We are Not One when young people choose to catalyze their departure from earth. ONE Love and WiBO Life, Life Without Borders!
Gregg Mwendwa
About the Author
Gema is consolidating while Kaleos are still euphoric about being #2. The real # 2 is now the Chief of Staff. Uhuru is owned by the tribe and he will never do anything against the Mafia. I bet when Ruto came back from the Hague he found a new arrangement around Uhuru. Gema knows that Uhuru is incompetent and they will do what they did when they figured out that Kibaki was a vegetable. They surrounded him and protected him. They will do the same to Uhuru and Ruto will be just as frustrated dealing with Uhuru just as Raila was dealing with Kibaki. They will not allow Ruto to take the limelight. Kibaki dumped both Awori and Kalonzo and so will Uhuru dump Ruto at the appropriate time. As far as Gema is concerned, the Kaleo vote can be easily be replaced with another guilable tribal chief earger and willing to be NO 2.
Uhuru has proven that he is still a boy. He lacks the emotional intelligence to lead. He seeks to be loved, and that’s a very poor trait in a leader. This man should just go home and cling to his mama Ngina’s skirt
we are mature enough to elect crooks, thieves, conmen and mass murderers to office but cannot have a conversation about why we slaughter each other every four years ?
we cannot have acandid conversation about how Kenyatta ( Jomo ) and Moi send this country down the wrong path of tribal disarray /
We cannot have an honest conversation as to why we see each successive govt. fill the ranks of powerful and lucrative positions with the kin of the president ?
we cannot have an honest conversation as to why we have idiots in charge of our safety ?
we cannot have an honest conversation as to why we continue to have broken and corrupt ministries, broken infrastructure and no jobs
come on man! thats the easy way out to punk out and say we are not mature enough.
We are mature enough except that the convenience of the media and others is too easy as they are all in the same table of plenty as those in power.
Of course we are not one, we have never been one, there are numerous scenarios… when the church in Garissa was bombed Safaricom, airtel and the likes did not give us a paybill number to respond to, I never heard of any volunteers who donated blood, or sent food, water or coke…we are not one….talk of disaster bringing us together..it sucks, we are do gooders when international spotlight is on, when we are on breaking news for all the bad reasons…why cant we be one when we are celebrating other aspects of life like its Monday for the heck of it why don’t we get a paybill number and donate food and water and soda to Kenyans just so that someone can have a smile on their faces…as someone said..weareone..ndering……!!!!
I am disturbed as to why “the best in us” only comes out when there is a tragedy. This in itself is a contradiction, how can the “best” exist in the same sphere as a tragedy. Could this be the reason why these short term feel good moments never bring about any meaningful or significant change because their womb, their source is in itself barren. As a Kenyan, i feel this pain and i wonder why we are lazy in effecting real change, it is easy to go to your MPesa menu and feel that you are doing something good. And it feels good because hypocrisy, just like the darkness is difficult to see, because it will challenge us out of our comfort and accepted norms. Just last Tuesday when the WeAreOne feeling was at it’s peak, i found myself in the middle of other Nairobians fighting among ourselves just to get into a matatu and wondered why if we were one we could not just line up in an orderly and civilized way. Truth is we don’t care about the next person, that’s why you’ll hardly find a clean toilet in town (bad example but toilets are a good estimation of a society). Our oneness is a mirage, a pill that makes us feel good even if for a day or two because deep inside we are empty.
We Are Not One:
– Since the Kenyatta family owns 500,000 acres of land yet many Kenyans have none.
– Because majority of Kenyans have no basic essentials to survive when the few top rich ones can afford to buy ice cream at Westgate for Ksh1000.
– When MPs draw huge salaries but other civil servants get paid peanuts.
– While poor Kenyans were mobilized to donate blood and money for the rich Westgate victims. The poor never get such special treatment from the rich.
UHURU KENYATTA can only cheat Ruto and a few Kalenjins, BUT we others will resist this TRIBAL PROFILING with all force.
Mr Kenyatta appoints the committee to look into Somali refugee camps.
1. Chairman- Daniel Njuguna Waireri (MT. KENYA)
2. Vice chairlady- Joice Wanja Mburu (MT. KENYA)
3. Joint Secretaries:
a) Wamuyu Mang’ondu (MT. KENYA)
b) Gladys Njoki Muhia (MT. KENYA)
c) Nyokabi Githiora (MT. KENYA)
d) Charles Karanja Thingira (MT. KENYA)
4. Members:
a) Elizabeth Nyaguthii (MT. KENYA)
b) Stephen Kiraithe (MT. KENYA)
c) Athanas Gichuki Mwathe (MT. KENYA)
d) Christine Agatha Waitherero (MT. KENYA)
e) Hosea Kimkung Maiyo (KALENJIN).
