How the Berlin Conference Clung on Africa: What Africa Must Do
Saturday 31 December 2022
Friday 30 December 2022
RIP GOAT PELE
Wednesday 28 December 2022
Open letter to African rulers
By Nkwazi Mhango | 16h ago | 4 Min read
I recently wrote a letter to President Joe Biden. I’m waiting for his response. As I do so, allow me to touch base with you. Every year, your masters new and old treat you to pageant and hoo-has full of empty promises and photo-ops in their capitals. We see you in Beijing, Bombay, Tokyo, Washington even Istanbul dressing yourselves down. You are always treated or rather maltreated like class eavesdropper by the head teachers.
I’ve a questions for you: “Have you ever sat aside and seen how mortifying and exploiting such dress downs and kowtows are? Why don’t we see Asian or even South American leaders being displayed and harangued like acolytes? What lesson do you get from such obloquies that have never emancipated your countries even yourselves economically? Do you need to be lectured about your amour-propre [self-love] not to mention your countries that you seem to vend year-in-year out?”
I recently watched with consternation as you were paraded in Washington where your head teacher, the US President had not time to meet with you severally, lecturing you about the “importance” of Africa. Before long, the President of Ukraine, a country equivalent to 1/50 of Africa, a young man of the age of your children, being accorded a very resound reception even when some of you were still in the city for browsing while your spouses were shopping for stuffs and non-governmental organisations. Ukraine’s President was entertained in the White House on top of addressing United States House of Representatives. Don’t tell me that it is because of the war. Doesn’t Africa have wars in the Central Africa Republic, Democratic Republic of Congo, South Sudan, Somalia, and other places? Why didn’t you ask for the permission to address the congress?
Another thing that shows you how colonial power trifles with you is the money the US has promised on those past two occasions. Whereas you’re promised US$55 billion equivalent to US$1 billion each if you divide evenly — Ukraine, apart from having already received over US$68 billion (CSIS, December 18, 2022) from the US, was promised US$45 billion (CNBC, December 24, 2022), which totals over US$100 billion approximately twice as much in one year.
Ask yourselves — how long will it take for you to get that US$55 billion, which wasn’t specified if it were aid or investment or whatever? Three years. (Reuters, December 12, 2022).
Seeing that, I asked myself if you really respect yourselves.
How did you feel? Think about it a wee bit even without saying anything.
From such painful realisation, I’m, therefore, here to tell you point blank.
What you’re doing is counterproductive for Africa, a shame, and a sellout.
If you want to be either taken seriously or respected, you must do so for yourselves and your citizens first.
Why have you failed and refused to learn from your colonial past that you seem to be at home with. Your deplorable and self-degrading behaviour is repellent not only for your countries but also for every black person including those the diaspora. Naturally, business dictates that he or she who needs anything from the market, or the sources must go for it.
For you, it is sadly the opposite. All countries that need and depend on your vast resources of value summon you and tell you what they want and how to get it.
In other words, they set the terms instead you doing it or negotiating the deals.
From such a blind and tapered rationale, Africa’s always received a raw deal.
When this happens, you start complaining that Africa is treated unfairly. Who causes that if not you? How can you avoid that if you too don’t treat yourself decently and fairly? From my experience, even if you go to those capitals begging and pleading, surely, you’ll never make any headway. Whatever you do isn’t up to snuff. Do you know that the freebees in the name of aid you receive are but a fraction of what your corruption, negligence and selfishness cause?
What you’ve been and are doing is psychotic, namely, practicising a repetitive stunt and expecting different results. Therefore, kindly, please, stop this hang-up. Your resources — if wisely managed and used — are likely to make Africa richer than those you pointlessly depend on for handouts. Imagine.
How Africa maintained its self-worth and civilisation for millions of years before being colonised and thereby its civilisation felled and made a laughing stock that it currently is.
In a nutshell, let me be above-board to you and myself. Africa’s problems are the lack of sane management, dignified leadership, use of its resources and use of just common sense among others. Here’s where Africa’s poverty emanates and lies. That’s why I refer to you as rulers but not leaders. You rule instead of leading.
If you morphe yourselves into leaders, you’ll practically fight corruption, extravagance, laziness and above all, abhor dependence while your countries sit on awe-inspiring resources of value that the entire world needs and can’t do without.
Start becoming leaders. Doing, so, will help you to value yourselves, your people and serve them into instead of turning them your servants for your narrow interests.
Source: Standard Zimbabwe yesterday
Sunday 25 December 2022
Why Kenya is limping into 2023
Professor at SUNY Buffalo Law School and Chair of the KHRC.
Unless Kenya changes course, historians will think of Kenya into distinct chasms – the pre-2022 Kenya and the post-2022 Kenya. But that’s not how 2022 started. In fact, 2022 was supposed to be the Year of Hope for Kenya when the country’s most important democrat – Azimio’s Raila Odinga – was going to ascend to power. However, every hope was dashed by the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) and then Kenya’s Supreme Court. That’s why the country’s future may lie in ruins.
I know there’s been a lot of Monday morning quarterbacks rushing to tell the story about “what happened”. Many of these “insiders”, perhaps all, are just quislings who are either looking for relevance, or trying to catch the eye of the UDA regime. That’s because many Kenyans – elites and wannabe elites – cannot fathom themselves outside the state. Most will sell their own mothers down the river for less than the proverbial 20 pieces of silver. Those who are talking know nothing, or very little, and those who know aren’t talking. A time will come when insiders will speak.
That time isn’t now. But there are some things that are obvious, even to those of feeble mind. Let’s dig deeper. I won’t revert to the matter of the IEBC and the Supreme Court about which I leave to the imagination of fellow citizens.
