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Opinion

Kenya’s Political Pinocchios: A Nose-Growing Contest In The Land Of Make-Believe

BY Steve Biko Wafula · February 12, 2024 02:02 pm

In the grand old tradition of “the pot calling the kettle black,” the Day Break show on Citizen TV this past Thursday turned into a circus where the clowns forgot their makeup but remembered every line of their acts. It was a spectacular display, a testament to the old saying, “A lie will travel halfway around the world while the truth is putting on its shoes.” But in Kenya, it seems the truth is not just struggling with its shoes; it’s also doing a marathon in quicksand.

The Art of Political Ventriloquism: 

William Ruto and his merry band of UDA zombies have perfected the art of speaking without ever saying anything true. It’s a remarkable skill, akin to breathing underwater without getting wet. Mungatana and Farah, in their grand indignation, were less perturbed by the plight of the Kenyan populace than by the audacity of calling a spade a spade, or in this case, a liar a liar. It’s high time the good people of Kenya embrace the noble calling of shouting “LIAR” from every rooftop, lest the lie becomes the new truth.

Elders and the Ostrich Strategy:

Respect for elders is one thing, but when the ship is sinking because the captain is drilling holes in the hull, it’s time to mutiny. Kenya’s leadership seems to have taken the adage “respect your elders” and used it to play a game of national Russian roulette. The youth must now grab the wheel and steer away from the iceberg, preferably toward a tropical paradise where competence is valued over greying hair.

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The Law According to the Lawless: 

Kenya Kwanza’s sympathizers seem to think the law is a buffet from which you can pick and choose. Farah Maalim’s creative interpretation of non-existent laws would make for a fantastic fiction novel, one where the Constitution is a choose-your-own-adventure book. It’s a stark reminder that ignorance of the law is only bliss until reality knocks on your door.

Voices in the Wilderness: 

Edwin Sifuna, a lone voice crying out in a political wilderness, reminds us that silence is the diet of cowards. His voice, though rare, carries the weight of truth, acting as a beacon of hope in a sea of despair. The people must amplify these truths before the silence becomes deafening.

Cheerleaders of Atrocities:

The UDA zombies and their ilk would cheer as the ship goes down, so long as they’re promised a lifeboat. The idea of sending Kenyan police to Haiti, a mission as ill-conceived as a screen door on a submarine, shows a blatant disregard for life and law. It seems Ruto’s private ventures have turned Kenya into a personal chess game, where pawns are expendable.

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The Art of Saying Nothing: 

Watching Mungatana and Farah on TV was like witnessing a mime convention; lots of gestures but no substance. Their incoherent ramblings on housing levies and executive overreach were a masterclass in verbal gymnastics, where the participants fall off the beam before the routine starts.

The Decorum Diversion:

Complaining about respect in a debate is like complaining about the weather in London; it’s irrelevant and unavoidable. It’s a classic move from the playbook, “How to Win Arguments Without Ha