Sobering lessons from Murkomen’s fall from grace

If they are not quoting Bible verses, they are dishing out wise words from famous philosophers, writers and statesmen. The honourable legislators led by Kipchumba Murkomen (pictured), Kindiki Kithure, Susan Kihika, Caleb Kositany, Kimani Ichung'wa and Aaron Cheruiyot, it seems, are in deep soul-searching.

Back in the cruel and unforgiving political trenches, they are serving out the wisdom many accused them of not living by. One even sent out the Desiderata. Then there was Dennis Itumbi’s unflattering apology to Miguna Miguna for his alleged role in his deportation to Canada in 2018.

Evidently, this covert expression of penitence and atonement is neither winning them friends nor shielding them from unforgiving adversaries who have been quick to laugh them off as pretenders.

The zest with which Murkomen hitherto carried himself has given way to an embarrassing sulk from injured pride.

How do you reconcile the Murkomen who lampooned Chief Justice David Maraga (as a NASA sympathiser) three years ago for overturning President Uhuru Kenyatta’s election win with the one feeling sorry for the now embattled judge and styling himself as a defender of the same institution he so much pilloried? But then Murkomen and the others are the few unlucky ones to have been caught up in the duality of politics. To vilify them thus, is to be blinded by emotion and to not appreciate the principle of cause-and-effect.

To rejoice in Murkomen’s walk down the corridor of shame, while yet cheering those we support when they engage in the same – perhaps even worse - forms of skullduggery for which we scorned Murkomen is to invite poor thinking.

We risk making “the very complaint the foundation for new oppression and prosecutions,” once our “friends” exit the stage.

For just like Brutus, a friend-turned-Julius’s Caesar’s foe, Murkomen and his ilk find themselves in an unfamiliar territory. Brutus knew about karma and the principle of cause-and-effect; that intent catches up with you in the future. He ridiculed the Romans for “assisting Caesar to forge those very chains which one day he will make yourselves wear”. He was warning them that those who live by the sword, shall surely die by the sword. In our case, there is a lot of “you made the bed, so lie on it.”

In 1735, arguing against punitive libel laws in the US, Andrew Hamilton, a lawyer, said that power may “justly be compared to a great river; while kept within its bounds, it is both beautiful and useful, but when it overflows its banks, it is then too tempestuous to be stemmed.”

“Power”, said Hamilton, “has sacrificed to its wild lust and boundless ambition the blood of the best men that ever lived”.

Many feel that the Tangatanga squad, led by Murkomen, fed the beast, so they must give it food (themselves). No wonder the glee and the delirium. And therein lies the rub.

To those piling pressure on these les miserables in our political opera, there is an old and wise caution that “when our neighbour’s house is on fire, we ought to take care of our own.” Lest the enjoyment of the twist of fate feeds into our voyeurism. No doubt, we are cold admirers of vengeance.

Indeed, Murkomen, Kihika and Kindiki’s fall ought to usher in new possibilities. Those cheering on as Murkomen and his ilk get a taste of their own medicine risk aggravating partisanship, the bane of our politics.

This has constricted the space for embracing each other and seeking consensus and compromise. The parable of the prodigal son is one of Jesus’ great teachings. A father hosts a lavish reception to welcome home a wayward son. It is a story of second, third and even fourth chances. It is one about enduring the shame of walking back to those we disregarded before. Together with saying sorry and turning the other cheek, these two elevate the teachings of Christianity.

Yet instead, these prodigal children are getting a whipping on social media. Ideally, forgiveness is offered when one disavows their old ways: There is renewal; Saul becomes Paul.

Our politics is the poorer because the ruthless, unforgiving mobs on social media will have nothing to do with the change of mind (and maybe heart) or the wisdom from Murkomen and Itumbi.

Is this why principled and loyal opposition is anathema in our politics? And is this the reason others will rush in to take up the space deserted by the political 'undesirables'; that it would rather be them, not their opponents with their noses in the trough?

In the end, this maelstrom of point-scoring and pettiness denies the country enlightened politics.

Mr Kipkemboi is The Standard’s Associate Editor for Partnerships and Projects. [email protected]