First, let me say that I see a UDA regime that doesn’t believe it’s in power. If you listen to the top men, they speak as though the country is still in campaign mode. Of particular note is the person who is the country’s numero dos.
That man doesn’t know what to say, how to say it, and when to say it. He seems to speak before engaging his noggin. Or more accurately, he allows his emotions to speak for him. In a way that’s good because his mind is a window into the regime’s insecurity.
Second, I see an UDA regime that’s a tower of babel. The country’s numero dos is already working furiously to push his boss out of Mount Kenya. Ironically, that’s exactly what his boss tried to do to his superior.
As they say, what goes around comes around. I see a huge kinetic collision between the regime’s two top leaders. A nuclear explosion awaits. Then beneath the two, there’s internecine warfare between ministers and other factotums.
What these struggles mean is that there’s a lot of heat, and no light. Instead of focusing on giving economic meaning to the life of the most vulnerable, policy incoherence is now the order of the day. Ministers shoot from the hip in self-aggrandisement.
Third, a panicked regime that lacks internal and external legitimacy is in a state of hyperactivity in all sectors. The guys and gals in the regime don’t seem to be sleeping. The regime believes any motion is good for the country.
That’s how it plans to consolidate itself in power – by being omnipresent everywhere in Kenya and abroad. I see the regime’s top leaders “commissioning” and often re-commissioning on a daily basis projects that were completed by the previous government. This is motion without movement. In the meantime, the country’s most vital needs are unaddressed and the penury of the people continues to deepen. Everywhere in this country, even in UDA strongholds, I see Kenyans with long forlorn faces.
Fourth, most ordinary Kenyans have been reduced to beggars. Now, I am shocked if the policeman, the security guard, the ordinary public servant, and of course relatives don’t beg for a few coins from me. It never used to be like this, even before the UDA regime. Something terrible has happened to our people. Recently, in one of the most high-end restaurants in Nairobi the head chef approached me as I dined with friends.
He pleaded that I pay the bill under the table – off the books – so that he and his co-workers could split the loot. Our collective jaws dropped to the ground when I told my friends. I politely declined his offer to “cheat” on the establishment. The first 100 days of the UDA regime have been marked by failures that have shocked the conscience of the nation.
A basic thematic outline has emerged. The key failures are the UDA regime’s disdain for the Constitution and laws of Kenya, the contempt for democracy and its institutions, the flagrant violation of Chapter Six of the Constitution on Leadership and Integrity, the regime’s intolerance and impunity, its proclivity to run roughshod over the rule of law, the rush to destroy the political opposition and quash dissent, the crude muzzling of Kenya’s vibrant press, and the blatant attempts to reverse the gains of devolution. We are limping into 2023.
Makau Mutua is SUNY Distinguished Professor and Margaret W. Wong Professor at Buffalo Law School, The State University of New York. @makaumutua
Wednesday 21 December 2022
Open letter to US President Joe Biden on Zimbabwe
I recently evidenced US mission to charm and lure Africa after China showed ever-surging leverage in the continent that you’d to effectively and quickly counter and foil.
Due to that, you’d take steps, mainly hoodwinking it by promising ‘boons and bonuses’ to keep Africa your conventional colony and natural material purveyor. You told African rulers attending the US-African Leaders Summit in Washington DC recently that “Africa belongs at the table in every room, in every room where global challenges are being discussed and every institution where discussions are taking place” (cnn.com, Dec 15, 2022). Really? Seriously? Wow!
Mr President, mark and watch my words. For conscious and traumatised Africans, your fake hutzpah, and honied libretti retraumatise. You used colonial referend to nicely but fortuitously describe how you view Africa and to deliver your intention (mens rea) of recolonising Africa.
Whose table is Africa at? Is Africa a loaf of bread or a roasted chicken before colonial eyes, minds and psyche? Is it because Africa’s born, cloned, and disfigured at the table your ancestors congregated at the criminal and villainous Berlin conference (1884) that brutally and monstrously defiled on and disfigured Africa to what it currently it is, divided and partitioned and pathetic as a criminal gambit of weakening it in order to perpetually colonise and exploit it?
For whoever cares about Africa, well intends, aims to decolonise and help Africa out of its colonial enacted futility, the language of the table traumatises Africa and Africans.
Mr President, when you talk about every institution, what do you mean? Do you mean criminal and fake explorers, merchants, and missionaries who presided over the colonisation of Africa or the international superstructure and its tools such as the IMF, the UN, and the WB, inter alia, that abetted the colonisation and the mugging of Africa?
To nicely hoodwink ever-begging and ever-dependent rulers despite sitting on humongous sources of resources of value, you promised to cough US$ billion. What a sweet deal if, indeed, you mean serious business. Again, did you do this out of altruism or valuing Africa? Nay.
The US woke up from its slumber after China made aggressive inroads in Africa. Mr President, did you think about your bait before offering it? Yeah. Do you think the US$55 billion is likely to entice and thereby quash the US$300 billion China promised last year by Diana Chen, China Africa Business Council head (VOA, February 2, 2022)? Who is fooling whom here?
What new will you do for Africa if at all China’s already done everything from aid, building infrastructure, and corrupt deals if we face it? Do you know that China adapted and adopted your decoy to imbed itself in Africa? Mr President, I humbly present a case for Zimbabwe, a resilient country you wanted to go to the dogs to no avail after its people rose up against Mugabe to no avail.
Though Zimbabwe, just like any country, has its internal issues, is it fair to hang it the way your country and the West in general have so brutally attempted by shunning it? I understand. Your clangour’s that Zimbabwe needs to embrace Western rule of law and the respect of human rights.
Well, is Zimbabwe alone in this quagmire? Bad governance’s the creature of corruption, dictatorship and the absence of democracy among others like Western democracy is. Is Zimbabwe the only brutal and corrupt dictatorship the only corrupt in our colonial and corrupt world? What of your best stooges such as Egypt and Saudi Arabia among others?
