Mashada Blogs » December 8, 2008

The Displaced African: Why Do I Blog About Africa?

Mwangi — Mon, 08 Dec 2008 23:05:01 -0500

I was tagged by Miss Sci and I tag the immortal R and Kelly from Pink Memoirs

Now typically, when someone is asked this question, the response is a poetic delight. Some might talk about Africa’s beautiful geography. Others the strength and the dark past of the continent. Others even of hope and the wonderful future that Africa has.

My reason is not as glamarous. Nor popular. Nor poetic. I started blogging about Africa because one day I looked in the mirror and realized that of all the socioeconomic, spiritual, physical, wordly or “insert way of categorizing people here” groups I belonged to, the one which was weakest was the African side.

When I walk down the street, an African face is a sign of:

* Poverty

* A race that was bullied, soiled, raped, beaten, exploited by much stronger, much smarter races.

* A sociological construct created for those in power to maintain power.

* A people who are ashamed of their features, their hair, their history, their idiosyncracies and trying desperately to fit in with the group that got them in this mess in the first place.

Now the list of things that are wrong with African people is endless. The theories are endless: we are the cursed sons of Noah meant to be hewers of wood and drawers of water. We are simply cursed for the sins of our ancestors and so on and so on.

I didn’t want to be a part of that conversation anymore. I didn’t want to get locked in the bar-room discussions that always start with a sigh and end with 3 hours of (I made this term up) intellectual incestuos masturbation where you stroke each others ego by pompously pontificating on Africa’s ills as though in between your ears rests the Holy Grail.

I wanted to be a part of the solution. All my heart and soul knew was it wanted to be a part of the solution. And so, just a little under a year ago, I put the pen to the paper and started writing.

Now do I think I am part of the solution…..not really. Sure, I have put out some positive stuff and I have helped people think about things better, but I am far from content. I want to be the seed of the next great revolutionary or the catalyst for a great social movement and know I am far from that.

As with many posts in my blogging career, I have not spell checked or edited this one. Sci, consider this a promise fulfilled.

With love,

Mwangi

Cock And Bull: A New Earth

Administrator — Mon, 08 Dec 2008 22:49:50 -0500

A New Earth - Awakening to Your Life’s Purpose by Eckhart Tolle the best selling author of The Power of Now, is one of those books whose review would best be left to the reader. If you have read it, you might know what I mean. You might also know that on Monday, March 3rd 2008, TV personality Oprah Winfrey attempted something that’s never been done before. Over 500,000 people simultaneously logged on to watch Oprah Winfrey and Eckhart Tolle lead a live interactive classroom discussion. Each Monday night for the next ten weeks, Oprah and Eckhart Tolle held meetings with people around the world to discuss A New Earth and the significance it has for each of our lives. Each weekly class corresponded to a chapter from A New Earth, with the discussion focusing on the chapter’s themes. Each class was at least one and a half hours long. You can watch or download the webcasts here. Alternatively, you may download the following torrent. If you are in Nairobi and would like a DVD copy of all the ten episodes of the webcast, contact me.

For Love and Money: Desperate For A Wii

Mon, 08 Dec 2008 21:42:00 -0500

Desperate For A Wii

Black Looks: Chevron violence in the ND and “Continuity We Can Believe In.”

Sokari — Mon, 08 Dec 2008 03:38:46 -0500

Even as the jury was sitting in the Bowoto v Chevron trial - Chevron Nigeria was attacking villagers in Aruntan-Ugborodo in Itsekiriland. Some time last week (Thursday 20th, November 2008) community people comprising about 15-20 women, 8 children and 25 youths embarked on a peaceful protest to CNL Tank Farm - a stone’s throw from [...]SHARETHIS.addEntry({ title: "Chevron violence in the ND and "Continuity We Can Believe In."", url: "http://www.blacklooks.org/2008/12/chevron_violence_in_the_nd_and_continuity_we_can_believe_in.html" });

You Missed This: To Avoid Acrimony On Waki, Here's The Way Forward

Mon, 08 Dec 2008 02:34:00 -0500

Big names are about to drop.

