A man who knew how to make a joyful noise

Waiyaki wa Hinga

One of the stupidest things about ethnicised politics in Kenya is that it’s compelled to falsify history. A really interesting case: the Gikuyu nationalist case for Gikuyu ethnocracy often begins by claiming that Kikuyus fought for freedom; the implication is that no one else did (or that no one else did in such large numbers). The claim may even be defensible, but since c. 100, 000 or so Nandi (Ogot’s figures: can’t be arsed citing) died fighting the Brits around the turn of last century (1895-1905 ish), it’s rubbish. Lots of Gikuyu fought for the colonial govt, or fought for both sides.

The story that’s told about Gikuyu resistance is silly; not only does it require lying about what non-Gikuyu did, it requires falsifying (or ignoring the incoveneient bits of) Gikuyu history. So, OK, the logic of ethnocracy (like prolly any system whatever of rule by an elite) works by finding reasons to exclude the many. My (first, and completely unoriginal) objection is just this: the usual reason advanced by Gikuyu ethnocracy for the exclusion is a blatant, self-deceiving, falsehood.

Let’s invade Congo!

Mutuma Mathiu’s plan for rescuing Kenya’s economy. In today’s Nation (Reg’n required.)