What humans’ human rights do you advocate? Why can’t you see that the botch or disintegration of Zimbabwe’s the failure of Africa you’re now spuriously enticing? You know it too well. You recently “exonerated” Venezuela’s sins after the West faced energy catch-22 when Russia went to war with Ukraine. Because of that, the West lost a big chunk of oil supply. Thus, you’d — out of double standards and necessity — to forgive Venezuela so that you can get oil supply.
Mr President, do you think Africa will advance economically without key players such as Zimbabwe whose contribution to world economy is bigger than your beloved Egypt? Let’s honestly and realistically reason together.
Mr President, do you know that, if Zimbabwe’s scar and sin were its former President, Robert Mugabe, why’s it still shunned many years after his death? Your sanctions didn’t, and have never affected Mugabe, his family, you “targeted” though the truth’s different that you requited because white folks were chastened.
Instead, your unfair sanctions have heinously affected innocuous babies, children, elderly people, pregnant women, and poor Zimbabweans. Was Mugabe real a real sin or racism is since Mugabe arrogated white farmers’ land that they also grabbed from blacks? Comparably, did Mugabe commit a bigger sacrilege than dictatorships in Egypt and Saudi Arabia still commit vis-à-vis gross violations of human rights? Is it because Zimbabwe is African and black?
Mr President, please forgive me for bringing a racial nuance. I’m in Canada on your northerly border. I know too well how black people are systematically discriminated against in the West and the Americas including even those whom you torture like Venezuela that likewise replicate the same on blacks. I know too well what it’s to be black in a “white” world. I, hence, speak from real-world experience.
In sum, Mr President, I rest my case praying that please, do justice for the haemorrhaging to death Zimbabwe and helpless Africa, lift the sanctions against Zimbabwe, which China has taken advantage of.
Sincerely yours,
Source: Independent Zimbabwe Yesterday.
Saturday 17 December 2022
Mourning Kenya’s fallen Church
When the Church fuses itself to the State, it ceases to be a House of God, and becomes the politician’s brothel.
By Makau. Mutua Professor at SUNY Buffalo Law School and Chair of the KHRC.
However, it’s clear that established religions have tapped into this spiritual proclivity to incubate automated piety in Africans. By automated piety I mean a thoughtless embrace of established religions for multiple social uses, both malign and benign.
The Church in Kenya is now a conveyer belt of the former. The Church has allowed itself to be politically misused by cynics and hypocrites. It’s blurred the separation of Church and State and become an obsequious servant of Caesar.
No one can deny the social and political utility of religion, let alone its spiritual purchase. Humans are of feeble minds, and find comfort in the metaphysical explanations of that which is above their simple noggins. Even where it’s unnecessary, we will needlessly invoke the name of God.
Take, for example, a self-inflicted death because of drink-driving. You will hear simple folks say, “it’s God’s will”. Forgive some of us if we roll our eyes. But the politician has found this soft underbelly of the African psychology of fatalism. Most Africans attribute perfectly earthly problems to higher deities. The politician knows God is the path to an African’s heart. So he returns to that well over and over.
A fallen angel
What’s my point? There’s no doubt that the Church and the politician have now formed an unholy alliance in Kenya. For this, the Kenyan Church has become a fallen angel. It has left the path of righteousness and become a worshiper of the serpent, a corrupter of the souls of men and women. The Bible itself in Timothy 6:10 says that the “love of money is the root of all evil”.
It’s not money itself that’s the culprit, but the love of the moolah. No one can gainsay the fact that the Kenyan Church now leads the country in greed, perhaps equal to, or greater than, the politician. The Church begs for money without shame, or moral compunction.
In the last election cycle, the current UDA politicians made it a habit of splashing tens of millions of shillings on churches across the land. Often they gave it on weekdays, and twice on Sundays. But, as we know, there’s no free lunch. He who pays the piper calls the tune. That’s how the Kenyan Church turned itself over to partisan politics.
Let me tell you how. A john doesn’t pay a commercial sex worker to keep her clothes on. Similarly, a politician buys the clergy to “defrock” them. In other words, to turn the House of God into a den of thieves. To them, the Church becomes another political rally where the name of the Lord is uttered in vain.
A few examples will suffice. First, we have seen a certain high priest in Maa country stand up in the pulpit and ask those who have lodged election petitions against UDA lawmakers to withdraw them – in the name of the Lord and Peace! My jaw dropped to the floor.
In August, we saw the same high priest in Bomas clothe electoral commission chairman Wafula Chebukati with a religious shield. We have also seen other men and women of the cloth pray for Caesar and his factotums. Nothing wrong with that except when the pastor says that Caesar is anointed by God. Last time I checked, God doesn’t anoint leaders. Leaders shoot their way into office, steal elections, or win democratically.
Opposition
Secondly, we have seen the Church give the pulpit to Caesar and UDA to bludgeon Azimio and its elected leaders into defection, or submission. Here, the Church is aiding and abetting the destruction of democracy through the creation of one-man rule devoid of opposition.
When the Church fuses itself to the State, it ceases to be a House of God, and becomes the politician’s brothel. It seeks to turn Kenya into a theocracy – like Iran – and not the secular state in the 2010 Constitution. I have even heard key UDA leaders say that they got an epiphany from God about state policy. A cult is already under way and the Church is cheering it on. It’s for ‘God and Country”.
Finally, I want to say that not all the Church has gone astray. Many in it have, but perhaps most haven’t. However, it’s those who’ve strayed who are the most consequential because they are vocal, determined, and callous.
