Waiguru Must Go: So Says the Pharisees –The Irony of Democracy

Following the Waiguru debate and her crucifixion reminds me of two events; the execution of Ken Saro Wiwa the author of Africa Kills Her Sun and the betrayal and crucifixion of Jesus of Nazareth by the Pharisees.

And if it mounts for anything I advise her to read these two accounts to understand her fate- Waiguru you will not survive and it is upon you to carry that cross. 

Resigning is not an option –its like Jesus refusing to “drink from the cup” prepared for you to drink from. I advise that you make the prayer Jesus made at Gethsemane.

I will jot it down for you, just as a reminder “Aba Father. Everything is possible for you. Take this cup from me. Yet not what I will, but what you will.”

Before you declare fire upon my head for blasphemy, let me explain. You see, the accusations, betrayal, and crucifixion of Jesus of Nazareth is elaborated in details in the first four books in the New Testament according to the Christian faith. 

But I see a great resemblance with the Anne Waiguru saga and the life of Ken Saro Wiwa. Before you condemn me, give me a minute to explain.

The Accusations

We all agree that Anne Waiguru hasn’t done anything wrong. But she should bite the bullet since her juniors have done bad things and money has been lost. We understand that Anne has been trying to fight graft. But she’s so much tainted that we can’t tell how far she’s involved.

At this point I must say when fighting corruption, you are in the ring with the corrupt. You will scratch them and they will scratch you back. So as a country, we must understand that at some point in this fight we will get confused as we are now.

But that’s just what fighting graft entails; being close and personal with the corrupt. So the accusations started that she’s corrupt since she has corrupt people in her docket –who she’s trying to fight FYI. 

They couldn’t rally enough support for her ouster, so they needed something bigger, and something that will stick. They needed to drop poop right on her doorstep. That way nobody will refute the “unrefutable.” 

But they needed somebody to betray her, and in Eng. Peter Oganga Mangiti they found one.

Jesus suffered the same fate, at some point, he was accused of dining with the corrupt, working on Sabbath and many other accusation including declaring himself the king of the Jews. 

But for a long time they couldn’t pin him down with an elaborate accusation to put him to the cross. They needed somebody close to him to betray him, Judas was the man they Identified. 

In the case of Ken, he was a strong man, an activist and a protector of the right of the Ogoni people. The government of the day threw numerous accusations his way. Even jailing him for a month, but they could not get a perfect way to kill him. They had to make some accusation stick.

The Betrayal

Africa Kills Her Sun is largely acknowledged as a foreshadow for the death of Ken Saro Wiwa the author. So let’s stick with Ken’s accusations, betrayal and death. 

Ken started non-violent campaign against the degradation of environment caused by the dumping of toxic waste from the extraction of petroleum in the Ogoniland. The government felt threatened so they had to accuse him of something. 

After the death of chiefs in the Ogoniland, the Military had a perfect opportunity to fix the murders of these chiefs on Ken. Men close to him falsely testified of his incitement and he was sentenced and executed in 1995. Reading Africa Kills Her Sun, it is clear the kind of corruption that prevailed in country. 

In the case of Jesus of Nazareth, one of his closest allies, a person he himself had chosen, was corrupted into giving him to the Pharisees. One account states that “…Judas went to the Chief Priest and the officers of the temple guard and discussed with them how he might betray Jesus….. they were delighted and gave him money.” Later Judas kissed Jesus and the guards took him away.

In the present case of Waiguru, the script is the same. And here is my take of what has happened. In this account, I must let you know that misuse of power is not a preserve of the high and mighty in the ruling class and government, but it is for the high and mighty in the society. 

So while the previous cases were orchestrated by the people in the governing class. Our case is a case of the new form of democracy, it is the irony of democracy. First the high and mighty in the society needed a script, and array of accusations. 

When these accusations failed to take root in the country’s psyche, they needed something more elaborate, something believable. 

They needed a man to betray Waiguru, so in an action that is unfathomable anywhere else in the world apart from Africa, a PS endowed with all government resources makes the most outrageous and shocking mistake a person of his caliber can be expected to make. He “mistakenly tables a document showing massive corruption in the office of the CS.” 

What a revelation!!! The PS then indicates that the document was not right and tries to withdraw it, after 72 hours of tabling it. In a twist of events, the information is leaked to the media and picked by international media. Now the case is sealed Anne Waiguru Must Go for “Judas” has spoken.

