Saturday, July 31, 2010

SAVE US FROM THESE ROGUE POLICE OFFICERS.

On July 30, 2010, Nairobi, a young man walked out of a commercial bank and was accosted by a group of snorting police officers whose keen sense of smell convinced them “beyond any reasonable doubt” that the said young man was from a robbery mission. They pounced on him and attempted to empty his pockets of the cash he had just withdrawn from the bank. Were it not for the timely intervention of the public the young man would probably have become part of the ever increasing statistics of police brutality and robbery with violence.

If it interests you, you will also have noted that even with the publicity that this incident attracted there was no suggestion of any kind of appeal to justice and no suggestion of any recompense for the grave and gratuitous damage which this young man endured. The young man`s tone was simply the tone of one who had miraculously survived from the jaws of death. Who knows, he could have died under a hail of bullets and a toy pistol planted on him-a most wanted criminal indeed!

But if the above incident leaves you distraught, you are probably lily-livered. Two weeks earlier in Kangemi, Nairobi, a 76 year old man happened to be in the streets where there was a great commotion. Many people, including frightened old women, little girls and boys were running from the police. Then the old man noticed three energetic male police officers (in frenzy) bludgeon up a defenseless woman like one would a viper. He spoke up and asked them, “Why are you beating her like that?” Startled by his unwarranted interference, one of them let his adept fingers pull the trigger and the old man fell down looking at the police officers, disbelief written allover his face. None of them appeared disconcerted at the old man`s twitching body nor the wailing of his anguished daughter. In fact, according to witnesses, these policemen engaged in some levity over the incident. The old man succumbed to the fatal bullet wound a few minutes later. He became yet another statistic of police brutality. One cannot possibly arrive at a more sure-fire formula for cruelty.

Yet, it would appear that this arrogant autonomy is guaranteed to some police officers by their superiors. Otherwise, why would they, ad infinitum, dare carry out acts which are pure anarchy? Whenever the top police brass is hard pressed for action against rogue officers, they bellow out the same stale lie of yesteryears “investigations will be carried out and officers found culpable will be disciplined.”

The worst part is that the same police officers investigate themselves, quite as though they were answerable only to themselves. But they cannot be allowed to be answerable only to themselves. They must be made to be answerable to the common man and woman. After all, this is the tax payer who remunerates them, and who they are legally sworn to protect. However, if in their estimation, the common man and woman is not a part of the “Kenyans” that they are supposed to protect, then allow me to say without fear of contradiction that all of the Kenyan police force is but a big fraud.

TOME FRANCIS,
BUMULA.
http://twitter.com/tomefrancis

Monday, July 26, 2010

POLLSTERS FINDINGS ABOVE REPROACH.

Poll opinions for predicting results few months or weeks to major elections have been very popular since the 1940s. Admittedly, errors have been committed leading to false predictions. For instance, errors have occurred mainly due to sample procedures where pollsters, for reasons of economy or expediency, sometimes make compromises with rigorous statistical requirements.

But it also true that within this time span, techniques of public opinion research and polling have tremendously improved. Efforts have been made (and are still being made) to eliminate bias in selection of respondents, to improve the quality of questionnaires, and to train able and reliable interviewers. Leading social scientists such as Richard Lau have provided important milestones in the sampling methodology that have led to immense success in polling.

With such great strides in social science research, it is unlikely that a pollster can engage in any professional malpractice without being discovered and shamed. However, in the event that one doubts poll findings, the only way to confirm the objectivity of such findings is to engage in a similar research exercise. Intersubjectivity comes in handy. This entails the sharing of observations and factual information among social scientists. But relying on an unprofessional and mundane source such as a poll opinion (conducted in a matter of minutes) by a news anchor to dispute the findings of professional pollsters is a complete mockery of the scientific research process.

To begin with, unlike interviewers in the field, the news anchor has no way of telling whether those polling are registered voters or not. Secondly, only those people who are economically advantaged as to own a mobile phone (that is loaded with airtime) and a television set qualify to give an opinion. This means that economically empowered people would be overrepresented in such an exercise. In other words registered voters who are poor but who are likely to vote in the forthcoming referendum would be underrepresented in the so called “opinion poll over opinion polls” carried out by the said news anchors. Such shortcomings are easily overcome by trained interviewers out in the field.

