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KENYA: THE HOUSE OF WOLVES AND FOXES
Malcolm X had no illusions in the so-called differences between the Democrats and Republicans. “One is the wolf, the other is a fox. No matter what, they’ll both eat you.” In the 1964 presidential elections, when the
US presidential candidates were Lyndon B. Johnson (the “peace” candidate) vs. Barry Goldwater (the “war” candidate), Malcolm X exposed the deceit of this phony distinction.
“The shrewd capitalists, the shrewd imperialists,” he said, “knew that the only way people would run towards the fox (Johnson) would be if you showed them the wolf (Goldwater). So they created a ghastly alternative . . . And at the moment he (Johnson) had troops invading the Congo and
South Vietnam.”
This above analogy by Malcolm x seems to fit well in the current political situation in
Kenya. Everybody seems to be fighting corruption, give them power and you will see their true coloures.Show people true coloures of ODM-K and you will see them running towards NARC-K.
Corruption has so much dominated the political scene until many Kenyans feel so betrayed by leaders who have decided to feed on the sweat of poor Kenyans, since independence to date. When are we going to put this to an end? After trying all my best to avoid the raging debate on the decision of choosing between a wolf (ODM-K) and a fox (NARC-K), the temptation can’t go further than this. I strongly believe that there is need for us to be realistic and avoid running into the ideologies (if any) advanced by the two sides. I consider my approach and understanding to this game realistic. Its highest time we stopped being hypocritical about our ideological orientation. Many of our people will come up with many theories that qualify ODM-K or NARC-K to be the best parties of belonging. If you become more metaphysical, you will understand what I mean. As I have always said and believed any political equation can only be qualified on the basis of which side of the spectrum you look at it. Let us look at this historical example:In preparation of what would come to be known in history as the Russian revolution, students of Karl Marx; one group led by Lenin and another led by other communists developed two different approaches to governance. two of the main would be Lenin confidants:ie Joseph Stalin and Leon Trotsky joined the two opposing sides with what they called ideological reality according to their own respective ‘’schools of thought”.while Stalin followed Lenin to advocate for a leadership based on a kind of electoral college(Bolshevism)Trotsky on the other hand preferred to support the grassroots system-where leaders could be elected on the basis of getting direct peasantry vote.(Menshevism).later when the Mensheviks were defeated, Trotsky decided to realign himself with Lenin and became very loyal while still upholding his sincere ideological principles that favored grassroots involvement in the Communist party democracy. Most Bolsheviks who really looked at Lenin as a demi-god used every opportunity to sabotage Trotsky’s efforts to rise in ranks on the basis of his initial opposition to bolshevism. Stalin grew very popular in the communist party because of his hypocritical adoration of Lenin. It was too late for even Lenin himself to discover that Stalin had been only loyal because of personal selfish political reasons. Stalin was too powerful by the time Lenin discovered this and wanted Trotsky to be his political heir instead of Stalin. Therefore Stalin became the automatic heir to Lenin as the general secretary. On Lenin’s death in 1924, Stalin forged himself into leadership to later become the chairman of the people’s commissars.To me the lesson here is that gaining political power has more to do with strategy and shrewdness than the sincere ideological approach that all of us commonly wish and advocate for. If its truth, let us say it. We all, (at least those who believe in certain principles) know that we believe in certain ways that we call moral governance. Most of us adore revolutionaries, we call them heroes, and we call them all names of admiration. America calls them dictators, war criminals, we associate political prowess with great names like Castro, Che Guevara,Tupac Amaru I(the last Inca of modern Peru)&Tupac Amaru II,Simon Bolivar,Kwame Nkrumah, Thomas Sankara,Malcolm X,Marcus Garvey,William Wilberforce, Daniel Ortega, Hugo Chavez, ,Patrice Lumumba,Dubcek,Husak,Olof Palme,Steve Biko,John Okello.,Haters of imperialism. We all categorize this people differently than what the
US does. To America all those names mean terrorists, communists, human rights abusers.blah blah…but for us we look at all these names differently, there are heroes, there are criminals, there are role models, there are human rights activists, but for the
