Sheep mentality politics is the bane of our nation

Otuma OngaloIf you grew up in the serenity of the village, like yours truly, you must have observed how sheep operate. The sheep is one of the dumbest animals. Quite often, it lacks sense of direction. It only requires one of the animals in the herd to make a move and all others will follow without knowing the destination. They will follow faithfully, with bowed heads. It does not matter whether they are being led in the lair of hyenas.This herd mentality is replicated in Kenya’s politics. There are leaders who have sworn unwavering allegiance to other leaders and are ready to follow them wherever they go and support whatever they say, however farfetched. The latest of this circus is happening in a section of the Rift Valley and involves the political woes facing William Samoei Ruto. There is no doubt that Ruto is the emerging political kingpin in the region.The son of Samoei has been the political altar at which many other leaders worship and have, literally, forsaken their subjects to do Ruto’s bidding. It is a tale of the irony of leaders waiting to be led. In the recent past, things have been elephant for the son of Samoei and even as he walks on political tightrope, his faithful worshippers are solidly behind him.They are ready to abandon the safety of their political abodes to join him into oblivion. When he says "ODM is my party and no one can push me out of it," they cheer him up. When he says, "UDM is our political saviour," they accept the declaration as gospel truth. When he bolts to an outfit that is virtually unknown, it becomes their Promised Land.Politically speaking, Ruto is a man with no fixed abode. He is a renegade ODM MP who has unsuccessfully sought asylum in UDM and is now wandering in political wilderness. Nevertheless, he still remains the hope and aspiration of the many leaders who wish to benefit from the windfall that may come in his way this election year.The sheep mentality politics is our perpetual curse. When you see a bunch of leaders yearning to be led, you mourn for their subjects. And unlike the dumb sheep, some of the men and women waiting to be led in whatever direction are among the most educated members of the society.When you ask many of those worshipping at Ruto’s political altar what he stands for, they will look at you with blank faces. It will require the wisdom of the proverbial innocent child to explain that the only prominent political ideology of Ruto is to settle scores with his former allay-turned-foe, Prime Minister Raila Odinga.The trouble with Kenya and Africa, generally, is the sacrificial of political ideology at the altar of personality cults. We insidiously prop up individuals into cults and when they eventually become monsters that turn against us, we wonder why. It is hero worship that created Muammar Gaddafi in Libya. It has created Robert Mugabe in Zimbabwe and Yoweri Museveni in Uganda.In Kenya, the hero worship is not confined to Ruto. All the leading politicians have got hangers-on waiting to be led. In ODM, Raila is the gospel truth. The ordinary man in Kibera streets and PhD holders in his party look forward to him for direction and follow him whichever direction he heads to. During Constitution review debates, one man told television reporters that he did not have to read the Constitution since Agwambo had read for him. And he spoke for many. Uhuru Kenyatta and Kalonzo Musyoka too have ardent loyalists who are ready to follow them in whichever direction they head.In the far away America, the nation is in election mood too. And that is the end of similarity with us. The battle for the Republican nominee is a vital lesson in politics. It is issues and policies that have separated political wheat from chaff. The re-election of president Barack Obama will depend on issues held dear by Americans, not personality cult. And that explains why America and Kenya are worlds apart. Ruto’s wanderings show when you do not know where you are going, any route can take you there. But sympathy lies for those who tag along sheepishly.oongalo@standardmedia.co.ke

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