Bottom-Up has failed & It’s no Bottoms Up!! » Capital News
Kenya with all its wealth and riches is a dystopian society, engaged in a game theory revolving door among many players but largely between the citizens [Wanjiku] and their political rats – a bunch of self-serving, economic gangstas, well known for their nefarious acts, spreading and seeing over ruin, destruction and malfeasance.
The big picture remains, of a country that has the Sub-Sahara coordinates in an operational chokehold with advanced technologies, and skills- despite of this every Wanjiku is, besides the political rats; six pence none the richer trying to fend of predatory loans and punitive tax measures introduced by the once infamous bottom-up government.
Last year in August during the devolution conference, the United States ambassador Meg Whitman in the boldest statement pronounced the position of the United States government that, ‘Kenya’s 2022 elections were the most credible in history …’ sending many into a convulsion, especially the opposition members. Which history? What would Meg Whitman know of our/Kenya’s history, especially with elections your head may ring? On pure ‘transparency’, were the 2002 elections a blur?
The dirty dancing!
In an editorial on foreignpolicy.com published on the 27th of June titled, Washington fails to ‘read the room’ in Kenya highlighted how experts and US officials working on Africa questioned the flaws in the Biden administration’s Africa policy. Meg Whitman the United States ambassador to Kenya landed on 1st August, just in time for Kenya’s historical presumably superstitious love-hate relationship with the month. However, this appointment was not a clanger!
The United States had not failed to read the room it had done that exceptionally well- its policy was not to push Kenya to new frontiers but draw first blood in their bigger strategy in Africa and there was no perfect environment than in Kenya and most importantly sending a blinder. Having transformed eBay from $5.7m to $8bn during her time as the CEO of the company from 1998 – 2008, Madam Whitman is a specialist in psychology, human behaviour and a business shark.
Jetting into Kenya from the US she was well and thoroughly informed, through unofficial American intelligence cables she knew the kind of government she would be met with. A government of self agrandissement, possibly the only cohort known to have the ability to drill holes in their own boat, and what was left for her to do was confirm the cables; and she did!
Quickly, Kenya’s President William Ruto was courted, with invites to big global summits exclusive only to superpower economies, addressing European houses of Parliament to a standing ovation only for them to overwhelmingly vote against his agitation, a state visit to the white house, -with his entire family and a government entourage of skirt blowers, unfettered access to the heavenly gates of the IMF and the World Bank and world adoration on the global stage; all a faff, culminating to a dogs dinner that was yet to be served! But the US was getting what they wanted, to make money.
‘Massenwahn’
During the state visit to the US, in front of the world media President William Ruto was asked how he could defend the obstinate position to send a police force to Haiti in a deal inked in mystery by the US and Kenya ringfenced with ‘Chinese’ whispers. The details are yet to be revealed.
Akin to Savonarola and his expulsion of the ruling Medici family, Kenya’s genZ and millennials put the country through an opposite portal of well-meaning protests with a sensorial overload, kicking off ‘massenwahn’ – mass madness! An electric atmosphere gripped the nation as they carried out an ascetic purge on the corruption of the political class that has been the most crucial variable in putting Kenya on its knees.
This purge is vicious, an understated undercurrent with massive support from boomers and parents alike, that has not been tapped by a government still largely clueless on how to handle the protests emanating from the wastage of immense resources! And like a magnet repelling metal, in an attempt to stop the fire from spreading is tearing down an innocent man’s house.
The sands of the hourglass have emptied for; Kenyan politicians, weak, corrupt institutions, incompetence, rent-seeking, political patronage corruption, and theocracy with the people of Kenya- scrutiny will be the portion. Politicians and governors should prepare to face jail time there’s a schism and only one side can win there’s no escaping this. The international acclaim, respect, credibility and globetrotting so much desired by this government from its African peers and on the global stage has suffered irreparable damage, and even as they ignore the message the only way out for President Ruto is to change, put the heads of his wicked henchmen on a pike for the nation to see!
For the message to the President and the government from the Kenya genZ & Millennials is ‘dum spiro, spero – while I breathe, I hope’
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