In recent tweets, Kenyan blogger Dikembe discusses the current state of politics in Kenya, drawing comparisons to the time before the Handshake agreement between President Uhuru Kenyatta and opposition leader Raila Odinga.
Dikembe notes that, just like before the Handshake, there are those on both sides who opposed the agreement. Raila’s men were shocked by his decision and accused him of selling out, while Uhuru’s men believed he had caved in and should have used force instead of negotiating. Both men were dealing with deep-rooted animosity and toxic bigotry.
Before the Handshake, there were those who told Uhuru he should not negotiate but use force instead. They claimed he had the police, military, and tribal thugs, and he should use them to his advantage. Today, some politicians, particularly from the Kalenjin community, sound like their Kikuyu counterparts in early 2018. They exhibit arrogance, bravado, and insults, and are joined by their Kikuyu counterparts, remnants of a pathological malaise called ethnic jingoism.
Dikembe observes that, despite the hopes and optimism after Uhuru came to power, much has collapsed since then. The divisions that the Handshake tried to resolve remain, and politicians continue to engage in war-mongering. The clergy is in turmoil, and there are not enough esteemed individuals among them to midwife a national compromise.
Dikembe concludes by quoting W.H. Auden’s poem “Spain,” saying “Once we had a country and we thought it fair, Look in the atlas and you’ll find it there: We cannot go there now, my dear, we cannot go there now.” The situation in Kenya seems bleak, and it will take the concerted effort of all Kenyans to overcome the challenges facing the country.