From the foregoing, I find the allegations leveled against the leading Kenyan pollsters by the opponents of the proposed constitution quite preposterous. Such unfortunate claims attributed to some naysayers are a manifestation of a defeatist attitude and are at best pure sensationalism whose intent is to divide the Kenyan people into two hostile camps.

TOME FRANCIS,
BUMULA.
http://twitter.com/tomefrancis

Sunday, July 25, 2010

WILL COUPLES BOYCOTT THIS VIRILE COMBAT?

I must admit that last week I came across one of the most dramatic headlines arising out of a mounting inability by some scientists to cope with the HIV/AIDS scourge. We may be used to scientists coming up with a raft of measures to stem the rising tide of the HIV/AIDS scourge but that is nothing compared to what some inspired scientists came up with last week. They talked about couples (and even commercial sex workers and their faithful clients) boycotting from this uplifting experience for a month as a means of reducing new infections. Really!

Allow me to say with a lot of conviction that this latest strategy (if it qualifies to be called a strategy) will not work in Kenya. First and foremost, July and August are the coldest months here. They are the sorts of our winter. I guess that the possibility of a couple full of virility attempting to even think of such a boycott will be remotest. At this time, people have a craving for this natural warmth so much than food itself. This explains why Kenya has a baby boom nine months after this “winter.”

Secondly, many people in this third world country live below the poverty line. Anyone who has gone through this debilitating experience will tell you that poor folks resort to sex as the only means to overcome the pangs of hunger and a litany of other social problems albeit temporarily. If these scientists have been wondering why these poor chaps despite the excruciating poverty, still adorn permanent glees on their faces, they should wonder no more. Sex provides the much needed fissure through which the pent up frustrations can temporarily be let out by fellows whose spirits have been ruffled by poverty. It is sought of an anesthesia.

So anybody coming up with a mundane suggestion that promises to erase these glees from their faces runs the risk of being called insane. That is why my polygamous old man back in my rural village is fond of declaring to all and sundry that he may be materially poor but that he is very rich when it comes to counting the number of children he has!

But the joke of it all is in the implementation of the proposal for the simple reason that it is extremely difficult to monitor and evaluate its success. I bet its architects do not have the capacity to install CCTV cameras in every bedroom to check the proximity of couples in the comfort of their bedrooms.

That is why these folks are charging that these scientists have grossly misdirected their efforts, that instead of upping their efforts in searching for a cure of this disease, they advocate a month long abstinence which in their estimation is only effective to couples whose muscular strength and virility has worn down to a thread. In other words they do not see the reason why a soldier who still has a good stock of ammunition should retreat from this virile combat.

TOME FRANCIS,

BUMULA,

http://twitter.com/tomefrancis

Saturday, July 24, 2010

LET NOT THE REFERENDUM TWIST SINEWS OF OUR NATIONHOOD.

The Inuit (who are the natives of Canada) have a saying that states that “even if you disagree fiercely with your neighbor, you still have to trust him with the harpoon at the ice edge.” It struck me that the knowledge of this conventional wisdom can help us understand the strength and the beauty that is present in our diversity.

If only we elect to emulate the calmness and civility of the traditional Inuit then we will begin to see the wisdom in not allowing anybody to incite us into dismembering our nationhood after the 4th of August. I say this because many of our politicians have always perfected the “false label trick” often referred to as the Hitlerite technique of sanitizing “the big lie” to create chaos as a means of maintaining the status quo. In order to make the lie look real, they engender fear and animosity, appealing to people`s ethnic identities, fomenting disturbances and filling people`s ears with all sorts of inflammatory speeches to charge them against others.

