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Guest Post by Mwalimu Peter Ngugi
What is your take on the resignation of Martha Wangari Karua from The Grand Confusion that masquarades as the government of the Republic Of Kenya?
I think the truth is, as always, somewhere in-between. It is hard not to admire her in the context of Kenyan politics. She is one of the few cabinet ministers who has actually not used her position for self aggrandizement. The cabal around Kibaki and the elites in Kirinyaga describe her as the Peasant from Gichugu because she has completely refused to use her position to enrich herself. This, in itself, would not be remarkable elsewhere – but it is almost extraordinary in Kenya.
She has my respect.
Do you know Karua appointed 4 true reformers (young people between 28 and 34 years old) as undersecretaries in her ministry, and by last month they had all resigned because of frustration from the office of the president?
But she has, of course, taken some stances that have been quite questionable. Her unwavering support for the thieving Kibaki between 2002 and mid-2008 was frightening in the most meaningful sense. But her fierce independence shone through even then. Even when I disagreed with her, I knew she was not merely positioning herself to “eat.” My attitudes towards her mirror my attitudes toward Raila. There is much to admire about him; but there are many things that he does that makes me go: what the %$#@$%!
I don’t think Martha’s resignation will achieve much unless Raila joins forces with her. In fact, that is the one and only opportunity Kenya has to rise from the ashes like a phoenix.
She will likely lose her parliamentary seat in 2012 as Kikuyus myopically support Uhuru (read Mungiki) for the presidency (God forbid!). It will be ugly! Of course, unless the young Turks re-group: Raila, Muite, Orengo, Anyang, Karua and Imanyara. Abdikadir (of PSC), Makau wa Mutua and Willy Mutunga are trying to broker this. Ruto and Kiraitu will have to be left out for this to work out, though. And nobody seems to know how to do that.
God bless Kenya, God save us from the MOUNT KENYA MAFIA!
Guys, Let's speak up for the Albinos in Tanzania.Kumekucha