One of those who stands tall above the muck is Archbishop Anthony Muheria of the Nyeri Archdiocese. I still believe that pastor Muheria, a moral giant, stands a chance of becoming the first modern Black Pope. Let he, and those who are walking the narrow and straight path, stand up and return the Church to its proper pastoral duties away from the sewer of politics. The Church needs a leader — now!
Makau Mutua is SUNY Distinguished Professor and Margaret W. Wong Professor at the State University of New York Buffalo Law School. @makaumutua.
Thank God Croatia Has Beaten Morocco
Cheers
Tuesday 13 December 2022
Ushindi wa Moroko Kombe la Dunia ni wa Waafrika au waarabu?
Mchezaji wa Timu ya Taifa ya Moroko, aitwaye Sufian Boufai alizua gumzo kwenye mitandao ya kijamii. Hii ni baada ya kusema kuwa ushindi wa awali wa Moroko dhidi ya Timu ya Hispania ulikuwa: kwanza, ni wa Waarabu na pili, wa Waislamu wote duniani. Wengi wasiojua ubaguzi na kujikana kwa hawa ndugu zetu Waafrika tena Waberiberi wa Jangwani wenye asili ya Afrika Magharibi walighadhibika sana. Kwa tunaojua, tulifurahi kuwa angalau wajinga wengi wanaodhani hawa ni ndugu zao japo ni ndugu zao waliojikana, wamepata somo na ukweli mchungu na unaoudhi lakini wenye kuweka huru. Hata kabla ya kuharibikiwa na kuvurugika, wenzetu wa Zimbabwe walitutenga tusifaidi walichokuwa wakifaidi.
Kwa yeyote anayejua watu wenye damu ya kiarabu–––hata kama ni ya kuchovya––––sawa na wabuguzi wengine kama vile wahindi, wazungu na wengine, atakubaliana nasi kuwa hawa jamaa, licha ya kujikana ni wabaguzi wa kunuka. Ukiachana na Boufai ambaye hafai kabisa, rejea namna imla wa zamani Muamar Gaddafi alivyosema baada ya Umoja wa kujihami wa Ulaya (NATO) ulivyomuonyesha wazi kuwa ulimaanisha kumuangusha na hatimaye kumuua. Katika kutapatapa alisema kuwa kama NATO wangepindua serikali yake, Ulaya ilipaswa kujiandaa. Kwani, alitishia kufungulia Waafrika maskini na wajinga ambao–––kwa mujibu wa Gaddafi–––wangetishia na kuvuruga ustaarabu wa Ulaya.
Japo wengi hawakujua kigeugeu na unafiki wa Gaddafi–––hasa pale alipojifanya Muafrika–––japo alikuwa muafrika mbele ya macho ya waarabu wakati moyoni alikuwa anatamani kuwa mwarabu. Mwanzoni, Gaddafi kama wenzake wengine wenye asili ya Afrika alidhani alikuwa mwarabu. Hata hivyo, alipokwenda kwenye umoja wa nchi za kiarabu akataka kuuburuza walimwambia wazi kuwa yeye si mwarabu bali Mwafrika atokeaye kwenye bara ambalo wao, kwa dharau, huiita Afriqiya lililoundwa na himaya habithi ya Umayyad mwaka 703 ikijumuisha nchi zinazoitwa Maghreb kwa pamoja za Algeria, Libya, Mauritania, Misri, Moroko na Tunisia. Watu wan chi hizi ambao wengi ni waberiberi ni masuriama wa Kiafrika na kiarabu. Kichekesho ni kwa ndugu zetu wa Chadi, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Somalia na Sudan Kaskazini. Eti hawa nao wanatubagua kwa kujiita waarabu wakati wakienda uarabuni wanaitwa watumwa ili kutambua asili yao. Hivyo, tunapoongelea suala hili la ubaguzi wa kipumbavu, hatutaki kuonekana tunawaonea wenzetu wa Moroko ambao walionyesha wazi hisia zilizofichwa kwa Waswahili wengi ambao hudhani hawa jamaa ni ndugu zao.
Wabaguzi na wajinga hawa wana kitu kimoja cha kushangaza. Kama wanachukia Afrika hivi, si wajiondoe waende huko wanakootea kuwa kwao wakati hawakubaliki kwa vile si kwao. Waswahili tunapaswa kujitambua na kuwatambua wenzetu ili kunusurika na ubaguzi huu wa wazi. Kimsingi, unapokuwa Amerika au Ulaya, unabaguliwa. Lakini si kwa kiwango na machungu sawa na hawa wenzetu wa Maghreb, Mashariki ya Kati, China, India, Ufilipino na mataifa mengine ya Asia. Nani angeamini kuwa hata ndugu zetu wa Afrika ya Kusini wanatubagua wakati, licha ya kufanana, ni sisi tuliowezesha uhuru wao toka kwenye makucha ya makaburu.
Nimeandika makala hii baada ya mwanangu kutoka shule akijisifu na kushangilia kuwa Moroko imeshinda. Kwa vile, alizaliwa hap ana hajawahi kufika Afrika, kila kinachoitwa Afrika kwake ni almas tokana na ubaguzi wa hapa. Fikiria. Nilimkatiza furaha yake kwa kumwambia kuwa hawa Moroko ni Waafrika wanaouchukia Uafrika na Afrika. Alibaki kubung’aa asijue la kusema. Sikuona haja ya kumdanganya wakati najua hali halisi ya nyumbani si kwa Afrika tu bali hata kwa Tanzania ambako wamejaa watu kama hawa. Wanajionea fahari ya kuwa si Waafrika wakijiita majina yote, masuriama, waarabu na upuuzi mwingine mwingi. Wanaishi maisha ya kujikana na ndoto wasijue huwezi kuukimbia ukweli.
