Blood-Thick Strongholds

A Generation of Choices

We have been taught, nay, imposed with the philosophy that the choice of anything is in our hands. We are lucky to be in the generation that can make decisions on all things that are important in our lives and even those that don’t concern us. When we are reviewing our constitution, people are sent round to collect views from the smallest person in the most unassuming village in the darkest corner of our vast nation. The same happens when there is a pending budget for the national government and county governments.

A Generation of No Choices

Having outlined the vastness of choices we have, it is ironical that there is a crucial area where we behave as we have no choice. When it comes to political affiliations, our country gets divided into strongholds where we are grouped in ethnic groupings by our beloved politicians. We all stand firmly behind our respective kingpins, ready to be traded and moved from one tribal consortium to the next. All our talk of poor governance and plundering of our resources by these same politicians are put on the back burner. We even seem to forget our history and civic lessons where powerful individuals set up entire countries and regions to fight with each other to the death in order to safeguard their ill-gotten wealth.

The Consequences of Choices

During the last elections, the US warned Kenya about the (undesirable) consequences of choices. This was in reference to the choice of two candidates who at that time had ongoing cases at the International Criminal Court. Although the US later appeared to relax on their warning (even becoming quite friendly), their warning seemed to show some level of validity judging by the disgruntlement of Kenyans on the way the Government is conducting its affairs. This is particularly so with regard to runaway corruption.

Strongholds – The Political Currency of Exchange

Blood is thicker than water. The average human being, given a choice, would stand with a kinsman as opposed to a stranger in the event of a crisis or other problem. My Layman’s mind informs me that this was an evolutionary development to help with the continued existence of the race. In this day and age however, blood relations are used for an entirely different purpose. Blood or kinship is now the basis for building a political power base. In our country we are constantly reminded of our roots and warned in no uncertain terms that our tribe comes first.

I have been following the political realignments that are taking place as they always do every five years. They bear an uncanny resemblance to the way farmers move sheep from one paddock to another. The same way a farmer sorts through his sheep and groups them in certain categories such as age, weight, and colour, is how voters are being categorised and placed in paddocks with others of similar ethnic background. In the eyes of politicians, we have the same value as sheep; humble and ready to be moved about, sold and slaughtered at will. We are worse than dogs because no farmer will sell or slaughter his dog.

 

The politically correct term for paddock on the Kenyan political scene is “Stronghold”. It sounds like a nice place to be; only that it’s not. A stronghold is a prison where a person is held against his will. Once inside the stronghold, he gives up his freedom to think or do what he feels is right. He is like the Africans when they were held in concentration camps by their colonisers. The only difference between a stronghold and a concentration camp is that the later imprisoned someone physically while the former incarcerates a person mentally. If you ask me, a stronghold is the worst form of prison.

Redefining Strongholds

I look forward to the day when we will be imprisoned by ideologies. When we shall be willing to die for what is right. When we shall form new tribes based on what we believe in and not on how the vowels are arranged in our surnames. That, my fellow Laymen, is when I will be proud to declare my tribe and defend it. For now, belonging to either this or that ethnic group is just a burden which we all have to bear as those who constantly remind us of our supposed allegiance, milk our country dry. All is not lost however. We can begin the formation of useful strongholds immediately by electing people whose consciences are still alive.