US…it doesn’t care. They put Hideki Tojo and Che Guevara in the same group. The same way as a young person, these political vultures will never care what you believe in. they have already made their judgement…You are a political tool to be used. Or if you pose any political threat to them, then you are their enemy to be dealt with, or to be eliminated just like JM Kariuki was.So what’s the way forward? To sit and wait to be judged? Or to move and create our own space and destiny in those ranks? I agree with all you comrades who insist that we should support or oppose such and such a party because its made up of heroes,villains,saints,sinners ,devils, angels or whatever you may call them. Have you been honored with the order of Vladmir…to sing and dance to their tune? Or you are just a well wisher, a goon or a sycophant. Being a well wisher or any of aforementioned attributes amount to serious level of political insignificance.My position is that we got to be strategic otherwise we are going nowhere. for my choice if I were to choose between the wolf and a fox, which as per now I don’t intend to do, I would prefer the sly fox than the wolf that has decided to put on a sheep skin because the chicken worthy preying on are not in the vicinity. just know that the wolf in the sheep skin intends to make you his meal…once it gets near the chicken.It’s wrong for us to start following monarchs who have presided and/or benefited from the economic atrocities committed against the people of this country for the last more than four decades of this country’s independence. lets not follow monarchs…our only way to political freedom is joining hands with self made politicians…not monarchs. Down with monarchs…If you can only be relevant in politics if your father was a president or a colonial chief, when are the sons and daughters of peasants like you and me going to rule this country? JUST TELL ME WHEN? We need to get the way out.There we are…..me and you attempting to put Jommo Kenyatta’s son in power? Daniel Moi’s son in power?, Jaramogi Oginga Odinga’s son in power?. Longest serving ministers like Kalonzo who have nothing to show after 19 years in cabinet in power? Moses Mudavadi’s son in power? Ruto-the political son of a corrupt regime? If we stand and pursue freedom justice and equality, then we need the land back…the land cannot be returned by land grabbers in power.Landgrabbers and pretenders to democracy can’t be reformists. What are they reforming? They have already taken part in deforming the country.If we want to achieve true change in this country we need to create a better strategy…if you read the future, then you will come to know that the only way of getting true reformists and sons and daughters of peasants to power is through NARC-K if all factors are kept constant consistent with the current prevailing conditions. To me and I don’t think any sane person will challenge that, NARC-K’S future could be us. Monarchs will never have space for us. They only have space for their sons and daughters in law. Those impoverished and deprived in the past are now we are getting into those positions.Kibaki is only but a unifying factor for NARC-K…Once he finishes his second term, then all kanu will have retired…Michuki, Karume, Nyachae,then people like Kibwana,Kituyi,Mungatana,Tuju,Kimunya,Karua,Kilemi Mwiria,Kirwa,(not necessarily them, but they are symbols of rise from ashy to classy, not from state house to state house.) ,and many of us in our age bracket who are coming up now will obviously have this space. A good number of protagonists here are the true reformists or even if they may not be according to some of the arguments some of you may advance. They at least were. and that’s why democratically we are where we are. most of you know the role played by people like Prof Kibwana and the likes of Dr.Njoya.,Henry Waruhiu,Muturi Kigano and the rest that you know who belong to this school in bringing Kenya to where it is now. We are at least where they helped us get. Its time to complete the revolution. And the revolution can’t be completed by the people we were revolting against. They are using the strategy used by Stalin to inherit Lenin’s position, but at least in a moral and democratic way, unlike Stalin. In the same vain, we need to use this strategy…that’s our only way to power. The rest are rhetorics.no monarchs please.For you who have already taken sides…that’s my analysis. However if you are a general in the wolf kingdom you are better than a foot soldier in the fox kingdom. If you got no strategic standing then I consider this as the best position to adopt so long as you are not Kenyatta’s or Moi’s son or daughter.The value of NARC
Kenya to Kenyan youths as per now is that one of our own-Tedd Munovi is one of the nine national board members of the NARC-K election board. The great hope, which we are anyway yet to see, is that more positions will be allocated young people. We welcome the same or greater gesture by ODM-K or any other party with a political muscle.I personally don’t think if we should vote in a wolf or a fox. But if we got no other option which is seemingly the case, then lets learn to use the Stalin strategy. Vote for the fox that is if it’s a must for you to choose between the two. Otherwise I would advice you to join Chama Cha Mwananchi (CCM).It could be the party that has meaning for the people at the grassroots… FWAMBA NC FWAMBA
Kenya Young Voter’s Alliance
Box 41046, Nairobi
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[...] at Why Did the Chicken Cross the Road?, compares the choice between ODM-Kenya and Narc-Kenya with the choice between the wolf and the fox: Malcolm X had no illusions in the so-called differences between the Democrats and Republicans. [...]
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WHAT WILL HAPPEN IF KIBAKI DECIDES NOT TO RUN?
According to Nicolo Machiavelli, The social and political world of the The Prince is monstrously unpredictable and volatile; only the most superhuman calculative mind can overcome this social and political volatility. He argues.