So the nation is treated with arguments of all sorts, KOT says Waiguru Must Go, Jeff Koinange brings it on the Bench, message, Waiguru Must Go, the Newspapers print Waiguru Must Go, on Prime Time News Waiguru Must Go, so the mood of the Country is Waiguru Must Go it doesn’t matter whether she stole or not, but she must step aside. 

As a nation we adopt the “witch-test” with the mantra burn them if they don’t burn they are witches. What a nation, where institutions are right and independent only when they can give judgments favorable to me otherwise they are compromised and corrupt. If the EACC indicates that they have no case against the CS we say she has pocketed the commission.

The Death

In the case of Jesus and Ken, these two exceptional guys died. So in the case of Waiguru, she must “die” (“die” here means impeached –don’t want to be charged with hate speech and incitement). That is the fate of those who stand for the rule of law and for the right of the poor and the impoverished. 

There is no doubt that she will not come out of this one, the “evidence” is there and the people supports it. When she is taken to “Pilate and Herod” in our case the EACC they “found no basis for a charge against this” lady. 

Now they’re calling upon the President and Deputy to remove her from office, they are crying Crucify Her! Crucify Her! 

But of course the president will say he has no charge against her since the EACC has found as such –up to this point at least. However, they will continue shouting how other CS’s are out for far lesser crimes –that they are accused of committing and the EACC has said as much. 

The president and the deputy will try to plead with the people to allow the due process to take its course but people will insist Waiguru Must Go. In Jesus’ time they said crucify him despite Pilates plea to allow him to just punish Jesus and let him go. 

Just like in the time of Jesus, the shouts of the teacher of the law, in our case the makers of the law will prevail, and the president will surrender her to them.

Her ouster will be as riveting as the crucifixion of Jesus and the execution of Ken. 

The parliamentarians will strip her and strike her with strips of allegations of corruptions, high handedness, arrogance, and all other manner of accusations –of course with no credible evidence adduced. 

We will stay glued to our TVs and scrolling up and down our TL to learn what KOT is saying. Everybody will have something to say about it. 

Few will talk of her astounding performance, the award-winning huduma center, the effective slum upgrading projects by the NYS, the fast action of the CS in investigating corruption claims in NYS, the effectiveness of the IFMIS system and many more, but just a few people will talk about it. 

The majority will say she is the special one in the jubilee government, they will say she’s the president’s side-chick, they will –and they have- call her all manner of names. But just because people are shouting, the facts will not change, she has done no crime and she has acted swiftly in all occasions. But in a country so corrupt, the corruption fighters seems corrupt –ask PLO Lumumba he has drunk from the same cup.

In the case of Jesus, they mockingly wrote a notice above him saying “ THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS”  but in Anne’s case they will mock her with the phrase “THIS IS THE BEST PERFORMING CS IN THE JUBILEE GOVERNMENT.” 

She will then be impeached and disappear to oblivion. However unlike Jesus case, she will not “resurrect” her fate will be sealed just like that of Ken, and the few of us who have seen her work and her "demise" will remember her in articles and discussions. And then THEY WILL PICK ANOTHER CS or PROBABLY EVEN THE PRESIDENT.

In my conclusion I’ll say this about African leadership: it is not about having the right government, but rather having the right people in leadership positions whether in Government, the opposition, religious institutions, and mostly the media. 

But in all cases, our level of gullibility will determine who we give power, and how we’re governed by those we give it. I say Waiguru must not go, she must stick it out until the end when the parliament will push her out. 

This will be a good lesson for us, as well as a mark in our history, of how Africa Rewards Hardwork and Diligence. Also as Ken says in African Kills Her Sun, she will be proud of her fate since she chose not to entertain corruption and let impoverished youths be. It was her decision to clean up kibera and other slums, it was her decision to make service delivery efficient, it was her decision to investigate NYS. So it is only fair that she is rewarded with the fate that befits her actions.

Anne did you really believe that when politicians say we will fight corruption and eradicate poverty they are genuine? Which Kenyan politician in his/her right mind would want such a captivating mantra to end, just because a self-driven technocrat wants to show that it is possible to actually do it? What do you expect the politicians to sell in 2017? 

It is important that politicians fight all efforts to fight graft and poverty lest they lose their positions as leaders of the most impoverished continent in the world.

