Kayamba goes upcountry for christmas

The Christmas holidays were coming soon.  Kayamba could not hide his excitement. This would be the first time that eight-year-old Kayamba and his two siblings would be traveling upcountry to see his grandparents. The night before the trip, his parents bought him a children’s digital watch for Christmas. They told the children to sleep early since they would be travelling at six in the morning.  Kayamba couldn’t sleep. He kept checking his watch.  He didn’t want to be left behind.

At six the next morning, Kayamba’s parents and his siblings picked up their luggage for the fun trip ahead. The sun was just rising when they got to the bus station. The five of them got into a new colorful bus. It looked smart in the inside and felt very comfortable.  There was some fot music playing from the new speakers above.

Kayamba’s family occupied three seats. Their parents had a seat each while Kayamba and his two siblings shared one seat. Although they were squeezed, the children did not notice because of the excitement of the seeing the bus station. It was exciting to see so many people with lots of bags cris-crossing the bus station. There were also many children walking with their parents. The buses were many and colorful. It took almost one hour to fill up.

Finally, the bus left the station. Kayamba looked at his watch. It was seven in the morning.  It travelled through the countryside past people’s well dug farms. Kayamba’s excitement began turning to sleepiness. Before long, he was asleep. His siblings also went to sleep.

Kayamba was woken up by his parents after two hours. He checked his watch.  It was nine in the morning. His younger brother needed to relieve himself.  The bus had stopped at the side of the road.  His parents took them behind a bush to relieve themselves. 

When they got back into the bus, their excitement had returned. It also seemed that everyone else in the bus was also excited. People were now talking, reding newspapers and eating snacks.  Kayamba’s mum gave each of her children a half cob of boiled maize to eat. Boiled maize was his favorite.

The bus arrived at its destination and mid-day. The sun was high in the sky and it was hot.  Kayamaba and his siblings had to remove their sweaters. Their excitement grew again.  Kayamba could not wait to see his grandparents for the first time. His father came and picked up his family from the bus shade. They boarded a mini bus.  It was plain white and older than the bus they had come with.  The seats were dusty. Everyone squeezed in the bus.  Kayamba’s and his siblings sat on their parent’s laps. Kayamba sat on his father’s laps while his two younger siblings both sat on their mother’s laps.  The mini bus played loud music from the small old speakers under the back seats.

Kayamba looked at his watch.  It was one o’clock in the afternoon. The mini bus left the station and drove off on a small road. Sometimes the road was bumpy and sometimes it was smooth. It was hot although by the time they got to the village station, it was warm.  Kayamba saw that it was three o’clock in the afternoon. There were only a few people around.

They alighted from the minibus and boarded a small van. It was old and rusty. Kayamba could see that it used to be yellow.  It had wooden boards for seats and no windows. Kayamba’s excitement began to shrink. They waited for an hour before it filled up.

Everyone squeezed as much as they could.  Every child was squeezed between someone’s legs.  Kayamba was squeezed between his father’s legs while his two siblings were squeezed between other two men.

The old van drove of on a dusty road.  Kayamba looked at his watch.  It was four o’clock in the afternoon.  The road was really rough. There was music playing from the driver’s old phone. The conductor was hanging outside the door. It made the van creak and sway.  Everyone was swaying to the motion of the old van.

The van finally stopped and they alighted near a big old tree. The driver honked his horn once and drove off.  Kayamba looked at his watch.  It was five o’clock.  Kayamba was no longer excited.  He was very tired.

Beside the old big tree, there was an old motorcycle. An old man came from his house in the bush when he heard the old van honk its horn. Kayamba’s father and the old man exchanged greetings and talked for some time.  Meanwhile, Kayamba’s mother made him and his sibkiing to put on their heavy sweaters. It was getting cold.

Finally, they all got on the old motorcycle with the old man. Kayamba’s mum sat behind the old man while his father was last.  Kayamba sat on the petrol tank near the handle bars holding a bag. One sibling sat between his mother and the old man while another sat between their father and mother. His father carried another bag on his back.

They rode off as Kayamba looked at his watch. It was half past five in the afternoon.  The old motorcycle had no gauges, no headlight and it sounded like a posho mill. They rode off into a small path in the bush and went up a hill.

It was already dark when they saw their destination at a distance.  Kayamba could not tell what type of house it was.  All he could see was light from a lamp through the open door. They finally got off the motorcycle and began walking. Kayamba looked at his watch.  It was half past six o’clock in the evening.

