britone mwasaru

Politics, as a practice, whatever its professions, had always been the systematic organization of hatreds

Henry Adams, Education of Henry Adams

Came across this while going through the open Yale University political philosophy first lecture on youtube.

It’s interesting when you look at Kenya’s politics. Moi was removed on the “Yote yawezekana bila Moi” (all is possible without Moi) narrative. The opposition rallied all parties behind this movement and promised a corrupt free regime. After Kibaki’s two terms marked with a post election violence, goldenberg scandal, free education and a mix of bags. We got Uhuru Kenyatta and his running mate (now president) who were facing charges at the International Criminal Court. During his campaign, we got the anti-west campaign plus Cambridge Analytica stirring emotions against the other side. By pushing I mean personally attacks against Raila Odinga on the internet.

During Uhuru’s second term we see what was said to be internal issues come out in public with his deputy getting sidelined. What does Ruto do? He starts “anti-establishment” campaign, the hustler narrative pitting the wealthy against the majority. He even used a wheelbarrow as a symbol that work is work. He wins.

As I write this after protests against Ruto’s administration from financial bills that are over taxing the citizens to selling off public parastatals to everything getting worse and expensive. The education system is not working, fires in schools have become an often occurrence. Many cases of femicides and children disappearing and even ending up dead. We now have a Ruto Must Go narrative to galvanize the opposition against him. The other side is not even presenting any policies or a plan to get us out of the hole we are in.

Is the politics a play on people emotions. Raila was know to get people carried away with his vitendawili (riddles). Nothing changes just the players. Is the tyranny of a majority a problem or is also the solidarity needed to getting real change. As many have argued change doesn’t come from changing the person at the top.

One could ask, do people vote for or do they vote against someone?