Lessons (Reminders) from Obama Visit

Obama has come and gone but for all his articulate speeches and oozing charisma, he didn’t tell us anything that we didn’t already know. We would all like to think of this trip as a homecoming and nothing else. In a way it was a homecoming but Obama actually came as a representative of his electorate, the American people. He came to look for business; opportunities for American investment. If we get increased business from America, it will be mutually beneficial to the two countries. However, Obama pointed out certain things that have to be dealt with before any significant change can happen.

Tribalism

I listened to Obama’s speech in the 2004 Democratic Party primaries which appears to be what aligned him to the Presidency even before he became a full Senator. He talked of the American dream where an unlikely person from an even unlikelier background could make it big in America if he worked hard. This was in a Country where a few decades ago, a black person could not even vote, let alone run for office. It is ironical that in Kenya, if one is elected as an MCA outside his tribal domain, the issue becomes newsworthy. Obama expounded on character rather than tribal affiliation.

Corruption

Obama said that with corrupt people going unpunished, the economy would not grow. Corruption would keep us small and I guess it will be hard for the US or any other country for that matter, to take us seriously. Corruption is obviously a major obstacle to any meaningful development in our country and Obama said this in not so many words.

Democracy

To the chagrin of many people, Obama declared that our Government was democratically elected. He however talked of continued listening to each other and everybody having his say. He talked of the absoluteness of human rights which is of course a sore area in the hearts of many Kenyans. He had been warned not to talk of gay rights but then, who was going to stop him? I think the idea of democracy to us as Kenyans is being heard and not listening to anybody else.

Civil Society

I think the session Obama had with Civil society organizations was the most informal and in my view, the one in which he was in his true element. He advised the Government to ensure that Civil Society was free to conduct its business. It is Civil Society that is able to bring important issues to the surface and talk about those things nobody wants think about. It was strange to hear this because in Kenya we think of Civil Society as an unnecessary irritation and a bunch of opportunists.

Effective Opposition

It must have been painful for one opposition leader to be reminded of what he or she said to the US when they were in Government. Obama seemed to imply that there is a lot of opposing Government just for the sake of opposing instead of offering constructive criticism. Obama comes from a country where your words have to be sweet because at some point you will be forced to eat them. Such was the relish of many when this person was told that he or she told the US to mind its own business and now wants it to keep the Kenyan Government on its toes.

Golden Handshake

When the UhuRuto duo ran for office, the US declared that they would only have what they referred to as essential contact with Kenya. This was owing to the ICC case against the two. Many of us believe that Obama came because charges against Uhuru had eventually been dropped. The charges against Ruto however are still outstanding and people were watching with bated breath to see what would happen when the two met. When the picture of the two shaking hands appeared online, the diehards took that to mean that their man had been cleared of all charges against him.

Junior Senator

Today we know Dr. Alfred Mutua as the visionary and effective Governor of Machakos County; but he was not always so. In another life, he was the fumbling and strangely entertaining Government spokesman. When Obama visited Kenya as a Senator, Mutua is famously remembered for referring to him as a junior senator from Illinois. I was therefore surprised to see that same Mutua on the airport tarmac gleefully waiting to see Obama off. I can only imagine how he was feeling deep down in his heart. He probably wanted to apologize to the not-so-junior-anymore Obama, for his loose tongue and attribute it to his (then) young age.

The Curse of our Collective Greed

A tale used to be told of a hyena. He was walking along a path when he caught the whiff of delicious food being prepared somewhere in the distance. He decided to follow the sweet smell to where the party was. Some distance ahead, the path forked into two. Since he could not tell which branch of the path led to the food, he decided to follow both. With his front and hind right legs, he followed the right path. The front and hind left legs in the meanwhile followed the left path. After a few steps of straddling, he split into two and died.

It is said that as the hyena died, he was saying, “I will follow this smell so that I either get food, or I get food!” He said this to avoid saying that he might not get anything. This story was told to us many times as we were growing up so as to keep us along the straight and narrow as far as the greed for food was concerned. In today’s world, the hyena in the story would actually be a hero.

Gluttony

Gluttony is the act or habit of eating or drinking too much. This is according to Webster dictionary. All through the Bible, gluttony is referred to as a sin. In Proverbs 23 verse 2, the Bible tells us to put knives to our throats if we are given to gluttony.

Obesity

Until a few months ago, I was obese. I was also a glutton which is actually the reason I ended up obese. I know it is judgemental but nowadays, whenever I see a fat person, I see someone suffering from the sin of gluttony. I thank God I have slowly and painfully overcome it in myself. Seriously though, obesity has reached endemic levels. It just shows that as a society we are not able to control our appetites. We have become like medieval Kings who would vomit in order to create room for more food.

Greed

I wish that gluttony was the only vice we were trying to deal with. Unfortunately, it is only one aspect of greed, which Wikipedia defines as the inordinate desire to possess wealth, goods, or objects of abstract value with the intention to keep it for one's self, far beyond the dictates of basic survival and comfort. Other words used to describe greed are avarice, cupidity, or covetousness.