They walked for some time before they got into their grandparents compound. They were welcomed by their grandparents.  Kayamba and his siblings could not enjoy anything since they fell on the sofa sets and slept. Kayamba only remembered looking at his watch before he slept. It was seven o’clock at night.

 

Misuse of religious images to advance political discourse

John Mbiti philosophized that Africans are notoriously religious. Official statistics say Kenya is 84% Christians, about 9% Muslim and the remainder are Hindu, Buddhist, African Indigenous Religions, animists and atheists.  As such, religion is a major socialization factor in Kenya. Our social, economic and political lives are replete with influences from our religious backgrounds.  Yet, religion has failed in socializing Kenyans with values of brotherhood, peace, love, and unity.

In politics, Christian religious overtones have been used to advance the political party's agenda.  Since retired President Moi’s studious attempt to cultivate an image of a God-fearing leader, Kenyan political activities have employed the use of Christian songs and biblical narratives to persuade the common folk.

President Moi’s (retired) sunset years were punctuated by Christian songs turned political protest chants. President Kibaki maintained a dignified aloofness giving the impression of religion as irrational. His rival, Raila Odinga electrified the masses using the narrative of Moses and the Promised Land to drive his second liberation agenda.

In 2013, the UhuRuto duo charmed Christians using prayer rallies as political campaign tools creating an impression of divine approval. That image run through President Uhuru Kenyatta’s first term as Christian leaders enthusiastically latched onto this narrative.  Political leaders have become quasi-spiritual leaders firmly exploiting the bible as a Machiavellian tool.

In 2017, Raila Odinga’s political style upgraded his Mosaic narrative to Joshua and the conquest of Canaan.  He launched his presidential campaign with a prayer at Jerusalem’s Wailing Wall and baptized himself Joshua. As a liberator, Canaan was a powerful symbol for the 3^rd liberation. It was for the taking. That message sunk deep into the psyche of all Kenyans. The conquest of Canaan narrative is now an idiom in Kenyan social life, from serious boardroom talk, bar banter to social media memes. Its power to galvanize his supporters has left a deep imprint and fired hope. His advisors understood the African understanding that is shaped, socialized and educated through stories and narratives. His rival duo was not asleep either. They continued with the charm.  The end result is a political, religious and social divide that has deepened.  Where religion had a unifying value, it is now divisive. Both political formations now control their various Christian factions. These opposing teams do not seem to have any theological advisors who would have helped to present the religious angle realistically. Politicians now recognize the propaganda value of the bible.

A whole generation is emerging in Kenya for whom independence, post-independence, and second liberation politics is historical stuff. These ‘liberation’ ideals don’t mean anything in their new globalized, digital world. But strong, biblical narratives are vehicles of conveying political ideas and ideology. In the next general election, the first millennials will vote. Our geriatric leaders are being disconnected from this new pool of voters.  But use of religious propaganda is able to make cross this divide.

It is true that social, economic, political/ethnic divisions in Kenya have been growing. But the Church was always a powerful and unifying factor in Kenya.  Unfortunately, it has ceded it’s high moral ground and is being co-opted into the partisan political mainstream. Christian leaders have been foolishly caught up in a dazzling display of power and influence and abandoned their social responsibility.  As a result, though they plead for dialogue in Kenya, they cannot bite the hand that fed them. They are partisan mediators.  They are not a third force that can check the polarized politics in Kenya.

The English have a saying; when you send out your chickens in the morning, they will come home to roost. The evening of Kenyan socio-political, religious society is fast approaching.

Onward African Christian Soldiers

The last few days have stirred up deep pride in the Church of Jesus Christ in Kenya and Africa at large. 
Last week,  several church leaders in Nyanza openly called MP's and local politicians, hypocrites. The ecclesiastical leaders charged that the political leaders were doing little to help people get out of poverty.  They added that these politicians were only interested in political  succession battles. 
As was expected,  the politicians from ODM,  the powerhouse in the region came out fighting. Characteristically,  they lashed out at the church leaders almost questioning their moral  credentials.
Yesterday,  Evangelical Alliance of Kenya and other Christian religious organizations united in the call for them to be included in the 'handshake'.  They argue that they represent a critical segment of society.
As expected,  the backlash was severe.  The constant criticism was on 'tithe eating',  'offering loving', 'celebrity pastors' among other epithets.
I rise to support these Christian leaders for asserting the Church's critical position in national dialogue and healing.  To those whose harsh words are directed at the church,  I believe  she welcomes the bricks and bats. After all,  Jesus said 'woe unto you if everyone  likes you'. (Luke 6:26) That's a sure sign that you are conforming to society's standards instead of God's word.
Onward African Christian soldiers march.