But I implore all Kenyans of goodwill not to follow such politicians in their wicked ways. We must begin to actively dissociate ourselves from their dangerous cult of opportunism, double-talk and chicanery. We must begin to unequivocally demand that any politician who speaks in pompous double-talk interspersed with negative ethnicity and pure hatred against any section of the Kenyan citizenry in an attempt at urging us to a course whose intent is to break up our nationhood must be incarcerated.
On the 4th of August we shall have an opportunity; clear and shining for our country. I pray that the constancy of mind, persistency of purpose, and the grand simplicity of decision shall guide and rule our conduct on this special day. I have no doubt whatsoever that we shall prove ourselves equal to this severe requirement.

It is my firm conviction that we shall never again let ourselves to be willing victims of their cynical indifference and weltering web of confusion that they so desperately try to subject the country to. I have no doubt whatsoever that on the 4th of August we shall step outside our ethnic enclaves so that together we can truly appreciate our nationhood. Kenya shall still have sinews of permanent peace.
Lastly, in borrowing the words of the American poet Wallace Stevens, I pray that we shall step outside our ethnic ways of perceiving reality, so that we can see “the moon and not the image of the moon.”

TOME FRANCIS,
BUMULA.
http://twitter.com/tomefrancis

Thursday, July 22, 2010

THE EXECUTIVE MUST NOT PROTECT ROGUE POLICE OFFICERS.

Police officers are supposed to resort to deadly force only in the event of imminent death or serious physical injury to the officer or another person. As part of their training they are specifically warned that shooting incidents shall be reviewed to ensure an impartial investigation and that in the event that an officer is found culpable disciplinary measures shall be meted appropriately. Unfortunately, these are the laws whose inviolability does not live beyond the gates of the police training colleges. As soon as typical police officers graduate from college they apparently formulate their own set of rules.

An effective officer becomes the tough, mean, no nonsense man or woman, with more brawn than brain who has to murder many (albeit; innocent and defenseless) citizens and then hope to be feted for their valor. Adherence to the existing Professional Code of Conduct for the police force as well as the Public Officer Ethics Act (2003) is immaterial. Matters are even made worse considering that the top police brass has over time hastened to dismiss as baseless lingering questions impinging negatively on roguish officers.

In an attempt to respond to the reports of gross misconduct in the police force, the Kenyan government established a task force headed by Retired Judge Phillip Ransley to study the problems bedeviling the police force and make recommendations which would support the formation of a police service that would meet the needs of civilians and institutions guided by principles of accountability, integrity, respect for human rights, non-discrimination, impartiality, fairness and professionalism.

The committee detailed among other things the abuses of power, poor investigative techniques, lack of oversight, de-motivation and inadequate academic standards among police officers among other issues. With the adoption of the report and formation of the a special committee to oversee Police reforms under the chairmanship of Mr. Titus Naikuni, the public hoped that the police force will never again occupy the “unique position” that permitted improper activity without accountability. Key to the process of democratic reform was to focus the police to understand the needs of the general public in terms of the provision of policing services, and motivating and supporting police in meeting these needs rather serving certain sectional interests. The public expected above all else that these reforms will support adherence to human rights.

Unfortunately, two years down the line, police officers have become more de-motivated and ineffectual than they were. This is why for the umpteenth time the country has witnessed trigger happy police officers shoot and kill innocent and defenseless members of the public. In one such incident a 75 years old man was gunned down in cold blood by police officers in Kangemi. Barely four months ago, another gang of trigger happy police officers ended the budding lives of seven taxi drivers on the mere allegations that they were members of the proscribed Mungiki outfit.

Even though the government has been quick at condemning such acts as clearly wrong and quite indefensible, the courts of law have been averse to delivering justice. Just this month, a police officer who was seen in broad daylight shooting and killing a protester during the 2008 post election violence was acquitted for lack of evidence.

It is such miscarriage of justice that has seen the public trust in the police officers remain at an all time low. In the estimation of the public, many of the police officers are no different from a monkey with a loaded gun. This is one reason why the much touted community policing program became a cropper. It is also the reason why the public still has serious doubts as to whether the Government is fully committed in implementing to the letter the much touted police reforms.

Giving lame excuses (as some government functionaries are doing) is a great disservice to the public. Implementation of police reforms is not tied to the passage of a new constitution. The public therefore demands that action must be taken now against these rogue officers.