Kama jamaa zetu wa Moroko, wengi wa ndugu zetu wanaishi kwenye dunia ya kusadikika kiasi cha kujikwaza na kutukwaza sisi tunaojitambua na kuwatambua na kuwazodoa huku tukipaswa kuwatahadhali.
Tumalizie. Kwa kilichoonyeshwa na wamoroko, ushindi wao hauna lolote kwa Afrika. Kwani, kama alivyosema Boufai, ushindi wao ni wa waarabu na waislamu. Ijulikane wazi. Waislamu wanaomaanishwa hapa si ‘watuma’ toka Afrika bali wote wenye damu ya kiarabu au waarabu feki kama wao. Je hapa, Afrika ina cha kushangilia kama mwanangu asiyejua siasa za Afrika na ubaguzi wa ndugu kwa ndugu hadi kuuzana utumwani kwenye karne ya 21 kama ilivyogunduliwa na kulipotiwa hivi karibuni kwenye nchi za Libya na Mauritania ukiachia mbali ukatili na utumwa wanaokumbana nao ndugu zetu Mashariki ya Kati?
Wenye akili, wanaojithamini na kujiamini tieni akili mkiwafumbua macho wenzenu kwa elimu hii mpya ya Ukombozi na suto kwa kidhabu hawa wanaojikana wasijue hata huko wanakojipeleka wanakanwa.
Chanzo: Jamhuri Leo.
Sunday 11 December 2022
Kenya’s holier-than-thou politics
God is on politicians' lips every time they open their beaks in public
By Makau Mutua Professor at SUNY Buffalo Law School and Chair of the KHRC.
Most politics – some may say all politics – dwells in the moral sewer. Whatever the difference, most sane people can agree that most politicians are less faithful than the practitioners of the world’s oldest profession. And yet most politicians hold themselves out as people of high moral probity. They want you to believe that their coin of the realm – currency – is morality. In fact, the terrain of politics in Kenya is populated by men and women who are holier-than-thou.They clothe themselves in the Quran, the Bible, and other holy texts out there. God is on their lips every time they open their beaks in public. Today, I explore the seamy valley of sin that’s Kenya’s holier-than-thou political culture.
To hear them tell it, no politician belongs in Sodom and Gomorrah. None are sinners, or have “fallen short of the glory of God.” In fact, the popular image of the Kenyan politician is the Bible-clutching devotee.
The penitent quotes the Bible effortlessly, as though he’s the original author of the Holy Book. His Muslim counterpart faithfully – and without fail – prays the obligatory five times a day. Is it ritual, or hypocrisy? Do the hoi polloi know that the person wielding the holy book as a weapon is a rapist, a thief, a murderer, a liar? Do they know that politicians hold holy books as shields and weapons, not pious texts?
It’s a historical fact that Christians and Muslims – the dominant religions – are extremely intolerant of “others.” One would be forgiven to think that Muslims and Christians were minority faiths. I think the genus of the issue is their messianic theologies. Both believe in the forcible embrace of everyone on earth. In other words, you either belong to them, or you are “the other.” They are imperial. Christians believe that you are benighted, and won’t see the gates of heaven, unless you submit to Jesus.
Within Islam, people who aren’t Muslims are unequal to Muslims. Think of Christian Crusades and Islamist Jihads against unbelievers. Outsiders and insiders. So, when a Kenyan politician lifts a Bible or Quran in public, or quotes it, he’s telling you that he’s an insider, not an outsider.
He’s blessed, or sanctioned by God. Many a politician acts as though he died, went to heaven, was crowned by God, and sent back to earth on a special spiritual mission. He’s God’s chosen messenger on earth. Imagine this – Samuel Doe and Charles Taylor, the Liberian butchers of their people, were God-fearing rulers. Even Idi Amin of Uganda and Jean-Bedel Bokassa of the Central African Republic, reputed to have been a cannibal, were “God’s chosen.” Unfortunately, too many ordinary people, and others of feeble minds, believe these political monsters. As Karl Marx said, “religion is the opium of the people.”
There’s a reason why the Age of Enlightenment in Europe saw the demise of the authority of the Church over political society. Secularism and liberalism – and the republican democratic state – based on the popular will of the people replaced rulers “sanctioned” by God. It’s from this philosophical cradle that Kenya’s 2010 Constitution creates a secular republic.
This doesn’t mean the most senior officials in the state can’t believe in religion, or publicly manifest it. They can, but they cannot use it as the basis, or justification, for state policy. That’s a no-no. Nor can they skate so close to that line as to create the impression that they are “sanctioned” by God, or are his messengers in the state.
Since the reign of Mzee Jomo Kenyatta, religion has been used to calm the people down. In moments of crises, presidents appear in church clutching the Bible looking holier-than-thou. That’s not illegitimate conduct, but it crosses the line when state officers act as though they are “chosen.”
Often the Church itself acts with obsequious subservience to earthly potentates. We saw, for example, a certain “high priest” appear out of nowhere to give spiritual protection to electoral commission chairman Wafula Chebukati as he engaged in questionable conduct at Bomas of Kenya. These Church mandarins are the worst corrupters of our body politic. Many gluttonously accept ill-gotten “political” blood money stolen from the poor. They serve not God, but their fat midriffs.
Kenya should return to a sober relationship between Church and State. It’s distressing, for example, when State House becomes a pulpit for religious crusades. That’s the people’s house and shouldn’t be desecrated by the use of religion to bludgeon the opposition, or unconstitutionally fuse Church and State. Take religious crusades to Uhuru Park, or other public venues, not State House.
The cruelest dictators in history use God, Church, and Country to commit the most heinous crimes against the people. One of the worst, Adolf Hitler, made no secret of it. Beware of those with toothy grins who come in the name of God. We all need to vanquish Kenya’s holier-than-though political culture.
