Accepting and Moving On

As a Layman I have to make many compromises. Things will rarely go my way and I often have to make do with many unrealised dreams. My opinions are not always considered and even when they are, they hardly take the day. That is my lot and I believe it is the same for many of my fellow Laymen and Women out there. If what they say about making lemonade when life gives you lemons is true, then I own a lemonade factory. None of the leaders I voted for in the last elections made it through. We (their supporters) were told to accept and move on. We have done exactly that although there are few issues on which we cannot move on even if we accept.

Post Election Violence

All the suspected instigators of the violence have been cleared one by one. Uhuru and his group are free. A few days ago the prosecutor said that the evidence against Ruto is weak. Chances are that even his case will be thrown out. Without suspects, there will be no case. This then means that the violence did not take place and what was reported was like a movie – complete with professional stunts men and special effects. Accept the fact that Kenya can make good movies and move on.

Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission

The IEBC presents what Wamalwa Kijana would have referred to as a Quagmire. If you fight for its disbandment, it would still be the only body legally empowered to carry out the referendum. As far as IEBC is concerned, we are stuck and have to make the best of it. Accept IEBC will be there to conduct many elections (and referenda) and move on.

Constitution

I was still in high school when akina Matiba and Rubia started fighting for constitutional reforms. It took many years of blood and tears for us we have the constitution we have today. I have said on this blog before that a law is only good to the extent of its implementation. If our leaders have a problem in obeying the current laws, more (or different) laws will not miraculously make them more obedient. Accept that you took part in drafting and passing this law and move on.

Economy

The shilling has become a record breaker, only second to our famous athletes. This has been caused by our change of priorities from production to consumption. The new posh residential estates will not bring in the foreign exchange that was being generated by the coffee bushes that were uprooted in their place. Let us accept that we have to spend whatever few dollars we have to import the expensive fittings in these luxury homes and move on.

Tyranny of Numbers

Elections in a democracy are not won in public rallies; they are won in enclosed voting booths. We are a tribal society and those who want part of the cake should accept to conduct serious voter registration drives (coupled with serious “bedmington”) or just move on with nothing.

Misplaced (or Well-Placed) Priorities

There are enigmas amongst us who can take 13 choppers to go look at a bridge, and take cheap soda from a kiosk, all in the same week. There are also others who can pay millions to start a blog like the layman’s while the Layman got his for free and it looks better (I think). Accept that your priorities are not the next guy’s priorities and move on.

Freedom of Expression

The present day Kenyan bloggers and social media enthusiasts are endangered species. Expressing yourself freely as enshrined in the constitution can make you a guest of the very state charged with defending that same constitution. You can accept to be gagged and move on but personally, I think I’ll pass. I will not accept to lose my voice and I will not move on.

Tribalism

I heard that the national debt is so high that every baby born in Kenya today is already in the red. The same can be said of tribe. Whichever tribe you are born into, you inherit all the prejudice accumulated against your tribe for generations. When Kalonzo told a reporter that his name betrays him, he was not being typical ignorant and arrogant Kalonzo, he was being typical tribalist Kenyan. You may not believe it but he was speaking for millions of Kenyans when he made that remark. You can accept that tribalism is here to stay and move on, but as for me and my house, we will follow nationalism.

Corruption

I was shocked to hear that corruption is so institutionalised in Kenya that it is even catered for in the national budget. I hear that about one third of the budget goes into corruption. It has even crept into the private sector. Like tribalism, most people say corruption is here to stay. It is tempting to accept corruption and move on (to God knows where). However, I will not accept corruption and I will not move on.