Christian philosophy is the light for Kenya

Christianity in Kenya is a daily reality, as seen through this
street art. 

'Re-situating reason as the foundation of our society and engine of its aspirations must now be an urgent task of our activism' the author emphatically sums up this opprobrium against the church. Yet the author (and the paper) have colluded to ignorantly launch barbs at Christianity.
In summary, this piece tries to explain why religion (yet the author has the church specifically in his mind) and its growing role in Kenyan politics is a retrogressive idea. His idea is that reason and religion (church) can never co-exist. He goes further on a historical fishing (mis)adventure in shallow historical waters. His intention is to prove his personal notions by trying to get history to align with his fantastic ideas. Let me quote a few of his blunt sayings.
'Human beings need spiritual fulfilment. But when religion becomes a substitute for strategic action to solve our problems, then our society is in danger of regressing to a situation akin to that of the Middle Ages.' This does not make sense. From the beginning (I am Christian), ancient societies never knew a dichotomy between religion and the 'secular' world. This is a product of the 17th-18th century age of enlightenment. Philosophers, thinkers and men of reason began questioning the rationale of religion. Though it resulted in greater knowledge and refinement of religion, it also caused extremists to conjure up fantasies just for the sake of cramping up religious space. This is where the author has situated his argument, in a land called phantasmagoria, where people all their time talking endlessly about the latest ideas without coming to any meaningful conclusion.
Indeed, religion was (and is) an all-powerful balm in everyone's life, to the point that it was abused by men. This is really a problem of man and his self-serving desire to control fellow man for his own benefit. This is false (or contaminated) religion. Even the bible discerns between false and true (pure and undefiled) religion. James 1:27 declares that true religion is 'to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world.' (ESV) Essentially, true religion is an issue of a beneficial relationship between one and his fellow man as well as rightness with God. Without knowing it, the writer's argument gets theological. He has just swum into the open sea. The article becomes theologically turbulent without hope of rescue. The author has no grasp of the Church and its nature. Let us throw him (and the newspaper) a lifejacket and lifeline.
He says industrial revolution and democracy are proof of human reason. Democracy itself is a confused idea. Even early philosophers saw it as more autocratic than absolute monarchies. (My opinion: Kenya and Zimbabwe in 2017 are proof that democracy is really a horror movie with an awesome trailer.) History shows us that the 14th century Church Reformation was the precursor to the Industrial Revolution. The church was able to recover and rebuild its true foundations. This allowed for critical thinking which led to innovations and discoveries that changed the world (and are still changing the world). Christian philosophy was behind this revolution. It is based on The Man Jesus Christ's innovative and true teachings that had been distorted by years of contaminated religion.
This author brings home his argument of reason over Christianity's dalliance with Kenyan politics by arguing subtly for separation of Church and state. Indeed he lampoons 'conniving clergy', exercising 'retrogressive influence on our politics and society' and an 'epidemic of preachers laying hands on politicians from both the opposition and government'. He singles out the national prayer breakfast as a hypocritical show of Church's influence. He also scoffs at the recent spate of cleansing prayers at accident blackspots arguing that reason should prove these misfortunes are a result of corruption and bad roads. As is now common, 'faith-based' miracles are labelled as conmanship. Bad leadership is also singled out as the cause of poverty and underdevelopment. He has very valid points, (of course except for the often repeated stereotypical lie about most preachers.) The general tone of the article paints the church and its beliefs as hocus pocus and spiritual twaddle. Reason then, to this author, is Kenya's salvation.
By reasoning then, I must ask Tee Ngugi, who owns The East African and what is his agenda!

http://www.theeastafrican.co.ke/oped/comment/The-thieving-leaders-and-a-conniving-clergy/434750-4248996-n096gr/index.html

Feminism in Kenyan Christian political theology

We began building the concept of Christian Political theology. This concept is important because it lays the foundation for born again Christians to fully engage in politics at all levels of governance. (The assumption is that Christians still are afraid in embracing politics as part of our God given divine mandate on earth. I believe this is a hangover of 'this is not our home, we are just passing by, have nothing to do with it' philosophy, which has effectively been debunked.)