Its now six months to election if the election timetable is upheld in precedence since the repeal of section 2a that lead to holding a general eletion under a multiparty democracy in Kenya. As many Kenyans are still evaluating the said development records under the leadership of president kibaki, the latest events within the political circles are indicative of a very speculative opinion on whether president Kibaki will be seeking re-eletion later this year.
Apart from the president denying that he ever committed himself to serve one term and asking people to judge him by the development record he is yet to convince his supporters that his re-eletion bid is a big issue within his line of ambitions. The presidents’ supporters seem to be more ambitious for him than himself. At the rate which his supposed opponents are moving, it’s foolhardy to imagine that campaign time is still too far and Kenyans will easily buy the development record theory.
Going by latest events since the government spokesman told Kenyans to shun activists ‘with questionable characters’ masquerading to be campaigning for the president, many individuals or groups purporting to support the president are left guessing since the head of state either doesn’t wish to be re-elected or he is the proverbial dancer who doesn’t respond to drumbeats no matter how skilled the drum player is. The examples of these circumstances include the presidents turn down of Democratic Party chairmanship, and his imaginary distant involvement in Narc- Kenya activities. At sometime the vice president Hon. moody Awori confidently said that the president fully supports the Narc-Kenya initiative and the president campaigning for its pioneer members of parliament in a by-election. The campaigning for the party parliamentarian for Nakuru town then could only be translated to the sympathy to Hon.Mirugi Kariuki’s family and not necessarily for the love of Narc- Kenya as a party. the president has never authoritatively involved his efforts in building Narc Kenya apart from a few of his friends who would like him to run on its ticket due to the controversies involved if he decided to seek re-eletion on the Narc party which is now defunct considering that one of their component parties the LDP is fully in opposition.Narc- Kenya, the party on whose ticket the president is expected to seek re-election held elections recently while claiming that the party has no funds! as a result and poor management of the elections, the party had elections which were more of appointments that do not necessarily reflect the existence of officials whose popularity on the ground can help the president in attaining enough grassroots support during the general election.
While central province suspended grassroots elections, other parts of the country which claimed to have elections, no actual elections were ever carried out just like the Naivasha Member of Parliament had earlier predicted.
At this juncture, Kenyans and president Kibaki supporters must start thinking of what to do incase the president decides that he wants to be a respected statesman like nelson Mandela by leaving power voluntarily. To do that the president only needs to leave a legacy of less talk and economic prosperity. Under the president, the government faces two main issues to deal with; the mungiki menace and the allegations of rampant practices of tribalism in public appointments. Apart from the two issues that currently look like a cancer in the government, the president’s performance record is above average and that is why if he contested; with a serious and well organized campaign he will win the second term.
The political landscape is likely to undergo radical political changes and realignments incase the president decides not to run for the second and last term constitutionally. That will totally complicate the existing so called horses’ and donkeys’ race. Some donkeys will automatically become horses while some horses may become donkeys. The main political players and those who had suspended their ambitions for the 2012 race because of their support for president Kibaki may as well decide to make this their time. That automatically brings the frontrunners in bid for Narc-Kenya chairmanship into the field. Individuals like Prof.George Saitoti, Kipruto Kirwa.Dr.Mukhisa Kituyi, Kiraitu Murungi, amongst others will automatically become major players and possible candidates.Uhuru Kenyatta’s candidature on whatever ticket will obviously get a boost because of the tribal equation and the central province vote. This scenario will also become a battle of influence of individuals and not necessarily political parties. Without the president contesting, the ODM-Kenya’s intention of being together automatically ceases since their main and common agenda has been to defeat president Kibaki in the elections. Some of them who are facing corruption cases in court may through the ECK be barred from contesting according to the regulations thus they may be thrown to political oblivion if the electoral commission takes such a move. That will mean that fresh coalitions will be formed with some of the ODM-Kenya members supporting the Narc-Kenya presidential candidate, while some Narc-Kenya and ODM-K people will run on their own. The so called third force under Ngilu and Kombo may gain relevance too. In this scenario, it will be difficult too to tell if even the likes of Raila, Saitoti, Kituyi, Kalonzo, Ngilu, Kombo, or Uhuru will be able to become Kenya ’s next president. As expected president Kibaki and former president Moi will have a big role to play. However going by the president’s way of doing things he may not necessarily support anyone aggressively. On the other hand, if he is set for re-election, then the president’s unpredictability may harm his campaigns.
FWAMBA NC FWAMBA
Box 41046-00100
NAIROBI
+254721779445