TOME-FRANCIS,
BUMULA.
http://twitter.com/tomefrancis

Monday, July 19, 2010

DR. TOM NAMWAMBA MUST ESPOUSE THE FUNDAMENTALS OF SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH.

Forgive me; for it is not my intention to judge Doctor Tom Namwamba harshly. But I believe that he is perhaps having a clear confrontation with his conscience. I say so because he, without benefit of any scientific research disputed the findings by Strategic Group which indicated that the proponents of the proposed constitution were headed for a clear win of 62%.

If Dr. Namwamba did as much as doubt the validity of the findings of the Strategic Research Group then the prudent thing for him to have done was to resort to the time tested scientific intersubjectivity and not dispute research findings based on a mere phantom called “crowd” that graces political rallies!

Any other means would only mean that the good doctor of letters is suggesting that at this time and age he does not espouse the fundamentals of scientific methodology which is anchored in logical reasoning and empirical objectivity.

I wish to remind him that unlike the Latinos, who can shout “De gustibus non est disputandum” meaning that opinions about matters of taste are not objectively right or wrong, and hence disagreements about matters of taste cannot be objectively resolved, scientific research, in the strictest sense of the phrase, goes beyond men of mere speculation. It has fundamental laws that must be followed to the letter.

Dr. Namwamba knows as much as I do that there is no certainty that crowds in a political rally translate into actual votes. They grace rallies and carry with them all the excitement only in so far as any political rally is concerned but fluidity is still very much present. Many people attend rallies to see political heavy weights but that does not mean that they will vote for the particular political side holding the rally. That is why we see the same crowds grace “No” as well as “Yes” campaign rallies. The only way to come close to making an informed opinion of the winning side is by engaging in a scientific research as the Strategic Research Group did.

On the flip side, Dr. Namwamba is far from being an armchair philosopher that is why I am convinced that he will take the earliest opportunity to disentangle himself from this embarrassing web of inconsistency lest he runs the risk of being branded ridiculous.

TOME FRANCIS,
BUMULA.
http://twitter.com/tomefrancis

Sunday, July 18, 2010

RUTO`S BELATED REFERENCE TO SUPER MAJORITY IN AUGUST PLEBISCITE IS A PLOY.

In an interview that was aired by Radio Maisha and published in the Sunday Standard Newspaper of 18th July 2010, honorable William Ruto said that the results of the August plebiscite will raise serious questions if the proponents of the proposed constitution win with a margin of less than 65% of the eligible voters. In other words honorable Ruto is telling all and sundry that he will not hesitate to declare the referendum outcome null and void should it be below the international threshold. In his estimation at least 7 million Kenyans have to vote for the proposed constitution for it to enjoy legitimacy.

Interestingly, it is honorable William Ruto and the entire No Brigade that have dissuaded the country from ratifying international laws which in their opinion are dangerous to our democratic well being. Using the same reasoning I dare say that we must not use such an international law to midwife our constitution.

Acceding to such whimsical demands is tantamount to entrenching double standards. This is obviously Ruto`s ploy to ensure that the opponents of the proposed constitution defeat the fundamental tenet of democracy which explicitly states that the majority rules. In other words he is desperately attempting to ensure the absolute power of the minority. Such an inimical requirement also means that the minority can be declared the winners for merely abstaining from voting!
Subjecting Kenyans to such a requirement would mean that we will end up like the Ontarians who in 2005 held a referendum where 57% of eligible voters voted for change yet, because of a threshold law, the 43% minority ruled the day. To the majority of Ontarians this was indeed a very sad day.

The Montenegrins on seeing the fundamental flaws in the international threshold law became wiser. Their law on referendums states that the decision is to be taken by a majority of citizens eligible to vote. However, it does not fix any exact figure. To them, a simple majority is enough to make a referendum decision valid.

Back home, when Kenya held a referendum in 2005, there was no reference to the now much hyped international threshold. We generally agreed that the rule of the majority applies. But today, on sensing defeat, the opponents of the proposed constitution find it convenient to flaunt the threshold requirement as if voting is a mandatory exercise!

