Palaver - 13.04.11 - The Standard

Palaver

Kizza Besigye is an opposition leader in Uganda whose tribulations sometimes border on the absurd. Then again, Kenyans understand what it is to live under some legislation called Section 2A that criminalised everything and everyone deemed anti-Establishment. For the good doctor to lose three elections in a row to his former buddy and patient, Yoweri Museveni, is hard enough to swallow. But to be arrested while sitting alone on a tarmac road at the start of a civil disobedience campaign is even harder to take. Government reports later said Besigye was arrested leading a stone-throwing crowd after he urged wananchi to walk to work in protest at fuel price hikes. Besigye must think he is watching a movie remake of his life.

Even though Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi’s direct appeal to President Barack Obama to end the barrage of precision bombs and tongue-in-cheek best wishes to Obama’s bid for re-election next year were laughed off, he seems to have accepted an AU-brokered ‘peace plan’. The immediate ceasefire could see him avoid the ignominy of being pulled out of a rabbit hole like Saddam Hussein, and recently, Laurent Gbagbo. Smart fellow, but there is still the small matter of a debriefing by some bearded Argentinian, lately answering calls at The Hague switchboard.

If this is not a wake up call to Paul Tergat, Tegla Loroupe, Douglas Wakiihuri, Kipchoge Keino, JJ Masiga and others of that master class of sports, then we don’t know what is. Kenya is undeniably crying out for untainted, hard working political leaders. Where better than in the sports arena? If these achievers need inspiration, take it from Carl Lewis. The 49-year-old became a hero in 1984 when he won four gold medals at the Los Angeles Olympics, went on to win two more golds and a silver at the 1988 Seoul Olympics, two golds at 1992 Barcelona Olympics, and a gold for the long jump at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics. Lewis is being fronted by Obama’s Democratic Party to take on Senator Dawn Addiego. Anyone doubt that the athlete will beat the politician?

And finally...