But honestly speaking I thought Uhuru and Ruto would be those African leaders who are out of their mind to actually do it. You Mrs CS have done great in leading us towards that direction. But I am sorry, Africa Has to Kill Her Sun.

Open Letter to the Media Fraternity: Does a Crime Define the Evidence or Does the Evidence Define a Crime? The Case of a Bias Media

You see in any crime scene there are several things that can happen, but I will concentrate on the two most important things that happen. One can lead to a conviction of an innocent person and the other can lead to an empirical reasoning and interpretation of the evidence.  First, the easier way can be to interpret the evidence to fit a certain pre-conceived theory or a chain of thought. Secondly, the harder way is to use the evidence to come up with a credible theory or a chain of thought. Sounds confusing, right? Okay! Let Me Explain!!!

In the first case, an investigator can use pre-conceived notions –including stereotypes – in interpreting the evidence. Let’s take a popular stereotype that government is corrupt or may be that the government is always guilty until it proves innocence –which is an impossible task especially in a public opinion court considering people’s gullibility. In such a case scenario, a lazy investigator will only have to produce scanty evidence pointing to possible corruption in a certain ministry. Then they will defend this position by omitting evidence that may point otherwise.  In this first case, the crime will define the evidence –an investigator will seek to convict a possible culprit based on prior knowledge of the culprit rather than the evidence at hand.

In the second case, an investigator follows the evidence, sieving carefully through the strongholds of stereotypes to clearly lay the evidence first and interprete it later. Such an investigator is ardent and seeks to uncover the truth not to entrench a popular stereotype. This is the hardest thing to do especially when you are up against a public opinion court. It all depends with the gullibility of the people since such an investigator has to protect possible misconceptions and judgments taken by the public. This second case leads to conviction of the real culprits. The evidence defines the crime –here the investigator follows the evidence to get to the real culprit. Or rather the evidence is used to uncover the culprit.

After understanding these two cases, let’s now look at the recent case in the NYS Saga. The evidence is that there was an attempt to misuse some cash. The media broke the news –however sensational they tried to make it- with an aim of convicting the Devolution CS. So the evidence was interpreted to fit the crime and the possible criminal. After this, new evidence arose, the Devolution CS pointed that a larger amount was on the line but her office stopped it. However, since this leaves the investigator without the preferred culprit, this piece of information is not given prominence. In fact, it is interpreted to mean that there was a crime committed. So people go on the street –for different reasons of course. Since the media has the pre-conceived notion that government is corrupt or the government is always guilty until it proves innocence; the matter is left for the public to grapple with –and I must add the gullibility of the masses will determine the fate of the targeted culprit.

This is what I read from the few facts I know about the NYS Saga. First, there is no money lost. Secondly, the IFMIS platform was used to detect possible malpractice. Thirdly, somebody hacked into the system to try to get paid corruptly. With these three pieces of evidence, –note I am leaving all the politics involved out- I am not convinced that the person who hacked into the IFMIS platform wanted to defraud the government, it is evident that it is next to impossible –unless you are a Chinese. I am convinced that the alleged whistle-blower got this information from the on CID investigation or was involved in the attempted hack into the IFMIS system. In my opinion, somebody wants to derail possible projects budgeted in the 2015/16 budget. In my opinion, the media should do us a favor and investigate the real issue. The real issue is not the money –since there is no money lost. The attempted hack is a starting point to a real issue. Who stands to gain if the NYS projects do not succeed? Start there and then give us unbiased news. 

#1 Most Marketable Course in Kenya

Sometimes back, I was asked by a good friend of mine what course she should take, now that she has finished High School. I’m a strong believer that you can be what you want to be if you work hard on it.

However, I came to realize that very few people in this country finish high School knowing what they want to do. Some career talks don’t help and at some point they are not taken seriously as they don’t have a step by step approach.

Well I did my research, and for any business to succeed in this century, it will have to embrace technology. ICT professionals will be in a better position, in fact, I dare say that ICT is a flagship course (something that any professional in any field should have) that will be required for businesses to remain relevant to customer needs.

Now, if you are in ICT SAP accreditation is paramount. Here is why,

There is a gap in SAP accredited professionals in the Kenyan market. Currently 70% of World platforms run on SAP. At least 10,000 professionals are needed annually yet Kenya produces less than 1 per cent of the needed workforce despite many local companies running on their systems. This creates the need for industries to employ expatriates, a substantive cost to the business.