We dealt with the concept of God as the source of our political opinions and man as the object of these opinions. We did say that the welfare of man and his environment is the object of this theology.

Let us go further into the concept of man and delineate the genders. It is evident we have a lot of work to do to bring in the woman fully into the political life of Kenya. Last week, Kenya got three women governors. This was a great step forward. We would like to see a situation where women engage in competitive politics as equals with men and where their chances are equal to men. (For the sake of clarity, let us make it clear man and woman are different in terms of their sexual composition and function.) KTN ran a documentary entitled 'against the grain' where women detailed the sexually explicit harassment meted against them. It is clear that though we say we want the advancement of women, in actual fact the big men are at the center of oppressing women. Millie Odhiambo Mabona's testimony at the hands of male parliamentarians attests to this. There is a lot of cataloged testimony of women who have tried to advance in politics but they have been intimidated by the androcentric nature of our politics. (Sophia Abdi Noor's win in a strongly patristic area as Ijara shows that there is still hope for more women to be elected in other competitive seats outside of the County Women Reps.)

Christian Political ideology incorporates scriptural feminist theology. We believe that man and woman were created equal and given a divine mandate over creation equally. Sexual construction in no way is a factor for preference of the male over the female.

In fact, gender difference is another reason why women ought to be fully involved in politics. Since man (as a term for both male and female) was created in God's image, the fact that God further made a distinction between the male and female proves that the two are the fullest representation of God's image. Without a woman, the world would be dystopian. A woman in her physical and psychological makeup fully represents God's image as much as a man does in his entire construction.

To discriminate a woman because of her figure and accoutrements is to malign and dishonor the image of God. (In fact, it is an attempt to attack God.) This applies to those who issue sexually suggestive threats, intimidate women by their bigger and stronger physical stature and deride women's delicate emotional nature. All forms of sexually explicit and implicit violence against women(again Millie Adhiambo Mabona serves as a sad example) is not in any way Christian Political Theology.

At this point, congratulations are in order for the three women governors (H.E Charity, H.E Laboso and H.E Waiguru), and 22 women MP's elected to the National Assembly (begining with Millie Grace Akoth Odhiambo Mabona, MP elect for Suba North) as wel as the 2 senators, Isiolo's Dulla Fatuma Adan and Nakuru's Susan Wakarura Kihika.

In Christian Political Theology, women are indispensable if we are to execute God's mandate of redemption of our political culture in Kenya.

Kenya coming to birth.

I woke up this morning to the whole street freshly plastered with a candidates campaign posters. Most are red and the road looks like a sea. (Was this the parable spoken before by the fathers?) These guys were obviously illegally busy last night. Dirty tricks! Anyway, today is the beginning of the next four weeks.
My wife Gakii Njeru made me a sumptuous breakfast of 2 sausages, bacon, bread and 2 cups of tea - 6 pieces. 😋
I battled the chill and was surprisingly welcomed to seemingly empty school. In 2013, the male and female lines spilled over in different directions into the estate for several kilometers. Not this time. I checked my voting details and as usual, station 1. This can be really slow. 
There will never lack drama especially when you are in the same line for four hours. The usual mumbling about the slow movement. (Someone will not get my vote. I cannot ng'ang'ana for four hours then vote for just some uncouth fellow who feels it his/her right to be voted for).
Some shouts at the head of the line. A bunch of women, various stages of pregnancy, others with startled babies strapped on their backs pleading maternal considerations. Wait! One baby goes to nursery school with my son! (Is it possible rigging begins in the womb?) Some sleepy, freezing, 'non-conjugated' fellows stammer weak protests. Well, the women vote but along with the electoral manicure, the babies also get a 'Hindu' mark. Common sense it seems. 
Finally, after 3 hours, I get to put my right foot on the stair to the room. Huge relief, but there are some 7 people ahead. Each takes about 5 - 7 minutes. Two or three other mothers implead maternal considerations. 
She sits there, all black and sleek. Her eye blinking a romantic red to me. 
'Come on,' She says.
I finally present my precious right index finger to KIEMS for scanning. KIEMS tells me 'you have a beautiful print.' 
'Wait until you scan the other nine.'
I tell her, 'let's make another date Tuesday, 9th Aug 2022'
'Chao amore' KIEMS logs out of my account.
Ballots. A real anti climax. Why should we spend some KSh 50 billion for this ordinary paper than can be printed in Kirinyaga Road? Becuase there is a shortage of trust. In fact, it is so ordinary, one of the MCA aspirants is missing a tooth. In fact, if you count the cost per voter, this election is costing almost Ksh 2,600 per voter.
Let's vote. MP, mmh...MCA...yup...senator...S3..governor...Sonko...President...obvious! 
Now the county woman rep. This is a cliff hanger. 1st question. The Constitution is clear about the spirit of this seat. But as a man with a vote which adds no value to me, shouldn't the constitution be willing to listen to my request of fairer representation? It feels like I am being punished for being a man. Second question. Must the county women rep be a woman? (I know what the Constitution says, but the law can be dumb too. There are men who represent women's rights effectively on a daily basis.) So I decide to make a clear statement...I won't vote!
Phew! Four years of politics resolved in five minutes. I head for the legal manicure. I take my ID and that's that. 
It is 12:54 pm. Half the day is gone.