By now we all know that a pretty decent number of names are sealed in an envelop that Judge Waki submitted to the Hon. Kofi Anan. That the names are there is neither an indication of guilt nor a witch-hunt. What the judge is saying is that in the course of his hurried and time-pressed investigation, he reached the conclusion that there are some Kenyans who need to be further investigated because their names came up in relation to the funding and abetting of the post-election fracas. It is only fair that they be given a chance to defend themselves...and be cleared or convicted and punished for causing such a serious loss of life and property.

As one who has strongly called for a local tribunal, to preserve and strengthen our sovereignty and our nascent institutions, I'm gratified that President Kibaki and Prime Minister Odinga have found a formula to give our judicial system a stab at resolving this matter. I hope we all realize that the credibility of our nation is on the line here. Whoever is selected to lead this tribunal will need the full support and the goodwill of all Kenyans. We will follow closely how he/she leads the tribunal and decide whether the body will do Kenya proud or will embarrass us and set us on the demeaning path to the Hague.

Given the gravity of the charges the people who's names will drop face, it is time to agree on the way forward. This is important if we are to avoid unnecessary acrimony within our perpetually fractious parties and the nation in general.

This is what must be done:

1. Immediate and unconditional Resignation. This is the honorable thing to do. The ladies and gentlemen mentioned need to pave the way for effective and thorough investigations to take place. To achieve this, they must resign as a matter of principle. Their voluntary resignation will make their absence in Government palatable to their rowdy followers and avoid the impression of persecution of any group of people.

2. The Process Must be seen To Be Free And Fair. Kenyans will be watching very closely how this tribunal is handled. As sad as this is to say, there are thousands of Kenyans who lost their relatives and property and are still trapped in the unending cruelty of the IDP camps. Equally disturbing, there are Kenyans in refugee camps in Uganda who are too traumatized to even contemplate a return to Kenya. This is sad and unacceptable. To such people, this nation owes a credible tribunal, one that will fairly convict the culprits and fairly dispense justice. We must be sensitive to the fact that should this thing be perceived to be bungled, we'll have created an opportunity for our unscrupulous politicians to present themselves as martyrs to their gullible followers, who will seek vengeance and create a situation where animosity and grievance is recycled without end.

3. Outstanding Grievances Must Be Simultaneously Dealt With. I sense an inexplicable foot-dragging when it comes to matters related to land and the constitution. One year after the electoral fiasco how can we explain this slowness? Are we waiting to start handling these matters in the run up to the 2012 elections? We have to realize that by then Kenya will be too charged up for anything to be done effectively. So at this time, when we are in the mood for dealing with our problems head on, let's ruthlessly deal with the issues of land distribution and the unbalanced constitution. Waiting is an option we don't have.

4. The Hague Must Be Our Last Resort. Fellow Kenyans, going to the Hague will be one of the most humiliating things to happen to Kenya in recent memory. It will be a tacit admission of failure on our part, a statement to the world that we are incapable of handling our affairs. Even so, we must agree that if our local tribunal is seen to be failing, the ICC will have to step in. In the end, what we are saying as a nation is that we will no longer tolerate impunity.

5. Reconciliation Must Follow Punishment. Like most trials, the verdict of the tribunal...or God forbid, the ICC...will inevitably create animosity in the country. President Kibaki and Prime Minister Raila Odinga will have to move swiftly, literally hours after the verdict, to unify the nation. They will need to lead the nation to bury the past and see in the verdict a necessary cleansing, an atonement for the sins of the nation.

My fear, Fellow Countrymen, is that if we carelessly handle this tribunal, a perception that certain communities were targeted will emerge. That would be regrettable. Indeed, it would be better if we neither formed the tribunal nor went to the ICC if all we end up accomplishing is setting the stage for future animosities...that will lead to fresh antagonisms.

I pray for Kenya!

Has Obama not stopped smoking?

Dream Beach holidays on private island in East Africa at affordable rates this Christmas. Avoid crowded Mombasa.

Be sure to check out this mouth-watering African dishes in Nairobi

Rants, Raves & Reviews: Back to the Future - Traditional Crops

Mon, 08 Dec 2008 00:25:00 -0500

I have argued that we need to move back to TRADITIONAL crops that are better suited to our environment, soils, climate...

Please click on the following links for some great info...

Lost Crops of Africa
Timbuktu Chronicles

For Love and Money: Company Christmas Party Cancelled

Mon, 08 Dec 2008 00:10:00 -0500

Company Christmas Party Cancelled