To develop, Kenya will need to churn out more people with high-end skills. With a bigger skills capacity Kenya's economy will thrive as skills will not only be consumed internally but will be exported globally. Today, knowledge export is one of the thriving businesses in the outsourcing sector.

This is what ICT Board is advising Kenyans. Take note, Kenya needs a whooping 10,000 professionals every year. Companies are turning to expatriates for excellence.

As you consider taking such a course, remember that businesses don’t need SAP accredited graduates they need SAP accredited excellent graduates.

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Is 147 Really Not Just a Number?

Kenyans, we have been invaded by an ideology that seeks to disintegrate the Republic of Kenya. It attacks the very core of our belief as a nation. If we do not do anything, we stand a chance of ceasing our independence, beliefs, rights, and I dare say our very existence. The al shabaab agenda is to take over our endeared Muslim religion, they are committed to spreading their barbaric religious principles throughout this nation.

And we have a choice: we can allow them do continue breeding within us or we can flash them out from the dungeons of family ties, cultural, or religious sympathy. We must strip their barbaric principle naked and parade it in the streets of our minds for everyone to see as it treads to its inevitable destruction.

The very existence of our nation depends on our resolve to fight. So now I call upon you to join me in the fight. A fight that does not require government support, a fight that will not be fought with guns and bombs.  I urge you to join me in providing a new Kenyan narrative. A narrative that seeks to establish the true essence of a patriotic Kenyan. The frills of this narrative have been perpetuated by our forefathers in the fight for the independence of this nation and by our fathers to give us a new constitution. And we must use the narrative of patriotism and commitment to defend this nation.

We must be ready and willing to play our role in securing this nation. We must be ready to pick up arms when we are called upon to do so. We must be ready to sacrifice our time, resources, and even lives when duty calls. So, are we ready and willing to build a wall if that’s what it takes to defend this nation? Are we ready to persevere and withstand major inconvenience in our business transactions if that is what it takes? Are we bold enough to break all cultural values, and family ties to report our friends or family who have disappeared?

If we really mean #147NotJustANumber then we will join the clarion call and sacrifice our comforts in order to win this war. This is not a debate about the end justifying the means but rather a fight by all means necessary.

What Price are You Willing to Pay to End the Al Shabaab Menace?

Its only two weeks since the Garissa terrorist attack. The stories recounted by the survivors are chilling. Even more chilling are the stories narrated by the loved ones left behind by the fallen souls. The stories of commitment to education and integration. Some students were afraid to go to Garissa university college. But the promise of peaceful coexistence and integration lured them. Some even declared that if their fate is to die in Garissa then they will die in Garissa. Such was the commitment of those kids to their success. Success in education and life.

They paid the ultimate price for their commitment. So my question is, what price are we willing to pay to end the Al Shabaab menace? Is being stopped for several hours at check point the price you are willing pay? Is being rounded up in Eastleigh and having our houses checked the price we are willing to pay? Is closing the Dadaab camp and probably risking good international relations the price we are willing to pay? Is standing up against the popular views a price we are willing to pay? Is losing several millions in lost business due to closed institution a price we are willing to pay?

What price is greater than losing 147 lives? Are we waiting for the next attack where the leader of the attackers will be a refugee from Dadaab for us to accept its closure? Are we waiting for hard evidence that an attack in Nairobi Chapel or Citam on December 2015 was paid through a certain hawala in September of the same year, for us to believe in 2016 that hawalas are being used by our enemies?

It has taken 147 lives in a university college for leaders in NER to admit that the enemy is within the community. The government has been claiming that the enemy is within, that security starts with you, but we all thought it goes to show inefficiency in government. But I am convinced that all these measures are aimed at securing us from the enemy within. Could it be that its true mpeketoni was internally planned and executed?

Before you open your mouth or may be start tweeting and facebooking, just ask yourself, what price are you willing to pay to secure the nation. Security is our responsibility. I am willing to pay any price but lose another life. So if the government wants to close the border let it close, if it wants to close dadaab let it close, if it wants to close hawalas let it close; if it wants to come to my community and conduct a thorough search like the one in Eastleigh, let it come and do it; if they want me to stop for hours to be searched let it do it!!! All these are cheap prices to pay to secure our nation!!! There are those who have paid the ultimate price for it and if I do not pay my price another life might just be lost.

Securing this nation will come at a price. Every one of us will have to pay that price. Those who refuse to pay the price now will only cost us lives later. So the questions stands, what price are you willing to pay?