The big man, the servant leader and Kenyan elections 2017

Kenya is in a political season. Over the next 30 days (and beyond) we will be subjected to high drama, rhetoric, and political shenanigans. But the consistent image we will get of politicians is the big man (benefactor, master and Lord). This is the Modus Operandi of the campaign season.

Let me sketch out a picture. The location is picked out by 'political strategists'. It is bedecked in the party colors. Massive sound systems are rigged to the grandiose stage (where the candidate will ascend as on to 'his' throne). The candidate will ride in with a motorcade comprising juggernauts sitting atop. Each vehicle follows the other in order of rank. Wearing matching party clothes with the candidates name imprinted on the chest, he will address the awed masses in party T-shirts, capes and waving banners with short, chilling messages. The TV cameras will cover every angle, including the sky cam, which will from time to time descend from heaven as if bringing the candidates crown. The masses waving their hands, recording the events on smartphones, are enthralled with the presence of 'their big man'. Never mind that in quieter days, the location hosts thoroughly bored village boys herding their ruminants, and exchanging tales of the destination of every passing vehicle. (In the city, it is tales of English Premier League and La Liga, as well the next hustle.

After lots of 'brah, brah, brah', (I will do this, I will do that, I will get rid of this, I will start that, you will give me your vote) the candidate, with irrelevant songs, will confidently get into his battle truck, sit atop the sliding roof (with his hanger's on) and move on to the next territory. Everybody will disperse in the belief that God has visited 'us', and we have served Him.

Contrast with this picture. In the ancient city, a Man and His 12 followers go into an upper room. (It is the most important night in their nation's calender.) There, a lavish buffet has been laid. The friends partake of the meal. The centre of attention is always the Man who never lets His loving gaze wonder from His 12 friends. One of them, behaving strangely, suddenly gets up and after a brief, puzzling conversation with the Man, leaves. No one notices anything out of the ordinary. (The brother who has left is the treasurer, and from time to time, he often undertakes money related assignments).

The Man then gets up, and ever smiling, lays aside His expensive seamless robe. Like a servant, He ties a towel around His waist, takes a bowl and jar of water and begins the menial task of washing the 11 men's dirty feet. (In this part of the world, at this harvest season, it is hot and dusty. Everyone has dirty feet from plodding all over). One disciple shoots up and says "never shall you wash my feet". The Man trying to wash his headstrong disciple's feet tells him "if I do not wash you, you have no part with Me." Knowing his Lord, the disciple replies penitently "Lord, not my feet only, but also my hands and my head." The Man Jesus then made a shocking statement that is relevant to this campaign season, " 'Do you understand what I have done for you?' he asked them. 'You call me ‘Teacher’ and ‘Lord,’ and rightly so, for that is what I am. Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet. I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you." (John 13:12-15)

Jesus Christ, the Man re-instituted the principle of servant leadership and removed the big man mentality.

Since 8th August, we have been captured by men and women who have been trying to manipulate us, threaten us with all manner of tantrums. We voted for leaders to serve us and now they tell us we don't know what we want. In 2018, ignore their foolishness and remind them we are still the bosses. Participate in every constitutionally available process of civic participation and refuse to let you voice be stilled. A Happy, wonderful 2018 to you all.