From the foregoing I find the recommendation of a 65% supermajority threshold for the upcoming referendum a blatant disrespect for the very process of constitutionalism that we ourselves have strived to set up for many decades. This requirement contains a virus which is dangerous to the stability of our country when it comes to the implementation of the results.

TOME FRANCIS,
BUMULA.
http://twitter.com/tomefrancis

Saturday, July 17, 2010

AUGUST PLEBISCITE BELEAGUERED BY ELECTORATES PATHETIC READING CULTURE.

During his weekly programme titled “Culture Talk” which was aired by the KBC radio between 2002-2004, Professor Egara Kabaji lamented the pathetic reading culture among the Kenyan citizenry. In his estimation, many an educated people stop reading as soon as they graduate from universities and other middle level colleges. Many increasingly become straw men who know little if any of their civic duties. This is in spite of the fact that no democratic government can function effectively if its citizenry is not literate enough to make informed political choices.

Today, the country is sadly sopping with many lockstep professionals bereft of ideas outside their profession. Many medical doctors read nothing other than that which is essential to medicine. Many lecturers and teachers read nothing other than that which informs their subject area. So do accountants and many other professionals. Their capacity to effectively function in issues of national importance such as the constitution making process is greatly impaired. This is despite the fact that the Committee of Experts (CoE) realizing that the August plebiscite is beleaguered by lack of a sufficient reading culture made great efforts at simplifying the proposed constitution besides coming up with a striking advertisement, “Katiba, Jisomee, Jiamulie.” Still, not many have been inspired into reading this document.

It is no wonder that listening to many a professional discussing the proposed constitution one sees the degree to which many of them are too ignorant. They simply have not read even a single chapter of the proposed constitution! They think that reading of the proposed constitution is an unnecessary exertion hence they increasingly and meekly submit themselves to the guidance of lay politicians, pastors, lawyers and doctors whom they perceive as “carriers of their conscience.” They have gladly allowed these “guardian angels” to guide them through this sacrosanct process.

Sadly, many of these “guardian angels” are only too happy to see to it that these professionals consider the bold step into embracing democratic ideals not only as difficult but as very dangerous. Like domesticated animals these professionals are carefully prevented from daring to take any step beyond what philosopher Immanuel Kant refers to as the “lead-strings they are fastened with.” After all, these conniving guardian angels have an overly emphasis on forming a “broad mass front” against the expansion of the democratic space in the country in order that they protect their selfish interests.

Unwittingly these professionals imbibe prejudices from a people who thrive in serving a great, unthinking mass. These guardian angels do not objectively discuss the proposed constitution instead; (to use Kant’s expression) “they are quick at wheeling their rusty artillery of abuse into action.”
Perhaps it would do a great favour to these professionals were they to heed of the words of the late reggae icon, Bob Marley, “Emancipate yourselves from mental slavery.”

TOME FRANCIS,
BUMULA.
http://twitter.com/tomefrancis

Wednesday, July 14, 2010

PALIARMENT WILL CONTINUE RATIFYING INTERNATIONAL TREATIES WITH OR WITHOUT A NEW CONSTITUTION.

Honorable William Ruto has leveled a continuous verbal barrage of criticisms against the United States for allegedly meddling in Kenya`s internal affairs. In his latest such barrage he alleged that the US is bribing legislators in the Yes Camp to hoodwink the Kenyan electorate into promulgating a constitution that will see Kenya automatically ratify dangerous international treaties some of which may allow the Kenyan President to be tried outside Kenya. Ruto was apparently referring to article (2) clause (6) in the proposed constitution which states that “any treaty or convention ratified by Kenya shall form part of the law of Kenya under this constitution.” His interpretation of this clause is mischievous as it is misleading.

It is of course a blatant untruth and it helps lend credence to the fact that Ruto has been devising intricate webs of intrigue and subterfuge in a sustained effort in order to thwart the forthcoming August plebiscite. His schemes and indeed those of the majority in the No camp have become infinitely more grandiose. That they have openly resorted to perpetuation of dazzling propaganda to sway the public from the truth is an open secret.

