By Hon. Koigi Wa Wamwere via Facebook
As we continue to ask why President Obama will not visit Kenya, we Kenyans have the answer though very uncomfortable to accept.
A king once walked naked through the main street of
his city. As he did so, the people cheered and praised the exceptional
beauty of the suit of his nudity. However, a child on the shoulders of
his father blew up madness of the people when he asked: why is the king
naked? The father and others who heard the child dared not answer but
knew he was right. Like the king, our leaders are naked after the ICC
took off their clothes with their indictment for crimes against
humanity. Our top leaders are also nude since they supported one party
dictatorship as youth leaders of KANU party.
Deputy President of Kenya William Ruto is even more
naked since a local court here found him guilty of grabbing 100 acres
of land from an IDP of another community during or after Post Election
Violence.
With our leaders naked, how can President Obama
easily visit the country they lead? Equally, how can our naked leaders
visit other countries? And can anybody allow himself to take a picture
with leaders who are naked? Here let us remember we are not talking
about nudity of not having clothes on. We are talking about nudity of
lacking morality, values and taboos that give leaders credibility and
legitimacy.
Here,
let us remember clothes however expensive can never cover the nudity of
morals and taboos. However expensive the suits our leaders wear, they
remain naked. However white their shirts and red their ties are, and
imitative of Obama, our leaders remain naked and unacceptable to world
community. When will the nudity of our leaders end and make them
acceptable to the world? It will end when judgments of their cases in
the ICC will declare them innocent. Their nudity would also end if they
could resign and allow leaders unassociated with corruption, crimes
against humanity and negative ethnicity to assume leadership of the
land. Our problem is not from Obama but self-inflicted. Only we can end
it.
Those
who pretend that Obama’s visit would only affect us negatively should
remember without America’s Marshall Plan, Japan, Europe or South Korea
would not have reached their level of current development and even
China, our new found savior, needs the American market more than they
need our market. America or no America, China or no China, Kenyans will
never get anywhere with their current mindset that puts leaders above
criticism. To criticize a leader is not to insult or disrespect them.
Further,
to develop we must need a renaissance and vigorous debate to get the
best ideas and leaders for the country. An elected leader is not
anointed and should be criticized if he decides to walk naked among
people. We are not a monarchy and shall not allow ourselves to be taken
back to the days of Kenyatta and Moi.
The
point I am raising is above my person or the leaders we are talking
about, whether they were elected by a million people or not. Here we are
talking about ideas not personalities or popularity. Kenyans should
read the book titled: Enemy of the People. One person can be right and a
100 million people wrong. Let no one wave numbers of bribed voters to
scare others.
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