If you can believe this, then it’s true pigs fly

Subterfuge is not a game for forty people. Neither is it handled in the manner in which we have seen in Kenya. The state is expected to protect the nation from unnecessary panic and speculation.

The sudden accusation of 5 cabinet secretaries for being against one of their own was an unnecessary disturbance of the peace visited upon us by those who would love to use age old political wizardry to pull the wool over our eyes.

The fact is that the leaked footage of a conversation around rebuilding Kiambaa church was meant to reopen old wounds and pit one CS against his boss. This was briskly followed by the allegation that 4 CS’s and 36 others met to discuss a murder plot as near as possible to our nation’s intelligence service.

Unless we have developed such powerful and futuristic ICT infrastructure as to be able to deploy a cyber-attack that leads to loss of life, it is unlikely that the accusations are true. To believe any of it is to also believe that pigs fly.

A pariah

But we must ask ourselves, why? Why are we being treated to unnecessary, but such high octane drama? The answer is simple - to win public sympathy for actions against the accused.

You see, before the night of the long knives in pre-war Germany, enemies of the Reich were accused of many things. Some were accused of murder plots yet still others were accused of planning coups. One day they were all removed from existence and the victor was the one pretending to be a victim all along.

Kenya is slowly being molded into a state of two divides. These divides are not for development or for the bright future we all need. These divides are about the dreams and ambitions of one man and our collective role in it.

For a while now, opposing this one man has been considered sacrilege and each person that stands against him is considered to be a pariah. This is what happened when the deputy chair of a certain party spoke against the candidature of this man. In less than 24 hours, he was deputy chair no more.

The victimisation of those who seem opposed to Mr Man has continued to such an extent that now the right to assembly is being questioned in light of the accusations we have heard in the last few days.

Civil service

The conditioning is working; for the amount of fixed hate one receives for questioning the campaign activities around Mr Man is off the charts.

Slowly we are becoming a nation where you are either for Mr Man or against him, and if you are against him then your job is on the line and soon enough you shall be accused of one crime or another and be forced to resign. Our democratic space is being shrunk and we are laughing as we descend slowly into McCarthyism.

For in 1950’s America one Joseph McCarthy led a charge against those he perceived to be enemies of the status quo. Anyone who was suspected to go against his ideas and ideologies was subjected to inquisition, fired from the civil service and blacklisted.

Similar to what is happening in Kenya today. Americans turned on each other to save their jobs and to please McCarthy. Today the threat is clear - allow Mr Man to achieve his dream or else!

We must not wait for our own version of these events to occur. We must, for God and country, rise and defend our democratic space and rights. We should not go peacefully into the night.

We must rage against the coming of darkness and defend our democratic rights to assemble, picket and to run meetings and campaigns against those we do not want to rise to power, for on this hallowed ground was democracy formed.

If we sit silently by and see those more powerful than us bullied out of office for leaked phone calls or for simply meeting their kith then we must be aware that Mr. Man will come for us too, when our turn comes.

We are not safe if we do not defend the rights we have earned so bitterly to be taken away. The ambitions of one man should not rob us all of our rights.

It is fine for him to win, but it is not fine for him to win by subjugating dissent. We cannot allow the brow beating of those who oppose him and his bid.

Just as he has a right to run so do all have a right, constitutional and democratic, to stop his bid. This is not a stand against him, it is a stand for democracy and freedom. For if we do not stand today, I assure you we will all fall tomorrow.

If we do not see the mischievousness being visited on 5 CSs today we will not see them when they knock on the doors of our shacks tomorrow and visit McCarthy justice on us.

Today we need to make a stand or tomorrow we will fall to our knees and such articles as this will never be written again. For the writer will find himself without a column; abused and hounded for simply holding ideas contrary to the dreams of another. You have been warned.

Mr Bichachi is a communication consultant. [email protected]