In discounting his latest lie it is important to note that the ratification of international treaties is a process that is well delineated in Kenya. Parliament, which exercises authority on behalf of the people of Kenya is duty bound to ratify any international treaty unless of course it is an executive agreement which has the force of law but unlike a treaty, it may not require parliamentary approval. This is because it is in the best interests of Kenyans to allow the president and the cabinet ministers some freedom of action in foreign affairs considering that they may be required to respond quickly to international challenges.

It is extremely important to understand that parliament will not stop ratifying international treaties just because the proposed constitution has not been promulgated nor does it mean that Kenya will henceforth pull out of international treaties it has previously domesticated. Unless of course Ruto has lost faith in parliament as an institution, in which case he has no moral authority serving as a parliamentarian.

It is also worth noting that the country will not shield individuals culpable of criminal acts just because the proposed constitution has not been promulgated. For instance, the International Criminal Court (ICC) will continue to complement our national criminal procedures with or without the promulgation of a new constitution.

I am sure that Ruto is well aware of the fact that the Rome Statute gives the court jurisdiction over the most serious crimes of international committed after July 1, 2002, either by a citizen of a nation that accepts the statute, or by a person of any nationality on the territory of a nation that accepts the statute. This is why ICC has booked a date with Sudanese president Omar El Bashir even though Sudan has not domesticated the Rome Statute.

Most importantly, one wonders why Ruto is imputing improper motives against the Kenyan president. What does Ruto know about the president that the rest of the country does not know?

Suffice to say that it will do this country a lot of good if honorable William Ruto aspired not to interpret the proposed constitution with motives that are no more than desecrating upon our nationhood.

TOME FRANCIS,
BUMULA.
http://twitter.com/tomefrancis.

Sunday, July 11, 2010

THRESHOLD LAW ON REFERENDUM IS A MOCKERY TO DEMOCRACY.

In championing for John Brown`s cause, Henry David Thoreau asserted that “….office seekers and speechmakers do not so much as lay an honest egg but wear their breasts bare upon an egg of chalk! Their great game is the game of straws...” The contemporariness of Thoreau`s words in today`s Kenya cannot be gainsaid. We are all witnesses to the dazzling political legerdemain. Take for instance those opponents of the proposed constitution who have incessantly albeit unsuccessfully engaged in 'turning the constitutional clock back' subterfuge. It is more of a guffaw than a laugh that is emitted by the conscientious Kenyans as they laugh at their antics.

Their latest move is to force the government to adhere to the international threshold not because it is absolutely necessary but simply as a ploy to ensure that they (opponents) of the proposed constitution flaunt the fundamental tenet of democracy - that the majority rules. They are desperately attempting to ensure the absolute power of the phony majority. If they can see nothing wrong in this requirement then their sensibilities are not delicate enough to recognize that democracy is the rule of the majority.

It is phony reasoning because in 2005, Kenya held a referendum, then there was no reference to the now much hyped international threshold. We generally agreed that the rule of the majority applies. But today, sensing defeat, some opponents of the proposed constitution find it convenient to harp on the threshold requirement as if voting is a mandatory exercise!

I object to this requirement because the rule of the super majority is a threat to democracy. Take the case of the 2005 Ontario referendum where 57% of eligible British Colombians voted for change yet, because of a 60% threshold, the 43% minority ruled the day. Voters across British Columbia voiced their extreme outrage over this double standard.

To the majority of Ontarians this was indeed a very sad day. It is this case that makes me opine that the recommendation of a 40% supermajority threshold for the upcoming referendum only serves to show a blatant disrespect for the very process of constitutionalism that we ourselves have strived to set up for many decades. This requirement undermines the excellent and dedicated work of the Kenyan citizenry.
We have to vigorously strive to oppose this undemocratic supermajority threshold. I believe that the International threshold of 40 percent for Kenya`s constitutional referendum is undemocratic and could provoke instability in this great country of ours. This law harms the basic democratic principle because the decision to enact a constitution belongs to the majority and not the minority. This requirement contains a virus which is dangerous to the stability of society when it comes to the implementation of the results.

