The Daily Nation (October, 27, 2019) run a fine article by professor Makau Mutua on the issue titled “Kenyans at home hate those in diaspora but love their money.” I don’t intend to replicate the same. Although Makau put Kenya on the spotlight, sadly, the situation is the same in many African countries. After reading this well-written piece full of nuggets of wisdom, I educed former US president Barack Obama. If Obama were Kenyan something many Kenyans euphorically still think he’s though he’s never practically been, won’t have become president of Kenya. This is because African countries do not wholeheartedly entertain dual citizenship, especially those bearing it are viewed as a threat to the status quo.
In Makau’s piece, Mwende Mwinzi, a Kenyan with dual citizenship, was denied the right to represent Kenya to South Korea simply because was born in the US to an American mother and a Kenyan father like Obama. I remember. When Obama was elected a senator, Kenya went wild with joy and braggadocios because one of its own was elected to serve in the government of the very powerful country. I remember how we used to drink a beer known as Senator, named after Obama, not to mention hearing about the stories of many children, schools and whatnot named after him.
Let us face it. Had Obama decided to follow his father to his native land of Kenya, I don’t think he’d have become a gem. This makes me wonder; why Africans let themselves down for their peril then thereafter blame it on colonialism while they practise the same. Had Obama vied for the presidency in Kenya or in any African country, he’d not have even preliminary passed to compete simply because he’s not Kenyan enough just like Mwinzi.
I always argue that the hatred against Africans with dual citizenship is the creature of colonial dregs that Africa needs to get rid itself of shall it aspire to develop. Call it whatever you want. Denying Africans with dual citizenship opportunities to serve their countries in political capacities is racism just like Afrophobia in South Africa where Africans are referred as amakwerekwere or foreigners in their continent despite many African countries contributing heavily to the liberation of South Africa.
The point that is clear is that the same countries denying their citizens with dual citizenship the opportunity to serve their countries don’t do so to the monies the same remitted in billions to their countries. Swahili sage has it that baniani mbaya kiatu chake dawa literary, the banyan trade (Gujarat or baneam Portuguese) may be evil but not his shoe. How long will this racism prevail as Africa loses it out to colonial mindsets.
Additionally, this is why it is next to never to easily and freely travel across Africa for an Africa while it is super easy for Europeans and Americans and others? African countries prefer to trade with other non-African countries to their sister African countries. Free movement is the capital that changed the West before it became rich so as to curtail it currently for the fear of overpopulation that has never been the concern for Africa when it comes to fortune seekers from the West!
If we critically examine the history of the demise of Africa, especially through corruption and embezzlement of public funds, who are the kingpins of this crime? Do they have dual citizenship? This speaks to the fact that patriotism is not about the number of citizenships one has but, instead, it is about one’s contribution to his or her country as opposed to criminality and sheer fear. Why is it not viewed as lack of patriotism for African countries to be run by money from foreign countries? Again, many of those making laws that banish and shun citizens with dual citizenship are the same honchos of depravity. Roho mbaya tu to and myopia. If we remind ourselves of those who ushered Goldenberg, Anglo-leasing, Dams, Unga and others in, they’re not Kenyans with dual citizenship. Instead, they were engineered by citizens number ones and their accomplice in the upper echelons of power.
Ironically, when it comes to the danger and toxicity of dual citizenship, the colour of a person becomes an issue. How many, for example, Asians do have multiple citizenships and still aren’t disturbed when it comes to offering them lucrative tenders obtained by the ways of kickbacks and criminality? Again, who bothers with such partners who do not involve themselves in politics? The answer is simple that, in Africa, politics is a booming business that needs to be protect at all cost especially through the law of exclusion of true citizens and/by inclusion of carbuncular ones.
Further, the logic why Africans with dual citizenship aren’t welcome to a political table. First of all, though not all, most of them enjoy high exposure to the world that African politicians envy and venerate. Secondly, they’re difficult to get rid of when things become rancid. This remind me of the scandal in Tanzania in 1993 wherein Chavda, an Indian with multiple citizenship, was implicated in many stinking mega scandals involving bigwigs at the time. Guess what. When the truth started to emerge, the fat moggies implicated along with Chavda rose to the bait; and thereby decided to toss him by deporting him to cover their tracks. And it worked. For up until now, the bigwigs fully involved in this stinking mega scandal have never been disclosed. So, the major reasons for denying Africans with dual citizenship the opportunities to serve their countries revolve around corruption, duplicity, colonial dregs, envy, fear, myopia and the like.
Kenya currently is overwhelmingly tottering with Kimmerer and Aror Dams scam involving billions of shillings. Guess what. Almost all those behind this stinking scam do not have dual citizenship just as it was in other scams before; and most them are in the upper echelons of power.
In sum, time for Africa to stop internalising internal colonisation as arrived. Africans with dual citizenship, as was in the case of Obama in the US, must be constitutionally and legally enabled, not allowed because it is their right, to serve their countries in political capacities.
Source: African Executive Magazine today.
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