What Do We Want in Kenya?
What do Kenyan people want?
Some people say we want "change."
But what kind of change and why?
During the time of Moi, some people thought that Moi was the problem, so when they talked of change, they meant "Moi Must Go."
Well, after the December 27, 2002 elections, KANU, Uhuru Kenyatta and Moi were swept away from the centre stage of Kenyan politics following a huge loss during elections that year.
Moi is no longer the President but millions of Kenyans still want "change."
What is wrong with the government of President Mwai Kibaki?
Some people say that they do not like the government because there are too many Gikuyus, Merus and Embus in it.
Other people say that they do not like the government because there are too many old people in it.
Many women do not like the government because it is full of men.
Some religious communities feel excluded.
But are these reasons valid?
What do you think?
posted by Kenya Democracy Project at 12:52 AM
1 Comments:
Due to the 'Moi must go' frenzy and the fear of facing a pot completely emptied by close to 30 years of an unjust and dictatorial rule, Kenyans elected what they assumed was the best choice then.
Due to lack of education and the fact that revolutionaries who had for so long been fighting for lower class Kenyans' rights had been silenced and hounded into the caves of the underground, and confusion of foreign lands, many Kenyans were not aware of their options or rights to choose a Kenya for Kenyans by Kenyans.
When it seemed like a defeat was emminent for a few parties in the 'new' government, a coalition was formed and that clinched the decision for Kenyans. 'Moi Must Go' was deliriously sang at every opportunity, and Kenyans hopes were raised by these men and women who could sacrifice positions of power for each other - we thought they would build a better economy, and live up to the sweet promises they were making!
So we elected them and the first thing they did in Parliament was give themselves pay increments and perks! What a blow for Kenyans! Did they care? Nooooo! They went ahead and bought fancy cars, and the 'from rags to riches' stories grew each day! Kenyans started getting bitter and there was even some mumbling of 'Kibaki must go... afadhali enzi ya Moi, at least he wasn't so open about squandering the country's wealth'. Scandal after scandal ensued, the 'new' president became more and more tightlipped, the coalition collapsed and the pot that carried Kenya's hopes and dreams broke. Kenyans are back ten steps.
The politicians have made the rift between the rich and the poor wider than it ever was. Kenyans are poorer, more marginalized, jobless, hungrier than ever before. Class division is the tactic in use by the bourgoise politicians of the day as more and more Kenyans realize that tribalism is just a word used to make us vote, and think we are united when actually, we are not.
Poetess of the People
January 31, 2006 at 4:27 AM
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