5. Research team:
a) Dr Githinji wa Muoka (MT. KENYA)
b) James Lee Mukora (MT. KENYA)
Nairobi County Governor Evans Kidero has rejected the nomination of North eastern police regional co-ordinator Charlton Mureithi as head of security citing lack of
regional balance. “I have told the concerned authorities that he can’t come here for now. I need a list of three names to choose one,” said Kidero. Kidero says he had also asked the
IG to submit to him the curriculum vitae of all nominees who will be sent to City Hall.
Gregg, all I can wish you is …enjoy your un-oneness! Perhaps you need it to retain your sanity, otherwise, others have moved on. Cheers
SHEBESH Vs SONKO Ayayayayayaaaaa who will blink first. The Windsor #4thfloorslap . Eti Senator alipata senator mwingine kutoka Rift valley akikula kitu yake #PWATT Wapi JUBILEE women
From: ca………..
Date: Thu, Sep 26, 2013 at 11:12 AM
Subject: Westgate Kitty
To: “alai@techmtaa.com”
Hi Robert,
You raise very pertinent questions regards the Westgate kitty. As a matter of anonymity KRCS will use the money to keep afloat their ambulance services and pay for high salaries at HQ. For the sake of kenyans, please ask the questions and encourage kenyans to make them accountable for every coin otherwise Abbas & Bob Collymore will swindle kenyans. The money was raised to cater for bills and funeral expenses etc not for psycho-social support which donors are giving for free at designated spots including Red Cross.
Have a nice day,
C.
Please keep do not quote me as Red Cross are my clients and I have a sister who works there.
They will definitely deny me business if they know I released this info. Im doing it mainly because I know the struggles people are going through and i’ve also contributed my money and I want it to do what I wanted it to do.
If you feel better that way, then, why not..? We also have the freedom of feeling, I suppose.
Kikuyu and Kalenjin leaders ahve divided Kenyans who think they are the best for other tribes. unbelievable how their suckers think Kenya has no problems.These same people were against MOI but now think Kenyatta is the best yet even in his Kiambu area people are suffering.Uhuru supports the rich Kikuyu like him and has no time for the poor.
why wancheni muchezo nakutaka kutumia wanaichi pesa kila wakati pesa hapa sweden kila wakati munatapesa sema why .kwanin kila wakati pesa . pesa pesa nasasa nasema kwani balozi as not called wazee waseden wakenya
The problem with Kenyans is that we are the most docile people in the face of this planet. I do not know what they are still doing trying to even cozing up to a tribal chauvanist like Uhuru-ati prayer meetings. Uhuru is the ultimate kikuyu nationalist chauvanist hegemonist. Not only is he living up to the dreams of the kikuyu tribalist mafioso who owns him and put him in power, he is here to full fill his fathers unfinished business of total kikuyu colonization and domination.
Uhuru looked around and only people from nyooba applied or were qualified to do these jobs.Why blame Uhuru when the whole country insists he should fill the posts with qualified people. Ruto first has to send his guys to school and since Jubilee has 19 years to go, Ruto has time on his side.
The problem with Kenyans is that we are the most docile people in the face of this planet. I do not know what they are still doing trying to even cozing up to a tribal chauvanist like Uhuru-ati prayer meetings. Uhuru is the ultimate kikuyu nationalist chauvanist hegemonist. Not only is he living up to the dreams of the kikuyu tribalist mafioso who owns him and put him in power, he is here to full fill his fathers unfinished business of total kikuyu colonization and domination.
1. Nancy Gitau – Chief Political Advisor
2. Joseph Kinyua – Chief of Staff and Head of the Civil Service
3. Arthur Igeria – Head of the Nairobi Centre for International Arbitration Board
4. Mutahi Ngunyi – Senior Political Advisor
5. John Mututho – Chairman NACADA
6. Lee Kinyanjui – Chairman National Transport Authority.
7. Kiragu wa Magonchi – Chairman Teachers’ Service Commission (Nominated).
Is Uhuru using the Westgate confusion and Ruto’s absence at the Hague to make all these tribal appointments? Ruto & URP should be on the look out or we should also make our own appointments in the ministries we control.
http://www.mod.go.ke/airforce/?page_link=history1
We are not One in Kenya ?Welcome to A Country of Zombies (a good country to carry-out reserch with Sub- humans>
http://kenya.rcbowen.com/talk/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=35815