Dear Sir/Madam,
Going by what transpired in Bungoma this week, honorable Eugene Wamalwa has to quickly figure out what political tune to sing and how to effectively reach his audience or be decimated by the raging political undertones. Miffed by his political antics, the Ford Kenya stalwarts unflinchingly told him to first take Simama Kenya to his Saboti constituency before embarking on a political tour to the larger Bungoma region. In simple terms the genuine Ford Kenya stalwarts told him that it had become extremely difficult for them to recognize his musical or party affiliation.
His democratic ideals were questioned when he resorted to using unorthodox methods to clinch Ford Kenya`s chairmanship. Couldn`t the Simama Kenya endorsement have waited for the conclusion of the internal democratic process in Ford Kenya? Why for instance would he opt to be endorsed as Ford Kenya`s de facto party chairperson by the nebulous “Simama Kenya” rather than the Ford Kenya party itself? These were the kind of questions that made Wamalwa dither and dither. He finally he made a tactical retreat and conveniently blamed the police for the cancellation.
After this brushfire that burned through his political fortunes he frantically searched for a political function that could help him escape the searing political heat in the Ford Kenya home turf. He later own found himself in the brigade of the Agriculture Minister William Ruto who was presiding over the opening of a teachers training college in Kapenguria.
Predictably, politics took the centre stage. Honorable Wamalwa yet again transported the Ford Kenya wrangles to Kapenguria. Dispensing off with gentility, he was not only offending and condescending but also down right annoying. In what political pundits say is a strategy to chip away Raila`s popularity in the Ford Kenya`s political turf, honorable Wamalwa brazenly blamed ODM for the cancellation of the Simama Kenya rally that was to ostensibly endorse him for presidency. In an apparent reference to the Prime Minister Eugene said, “The politics of a half loaf are behind the cancellation of the Simama Kenya rally in Bungoma.” I bet that he himself was surprised that people believed this lie. Yet without adducing an iota of evidence, Wamalwa knows too well that he stands to be accused of peddling empty rhetoric.
You see, rhetoric is cheap and because of its cheapness Wamalwa can afford plenty of it. Expect a lot of it from him. The politics of 2012 has no doubt given him a curse of opportunity to reveal himself ruinously. It is hard to imagine that the hitherto nice guy has fallen so low and is fighting tooth and nail to remain relevant in Kenya`s political theatre.
In solidarity with the Agriculture Minister, they entered a pact that will ostensibly see them support each other to clinch the country`s presidency. And in this very function, a new buzzword found its place in Kenya`s political theatre of absurdity. Frustrated that Kenyans are not too benighted to wholly swallow the “transformational leadership” banner, they invoked the phrase “generational change.”
I find this phrase illiberal in the sense that what Kenyans are yearning for is transformative leadership which is neither a preserve of the youthful politicians. Transformative leadership does not preclude age. I know so many among the current youthful political leaders who do not deserve to lead this country because they have nothing in common with the generation they fervently seek to be the voice of. I stand to be corrected but I believe that the reason for the change of phrase is based on the realization that few if any among them have transformative abilities.
I do not begrudge Wamalwa (aka the boda boda MP) for his new found wisdom. However, I wish to remind him that in elective politics, images are symbolic, and symbolism matters when it reflects a deeper truth. His new found company bespeaks volumes. I doubt whether being a pseudo populist will do him any good.
TOME FRANCIS,
BUMULA.
http://twitter.com/tomefrancis
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