Makau Mutua is SUNY Distinguished Professor and Margaret W. Wong Professor at the State University of New York Buffalo Law School. @makaumutua.
Source: Sunday Nation Today.
Thursday 8 December 2022
Vice President Dr. Philip Mpango’s memorable visit to our family at Ukerewe
It was early morning on Friday, 25th November, 2022; at about 9.00 a.m when my family happily received, at our Ukerewe retirement home, a most welcome visit by the Vice President of the United Republic of Tanzania, Dr. Philip Isidore Mpango. That is the subject of today’s presentation.
His visit was in every respect, both a memorable as well as a historic visit. These are, indeed, the most suitable and appropriate words that I can use to describe the ‘unusual’ circumstances of the Vice-President’s visit to my family’s Ukerewe retirement home. This is so simply because of the actual meanings of those two words.
The dictionary definition of the word “memorable” is given as,”something special, good and unusual and therefore worth remembering” or something that is “unforgettable” while the word “historic”, is usually used to describe something that is so important that it is likely to be remembered for a long time or something that is ‘unforgettable’.
Vice President Phillip Mpango’s visit to my family fits perfectly, into these words’ definitions. For indeed, this visit was something ‘special, good and unusual and therefore worth remembering thus ‘unforgettable’. It was also “unusual”, because even the experience gained from my own observations, shows that such visits to individual families of friends or even relatives, by such top-level national leaders, if they happen at all are extremely rare. For example, a recent book titled “38 reflections on Mwalimu Nyerere” by Mark Mwandosya and Juma V. Mwapachu, editors. (Mkuki na Nyota Publishers, Dar es Salaam).
In one moving narrative by Mwalimu’s close aide Anna Julia Mwansasu, she informs that: “At Butiama (after his retirement) Mwalimu Nyerere would often visit Chief Wanzagi Nyerere, his brother and jokingly told him that he had managed to escape from jail”. In other words, he had to ‘escape’, unnoticed by his security guards , in order to visit his own brother! This little story helps to conform the assertion that it is not ‘usual’ for the nation’s apex leaders, to visit individuals at their homes.
Vice President Phillip Mpango’s visit to my family, was not only ‘unusual’ in that sense, but was indeed ‘so important that it is likely to be remembered’ by my family and friends for a very long time to come. Haijapata kutokea!
How we received this top-level visit
We had, of course received prior notification of the Vice President’s intention to make a private, courtesy visit to our family, as part of his one day official visit to Ukerewe District to inspect the progress being made in the construction of some selected strategic infrastructure projects, which are in the process of construction. For that reason, as is customary on all such business visits by either the Head of State or his immediate lieutenants (the Vice President and the Prime Minister); he was accompanied by a fairly large delegation of government officials.
I had earlier been told by his personal Assistants, that “because the visit to my family was a purely private visit initiated by the Vice President himself, they had to grant him the freedom to talk about whatever matters he wants to discuss privately with you”.
Hence, when he entered our compound, he was alone; with only his bodyguards and two government officials who were his official hosts, namely the Regional Commissioner and the District Commissioner; whom I had also invited for breakfast with us and our distinguished visitor. His large entourage of accompanying government officials, which included some Deputy Ministers and other senior officials from his Office in Dodoma, was conveniently diverted to a different “holding ground” to wait there for him until he finished his private talks with me.
To start with, he gave us an unexpected surprise when we saw him walking through the driveway towards the place where we were lined up to receive him; having left his State car and driver behind the gate. His action quickly reminded me of what the Holy Bible says in the ‘Letter to the Corinthians’: “For we walk by faith, not by sight”. Dr. Mpango was presumably, “walking by faith” when he entered our blessed home and not merely by sight! !
Hence, my first words to him, of appreciation and admiration at the time of receiving him, were: “Haijapata kutokea” and his jovial response was: “ basi leo imetokea”.
Our programme for his visit
Because the Vice President’s Office portfolio includes matters relating to the “protection of the environment”; I had arranged that our talks would be held over breakfast and thereafter we would walk around our extensive compound to show him the efforts we have invested in protecting the environment at the family level. These efforts include the planting and carefully maintaining a large number of different trees, among them the ancient trees that are mentioned in the Holy Bible, MHaradali, and Mzeituni, Mango and Avocado trees; Oranges, Bananas, Traditional medicinal plants, Vegetable shrubs and a rainbow of different lovely flowers of all sorts shapes and colours.
This tour was done after breakfast and the completion of our cordial private talk. In these tete-a-tete talks, we discussed a number of issues. Eventually, he told me about his intention to commission the writing of a new book which will record our country’s authentic political history and further that he would need my support on this as he plans to send his team to come and “harvest” what he described as “the most reliable information from the person who knows precisely what actually transpired” in the politics of our country. Being a book writer myself, I was happy to assure him of my full support and cooperation in this worthwhile undertaking.
Then followed the tour of our garden. The Vice President appeared to be extraordinarily relaxed and under no pressure of being in a hurry to depart.
One heart-warming message said: “Sincere congratulations . . . . the Vice President’s visit to you in Ukerewe is a testament of the high respect that the Tanzania apex leadership holds for you personally and their appreciation for your distinguished past service to our nation. Indeed, you continue to be a national icon even in retirement. His visit is a manifestation of the current national leadership’s recognition of your continuing usefulness and great value to our nation even in your retirement and still continuing to be active and productive”.
The organisers of his official visit had actually been allocated only half an hour; but the Vice President stayed with us for a whole hour and a half; visibly enjoying and admiring all that he was seeing. Later in the afternoon of that day, in his speech at a public rally in Nansio township at the climax of his official visit; he encouraged his audience to try and find time to visit our family gardens, in order to see for themselves our productive efforts in this particular respect, also asking them to follow our example. “It can be done, just play your part” he said. And indeed, as early as the next day we received the first few of such interested visitors. For us, as the saying goes, this was most certainly “A Day to Remember”.
