Paza Sauti
Barack Obama is now the president elect and Kenyans appear to be even more excited than the Americans about the prospect of an Obama presidency. I understand the excitement and even share in it, however now that some of the dust has settled Obama's victory got me thinking. Is Barak Obama even possible in Kenya. I will not mentioned the issues we have with tribe and ethnicity. Though they are huge. Even without these Kenyans are a unique set of people, an a diverse group. I recall when Richard Leakey and full blooded third generation white Kenyan attempted to run for president. He was rewarded with forty lashes of the nyahunyo and Kenyan sneers saying " Huyu Mzungu hajui kuwa tuli pata uhuru." What if he was the man for the job? What if Kenyan would have been better off with a Richard Leakey? What if the man for the job is different from the regular Kenyan? These are not part of the national discourse as we shout OBAMA OBAMA OBAMA. For Kenyans your cultural heritage in an inherent part of the equation of your eligibility.
Now to many Kenyans Leakey is an extreme example but how different would this be from Obama's historic victory in the USA. Kenya has a number of nationals who have only been allowed to participate on the periphery of Kenyan politics.Like minorities in the USA they have been allowed to participate on all other areas with relative success but have been kept away from the political arena. First, its the Asian or rather Kenyan's of Indian decent. These Kenyans have been stereotyped as corrupt and no good elements, I know we have had our share of no good Kenyan Indians, but it is no reason to black list the this or any other community based on the actions of a few. Kenyans will willingly accept Patel's contribution to the economy, even cheer Rajit where it concerns hockey and cricket, but do not touch siasa or atleast the highest levels of siasa. Hiyo ni kazi ya mwafrika mweneji wa kabila yangu. Perceptions of so called Kenyan Arabs is no better. Then there is the so called half-caste, who we canot quite place. Kenyans continue to view our lighter skinned brothers as peripheral to the nation's destiny.
Now I have to be fair here. The Mafrika is not solely at fault here. The entire Kenyan family has to play in the same sandbox; and want to play together. We have had selective self-segregation in our schools, residential areas, clubs and pubs, based on race, tribe, religion and or national origin. We need to grow. So for all the faults that are sited about America and American society, we as Kenyans have a lot to learn and grow on treating our own as equals. We need to expose our own issues, we will never change unless we Paza Sauti.