Devolution of Greed in Kenya

The long awaited County Governments in Kenya have turned out to be greed havens. A recent survey by the Auditor General revealed shocking truths about how greedy our “Leaders” can get. Billions cannot be accounted for in Kisii County while the Kisumu Government is paying millions for the “double” accommodation of its Governor. Harbingers of greed were found in almost all of the 47 Counties.

Grand Corruption

When corruption started being discussed, it usually meant some junior Government official hiding a few hundred shillings in his hat to go and buy meat for his children. Today when we talk of corruption, we are thinking of billions being diverted from worthy causes leading to the collapse of entire corporations and the opening of discreet Swiss accounts. It also means an individual or group of individuals amassing enough money to run a Country for years and keeping it knowing full well that neither they nor five generations of their descendants will live long enough to spend the money.

Consumerism

The credit crunch that almost brought the World economy to a halt was built around the culture of consumerism. When people are enticed to buy houses or cars they can ill afford, it becomes a recipe for desperation. The people who control money want us to have the paper money while they hold the real wealth. The dollar, which is the international currency, determines the quality of our lives. I was shocked to learn that the Federal Reserve, which controls the dollar, is privately owned by a small group of people who are prone to uncontrollable bouts of greed.

Instability in Africa

I have never heard of a war in Africa that was fought with traditional weapons. The warring factions will always use foreign supplied weapons. I guess somebody somewhere stands to gain a lot in the sale of guns and ammunition. That somebody can even gain more by selling to both sides of the conflict. Better still, he can ensure continued fighting by fanning the animosity that leads to the fighting. When there are gems and minerals to be had, then it is virtually impossible to keep away all the interested greedy financiers.

Street Tricksters

These are commonly referred to as conmen. They pick their targets based on greed. If they can convince you that you stand to gain more than you deserve, they have got you and the rest is easy. Greed blinds us and we are unable to reason properly. We only see the money, fame, or immediate gratification.

P.S. If most of our Leaders are greedy, what does that make us (Voters)?

Luopean Union

So more than 60% of the Greek want out of the European Union? They would prefer to pass up on the bailout that will enable them to remain “Europeans”. I wonder what happened especially considering that the Greeks had one of the earliest and most advanced civilisations in the World.

Closer home, there is a union whose members are not willing to quit at any cost. They claim it is not a job that you can quit. Neither is it a tribe that you can denounce. It is a lifestyle. Others claim that it is a liability (gharama); meaning, it costs dearly to maintain it.

Membership to the Luopean Union

I am informed that there are only three ways through which one can join the union. It is either by birth, marriage, or assimilation. When I lived and worked in Kisumu, I tried to join the union through assimilation. My friend, Wahonya, who is a carpenter in Nyalenda, gave me the name Onyango. I have however come to realise that membership by assimilation rarely gives one the confidence inherent in those who are Luopeans by birth.

Pride

Perhaps one of the most noticeable traits of the Union Members is their pride. It is often confused with arrogance. I also used to think the same thing until I got to live in Union controlled territory. The pride expressed by these wonderful people is completely devoid of any arrogance. Instead, what is obvious is the gentleness and kindness that is found in all the members. They are proud of their heritage and talents.

Democracy

I once met with an old Luopean man who told me that democracy is built into the fibre of every Luopean. No decision is made at any level of the community without consultation. Every member grows up with the freedom to express him or herself. I guess this explains why there is a corner in every town and suburb in Kenya where Luopeans can meet and discuss current affairs. In these parliaments, every person gets an opportunity to speak.

Thirst for Knowledge

I used to have a friend in my village who was very bright in school. He passed quite well and made it into university. When he cleared university, I asked him if he would do his masters immediately seeing as he was very good with books. He was shocked that I could ask him such a question. He said, “I cannot add any extra education before I convert that which I already have into money.” His answer sums up the opinion of many Kenyans on education. It is different with Luopeans because they will acquire all the education they can as long as they can afford it irrespective of distractive money making opportunities.

Living Life to the Fullest

There was a man I knew and although he was not a Luopean by birth, he ascribed to the Luopean philosophy of living life to the fullest. He had a personal mantra that “Life is not a rehearsal, Enjoy it”. His lifestyle was of benefit to me because they are many amenities that I first got to know of from him. To Luopeans, luxury is a basic human need. They have taste and they have class. They make the most out of life and enjoy it to the maximum whatever the cost.

Language

I have said it before on this blog that the language of my community is not compatible with English. It is for that reason it has to be modified to fit with English. The Language of the Union however is in the same league with English. The sounds are the same, as are the intonations. I used to think the English language was derived from Luopean, but a friendly linguist burst my bubble. He told me that Luopean is younger than English (Whatever that means). If you ask me, Luopean is a superior language to English. It is no wonder many members of the union speak impeccable English being as it is, a ‘lower language’.

Destined for Greatness

Luopeans stand out in whatever they do. This is irrespective of whether it is in politics, sports, or academia. Their achievements are so engraved in various fields that it is impossible to ignore them. If you think am lying, try to talk of Kenyan football without mentioning Gor Mahia or politics without mentioning Raila. Tell me that you can visualise Holly Wood without Lupita or the White House without Obama.