About Dr. Phillip Isidore Mpango
The Vice President of the United Republic of Tanzania, Dr. Phillip Isidore Mpango is by his nature, a very amiable personality. He first entered the political limelight when he was appointed Minister of Finance in President John Pombe Magufuli’s 5th phase government of the United Republic and was catapulted, by simple operation of the country’s constitution, into the high position of Vice President of the United Republic, upon the sudden death in office, of President John Magufuli, in March 2021. The constitution is what also propelled the then Vice President, Samia Suluhu Hassan, to the country’s Presidency; and, using the granted to the President by the Constitution, she nominated Dr. Phillip Mpango for the Vice Presidency and submitted his name for election by the National Assembly which unanimously elected him to fill that post.
The books of authority on the subject of leadership, assert that “some people are born to become top leaders (such as Monarchs; others become leaders because of their wealth or family connections and still others, become leaders because of the circumstances in which they find themselves at the material time.
It was in the circumstances described above that Dr. Phillip Mpango became Vice President. He did not ascend to that position through the normal election process of nomination by his political party to stand in the relevant election as “running mate” of the party’s Presidential candidate. It ould appear that President Samia had already recognized his leadership qualities during his service as Minister of Finance, so she nominated him for election by the National Assembly as already explained above.
Vice President Phillip Mpango’s leadership style
Every leader has his or her own style of leadership. What some of us have noticed in Vice President Dr. Mpango, is that he operates on the basis of former North Korean President Kim il Sung’s unique style, known as “On the Spot Guidance”. Whenever President Kim il Sung visited a given project site to see the progress being made in its implementation, he made his decisions instantly on the spot and issued the necessary guidance right there.
Vice President Dr. Phillip Mpango is routinely making similar “on the spot” decisions. This was clearly during his visit Ukerewe. After he had completed the task of inspecting progress being made in the construction of selected strategic projects that are under construction in Ukerewe District; he also made instant decisions and gave instant guidance to the government Ministries or other Agencies that are responsible for the relevant construction works or for other administrative matters.
For example, before he started delivering his prepared speech at the public rally; he tasked each of the Deputy Ministers who accompanied him to stand up and give a satisfactory explanation in response to the complaints that had been raised concerning matters that are within the responsibility of their respective Ministries and further ordered them to report to him within a period of one month, how they had amicably solved the said problems.
Complaints had also been raised at his public rally, concerning the distribution of maize that had been sent by the government to Ukerewe to ameliorate the problem of food shortage which had occurred in many areas of this District, caused mainly by the lack of sufficient rain. This had negatively affected the cultivation of food crops by the peasant farmers. His response was to summon an urgent meeting of the Regional and District Administration (which was held later that evening) to find a solution to this problem.
That, apparently is the ‘style of leadership’ of Vice President Dr. Phillip Isidore Mpango which is famously known as “On the Spot Guidance.
piomsekwa@gmail.com /0754767576.
Monday 5 December 2022
Waombeni Mababu na si Kakakuona
Hetu tuache utani. Nani angeamini kwenye karne ya 21 kungekuwapo bado waja ambao wangepoteza juhudi na muda wao na kufanya kila walichoweza kumsujudia na kumsumbua kwa kumuomba mnyama na tena asiyejua wanachofanya achia mbali kuwa na uwezo wa kuwapa walichokuwa wakitafuta? Nilijisemea kilevi “wajinga wa wakubwa tena wa mwisho.” Bi Mkubwa hakunijibu. Maana, kilichofuata nikieleza nitachekwa na kuonekana kama si mrume kitu. Hata kama nilipewa adhabu ya kudeki nyumba nzima, wewe inakuhusu au kukusaidia nini? Hayo tuyaache.
Naomba tufikiri pamoja tena kilevi. Je inakuwaje watu wanaojiita wazima na timamu kuamini upuuzi wa dada, sorry kakakuona kama siyo kufilisika kiakili? Eti mtu anaombea amani kwa kakakuona. Amani hailetwi na kaka wala dadakuona. Amani inaletwa na kujenga tabia ya amani na kutenda haki na kujitenga na dhuluma. Mwingine eti anaomba umeme kwa kakakuona utadhani kakakuona ni TANESCO! Sasa kama kakakuona anaweza kuleta umeme, TANESCO ya kazi gani? Yupo aliyeomba TANESCO kuacha ubangaizaji asijue kuwa kuwawajibisha ndiyo njia sahihi ya kuachana na kamchezo hako.
Mwingine eti anaomba fedha kwa kakakuona. Sijui kama kakakuona anaijua hata hiyo fedha ukiachia mbali kuwa haiwezi kupatikana bila kuchapa kazi na kutumia akili vilivyo.
Hakuna kilichoniacha hoi kusikia eti wengine wakiomba wachumba toka kwa kakakuona. Unashindwa kuwasikiliza wazazi na kuwa na tabia njema na kutegemea mchumba aletwe na kakakuona au wale wahubiri uchwara kama wale wa kisulisuli ambao walikuwa manunga! Huwezi kupata mchumba toka kwa kakakuona zaidi ya majaliwa na jitihada zako. Mwingine aliomba mvua kwa kakakuona kana kwamba yeye ni wingu. Mvua hailetwi na kakakuona bali hali wezeshi kama vile kutunza mazingira na majira.