Those who are of the opinion that this is a draconian requirement are not alone. The Montenegrins are very prudent. Their law on referendums states that the decision is to be taken by a majority of citizens eligible to vote. However, it does not fix any exact figure. To them, a simple majority suffices to make a referendum decision valid.

From the foregoing, democracy must not only be seen to be working but it must actually work. We must remember that we are but the atoms in the incessant human struggle towards the light that shines in the darkness—the ideal of economic, political and spiritual liberation of mankind.

TOME FRANCIS,
BUMULA.
http://twitter.com/tomefrancis

THE SEASON FOR WONDERFUL POLITICAL PARODIES IS HERE.

In any political campaign period the electorate will always welcome wonderful parodies. After all, it is innate in people to love to see characters with traits of delicious whimsy pretending to have genius for leadership. This is the reason why crowds are turning out in large numbers to witness grown up men and women present memorable and delightful eccentricities in the on going constitutional campaign trail. Admittedly, the sensation of the season that the “No Brigade” is providing is the greatest because it is full of sinuous rhetoric, wild and pure nihilism and ecstasy than one is willing to admit.

However, I doubt whether their eccentricity will translate to votes. These kind of sublime eccentrics carry with them all the excitement and possibility only in so far as a political rally is concerned. Not that its architects are oblivious of this effect.

Understandably ecstatic over their sudden and rather unexpected good fortune from “unseen munificent hands”, many of those who fought for reforms in the years of despondency have found the temptation to join the anti-constitutional crusaders quite strong consequently many of these hitherto democratic warriors have rapidly succumbed at the moment of the country`s greatest need. This perhaps explains why many of the Johnny come latelies in the No Brigade have rhetoric which illustrates no general principles; the only principles that they illustrate are such as are valid only for them to observe. In other words the import of rhetoric has been lost in Kenya`s politics.

That is why men and women who in some ways never believed that their past convoluted plots will come back to haunt them are now resorting to empty rhetoric in order to turn the nation`s genuine need for reforms into a “Constitutional Pandemonium Show.” They think that in so doing they will instantly acquire heroic status that they enjoyed in the yester years. But unbeknown to them the hour of reckoning is nigh. Suffice it to say that however much they squirm they will only succeed in turning themselves into twisted constitutional freaks. Their antics will never in anyway reverse the ticking constitutional clock.

It is largely due to the dangers of misusing rhetoric that the Greek philosopher Plato in his work Gorgias lampooned the more technical approach to rhetoric, with its emphasis on persuasion rather than truth. Aristotle too in his work Rhetoric, defined the function of rhetoric as being, not that of persuasion, but rather that of “discovering all the available means of persuasion,” thereby emphasizing the winning of an argument by persuasive marshaling of truth, rather than the swaying of an audience by an appeal to their emotions. He regarded rhetoric as the counterpart, or sister art, of logic.

Impossible to gainsay, however, is the reverberation that their campaign is causing in Kalenjin dominated parts of Rift Valley where people are likely to vote against the proposed constitution almost to a man not so much because of the contentious clauses in the proposed constitution but because of pure ethnic considerations.
It appears as if the natives of Rift Valley are still heavy consumers of the traditional ethnic-baiting tactics. They still think that is prudent for them to unquestionably follow creative ethnic inspiration from their “de facto political guardians.

TOME FRANCIS,
BUMULA.
http://twitter.com/tomefrancis

Saturday, July 10, 2010

LEGISLATORS HAVE ALLOWED THE SPIRIT OF CARPE DIEM TO SEIZE THE DAY.

Legislators are yapping that they have more dirty farce in the pipeline should the government not accede to their inimical demand for yet another gorgeous pay hike. But before they go further with their ruse they ought to pause and calmly and judiciously consider the terrible consequences of the actions they are engaged in.
They ought to consider likewise the socio-political and economic route the country has recently travelled and ascertain whether they have arrived at their current position on their salary increase in a manner that is compatible with their position as people`s representatives.

