A Smouldering Volcano

(Written b4 2007 elections)

While politicians in Kenya busily run around campaigning for an election yet to come, an imminent danger is slowly smouldering threatening to erupt into a volcano. Many of these politicians pretend not to feel the threatening heat around several parts of the country but occasionally a few are crying wolf while pointing an accusing finger at the government.

While the Sabaout Land Defence remains out of reach from the “long arm” of the law and continue terrorizing the wananchi in a daringly organised way, a new threat to peace and democracy has imaged.

A few days ago leaflets were dropped around areas in central province calling for the “suffering majority” to Arise!. Though those behind this have not been identified, mungiki remains the main suspect. Though no action is yet to be seen, it’s not hard to guess what the message in these leaflets is.

The mungiki which is an outlaw gangster organisation has confirmed its presence and continue to outmanoeuvre the security forces for years now. As I write, the Standard newspaper reports of a tout who was beheaded by these menace to society because he was against their course.

The government, with its constant assurance that it will bring down the mungiki and its adherents, in reality seems to be helpless.

But for what course is the bloodshed?

I don’t know if any follower of these groups might be reading these, in that case and just for those few who might be tempted to “arise”, and for us who are dedicated to the ways of democracy and human respect let us remember the words of Lucky Dube, a true son of African whose musical message is of togetherness, love, respect, harmony, patience and above all NO to violence. His song Victims.

Didn’t know that she was crying,
Until now as she turns to look at me,

She said, boy oh boy you bring tears to my eyes,
I said, what?
She said boy oh boy you bring tears to my eyes,

Bob Marley said,
How long shall they kill our prophets,
While we stand a side and look?
Little did he know that eventually,
The enemy, will stand aside and look,
While we slash and kill our own brothers,
Knowing that already,
They are the victims of the situation.

Still licking wounds,
From brutality,
Still licking wounds,
From humiliation.

She said these words,
And the wrinkles on her face,
Became perfect traits for the tears.

We are the victims,
Every time,
We got double trouble,
Every time.

She took me outside to the church yard,
Showed me graves on the ground,

And she said,
There lies the man, who fought for equality,
There lies the boy, who died in his struggle,

Then all these heroes died in vain,
While we slash and kill our own brothers,
Knowing that already,
They are the victims of the situation,

Still licking wounds,
From brutality,
Still licking wounds,
From humiliation.

We are the victims every time,
We got double trouble every time. Late LUCKY DUBE

Surely, isn’t the democracy maturing in Kenya enough?
Shouldn’t we nurture that and be patient enough to wait for the elections around the corner?
What good reason does any Kenyan have to fight and die for at this time?

P Bryan Njoroge.