Yupo aliyeomba upendo kana kwamba kakakuona ni msuluhishi. Unamchukia jirani au ndugu yako halafu unategemea kakakuona alete upendo. Upendo huanzia moyoni na siyo nje ndugu zanguni. Huwezi ukapanda chuki ukategemea kuvuna upendo. Mwingine aliomba amani asijue kakakuona mwenyewe haijui kutokana na kukaribia kutoweka tokana na ushirikina wa wanadamu! Usipande ujinga ukategemea kupata maarifa wala kupanda ubangaizaji ukategemea utajiri. Huwezi ukatumia njia feki ukategemea kupata majibu sahihi. Ubangaizaji huzaa ubangaizaji. Uvivu kadhalika huzaa uvivu ukiachia mbali ujinga kuzaa ujinga na maangamizi.
Hebu tufikiri pamoja tena kilevi. Je anajua Kiswahili au kiluguru? Je mlipomuomba mlipata majibu ya maombi yenu zaidi ya kujihadaa kwa ujinga na uvivu wenu wa kufikiri? Tangu lini kakakuona akabadili mambo wakati yeye anajiishia kama alivyojaliwa? Heri mngemuomba sungura maana tunaaminishwa kuwa ana akili kuliko wanyama wote? Sidhani kama wanyama wanawaamini nyinyi wajinga. Watawaamini vipi wakati hamjiamini?
Ukiangalia hata maombi yaliyoombwa ni tofauti na shida za wahusika. Sikuona aliyeomba kuacha uzinzi, uvivu, ngono muwawana na mambo mengine kama hayo. Sikusikia hata mmoja akiomba kuondokana na mtima nyongo, roho mbaya, uchoyo, ulafi, ubabaishaji, ufisadi, wizi, ujambazi, rushwa na majungu, urongo na ushirikina.
Sasa kama mnaumuomba kiumbe maskini anayekaribia kutoweka kama kakakuona tokana na ujinga, uroho, upogo, na ushirikina wenu, hao mababu zetu watafanya kazi gani? Maana mmeomba miungu yenu imeshindikana. Mmewageukia wanyama. Itashindikana. Basi wageukie mababu zetu waliowanunia baada ya kufundishwa kuwadhalilisha, kuwakana na kuwatukana kwa kupwakia dini za watu msijue ni ukoloni mtupu. Naona yule anasonya huku akitikisa kichwa. Kwani nazusha? Mbona mlikana lugha hata majina yao ukiachia mbali mitambiko yako mkapwakia mitambiko ya kigeni iliyogeuzwa majina? Jaribu kufikiri kabla ya kunihukumu hata kama naongea kwa nguvu ya kanywaji.
Tumalizie kwa kuwaomba na kuwashauri walevi na wale wote wanaojifanya hamnazo kuacha ujinga na hata ukumbaff wa kuabudia vitu visivyo na faida wala uwezo wa kuwasaidia kutatua matatizo yao ambayo wameshindwa kuyatatua tokana na uchizani wao. Kama mmeishiwa hivi, basi ombeni mababu zenu lau wanaweza kuwasaidia. Tukutane wiki ijayo.
Saturday 3 December 2022
CORRUPTION IN THE 2022 CCM ELECTIONS : THE WAR THAT CANNOT BE WON?
The war against corruption was first declared by Mwalimu Julius Nyerere, in his speech to the colonial Legislative Council, delivered on 17th May, 1960; in which he said the following:-“Mr. Speaker, there is one other enemy which must be added to the three already declared ‘people’s enemies’ of poverty, ignorance and disease. This enemy, is corruption.
My assertion is based on the argument that since ‘we cannot change’ the situation regarding the other three enemies of poverty, ignorance and disease; and that all we can do is to continue fighting relentlessly against them; but with no hope of eliminating them completely; thus leavn". ing it to every generation to continue the fight, to the best of its ability in terms of resources. The same argument seems to apply to the enemy of ‘corruption’. Every generation will similarly have to continue the fight, to the best of its ability.
We have all witnessed the fact that the problem of corruption, especially electoral corruption has continued unabated. In my presentation in this column in August 2020; when I was writing in preparation for that year’s general election, I also referred to this matter of electoral corruption, wherein I said that any amount of brain-racking about a way out of this problem, has always seemed to end up in frustrating futility; and that despite the general public ‘s awareness of the evils of corruption, plus the numerous complaints against it that are often raised; when the argument reaches the point of suggesting a viable solution to the problem, the stakeholders tend to run out of ideas, as everyone seems to expect the government alone to do all the fighting against this menacing corruption.
But that is not to say that we should surrender and give up the fight. The books of authority on this subject assert that “corruption is like a virus, which is always around to infect a political system and make it sick anywhere in the world. And very much like the human body, political systems are also capable of developing their own immune systems that can automatically fight and resist the corruption virus”.
In essence, this assertion enjoins every leader in their respective areas of responsibility, to take on the responsibility of creating this desired “strong and sustainable public opinion” that will resist and restrict the continued onslaught of the corruption virus.
CCM’s record of efforts to combat corruption.
The nullification of results announced by CCM Secretary General is neither the first, nor the only punitive step that has been taken by CCM; it is merely a continuation of the ‘struggle’ in the endless war against electoral corruption within the ruling party. In that respect, it belongs to the category of ‘unwinnable’ wars, which includes the fight against the other three ‘people’s enemies’ of poverty, ignorance, and disease; against which every generation must continue to fight, to the best of its ability; and hand over the fight to the next generation; as CCM’s track record clearly shows.
Corruption is a worldwide problem.
We posited above, that corruption has been with us ‘all the time’. But it has not been with us alone, for it is a worldwide problem, which afflicts almost every country around the globe. For example, the records show that in Italy, a Socialist party official was arrested in Milan in 1992, having been caught pocketing a bribe on a cleaning contract in an old peoples home; an event which set in motion an anti-corruption avalance, which quickly swept away Italy’s veteran political leaders. And in Japan, a 1989 corruption scandal led to the downfall of that country’ hitherto most powerful Liberal Democratic Party.
piomsekwa@gmail.com/075767576.