Should they do that I am steadfastly convinced that they will realize that they were elected into the August House in order to ensure the sacred preservation of public faith; encouragement of agriculture, education, security, health and commerce among many other salient duties. These are our nation`s handmaid to the much needed development. These principles form the bright constellation which must go before us and guide our nationhood.

These principles are our political faith, the text of civic instruction, the touchstone by which to try the services of those we trust; and should they wander from them in moments of error (as they are currently doing) let them hasten to retrace their steps and to regain the road which alone leads to stability, liberty, and safety. For this was the dream of our founding fathers: ad astra per aspera.

Unfortunately our MPs are a perfect prototype of what Henry David Thoreau described; “those who do not lay honest eggs but wear their breasts bare upon an egg of chalk! Their great game is the game of straws...” It is despicable that they are preoccupied with personal gratifications and have thus allowed the spirit of carpe diem to seize the day. They have adopted the gypsy philosophy of accepting and enjoying the present as it is, rather than wasting time in reliving the past or anticipating the future.

Perhaps Robert Lowell aptly captures the predicament that the Kenyan electorate finds itself in when he said of MPs: “...they come here bright as dimes, and die disheveled and soft.” Indeed, our MPs seem honest and even exhibit flushes of intelligence at the time they are elected but a few months down the line; greed clouds their conscience and makes them lack sufficient imagination to realize the misery they subject the country to. They suddenly want to be praised and petted, to be pampered and caressed. Reality then dawns fast on the electorate that these ready-witted MPs have real hearts of stone.

TOME FRANCIS,
BUMULA.
http://twitter.com/tomefrancis

Friday, July 2, 2010

MPs UNITED IN THEIR IMPUNITY IN DEBAUCHERY.

This week the public’s disillusionment intensified when forty members of parliament united in their impunity in debauchery engaged for the umpteenth time in deceitfulness and suavity to further deprive the tax payer of gargantuan sums of money. Yet their action was, to say the least unsurprising. This is because over time the morals of MPs have been ruined by the temptations of the wicked demon “avarice.”

Apparently this demon has had a numbing and lethargic effect on the MPs` intellect. In their estimation, parliament is a place where they can fulfill all their fondest dreams, petty desires and end all the frustrations they have built up over the years. In order to attain their ignoble goals, they have incessantly come up with convoluted plots against the lowly tax payer whom they perceive to be nothing more than a plaything or a pet instead of a human being with feelings and intellect. It does not matter to them that the same tax payer they seek to deprive withstands a donkey years to meet their already inflated perks.

One would have expected these MPs to acknowledge the constraints of our struggling economy and consequently propose a fundamental redirection of national economic priorities. It was the public`s expectation that they would work towards meeting rising demands regarding social welfare and the quality of life and to greatly increase expenditures in such neglected areas as education, agriculture, health services, public housing and additional efforts toward environmental protection. We expected them to address the so many hungers bedeviling civil servants and teachers among other government functionaries.

But that was not to be. Instead of triggering fundamental rethinking of sound fiscal management and how best to solve the intractable problem of de-motivation among civil servants in the country, the legislators united in avarice, embraced the thoughtlessness of a great princess Marie Antoinette, who, on being informed that, the country people had no bread, replied, 'Let them eat cake.' Like this thoughtless princess, our legislators have become anaesthetized to the suffering of the masses. They have used legislative fiat to wring every drop of blood from the tax payer. They have continually made themselves more unpopular courtesy of their devotion to their extravagance. Their gargantuan appetite has been the single most cause of the country`s financial problems.

The only thing that matters to our legislators is that teachers and other civil servants are grossly underpaid so that scads of money can be channeled towards pampering legislators with huge perks. Lest they forget, their action will engender intense industrial actions from such groups as teachers, civil servants and the armed forces. Kudos honorable Uhuru Kenyatta for refusing to join in their communion. You have managed to show these MPs that true leadership is tempered with complete objectivity and integrity.

TOME FRANCIS,
BUMULA.
http://twitter.com/tomefrancis