Uhuru is now experiencing first-hand the harassment and bullying ordinary citizens go through at the hands of rogue bureaucracies.
| John Nyagah| Nation Media GroupWeekly Review
Premium
Uhuru Kenyatta woes: When the shoe is on the other foot
President Uhuru Kenyatta obviously learnt many lessons during his ten years as Head of State and Government. It was from those lessons that he is now ready to become, in retirement, Kenya’s foremost advocate of media freedom, defender of the whole array of human rights, and a warrior against the excesses of a potentially dictatorial regime.
While in office he coined and popularised the derisive “gazeti ni ya kufunga nyama (a newspaper is for wrapping meat)” reference to the media. Apart from the initial honeymoon not long after he was first elected in 2013 and invited editors for a State House breakfast, the rest of his tenure was marked by undisguised contempt and scorn for the press.
Ironically, he could have himself have qualified as a member of the Media Owners’ Association through family interests in the Media Max Network, one of the industry majors running the People Daily free newspaper, K24 and Kameme TV channels, and Milele, Kameme, Mayian, Emoo, Msenangu and Meru FM radio stations.
Perhaps that indicates his was not a hatred for the media in general, but specific to outlets out of his control that did not bow and scrape before His Excellency.
Uhuru is now out of State House, and experiencing first hand the harassment and bullying ordinary citizens go through at the hands of rogue bureaucracies. And he is suddenly discovering the crucial role of free and independent media as a watchdog of society and voice of the voiceless.
That was the immediate impression one got when Uhuru rushed to the house of his eldest son, Jomo, on July 21 after getting the alarm call on a police raid mounted allegedly to recover firearms supposedly used in opposition protests. For now, that pathetic lie from the incumbent government’s political apparatus is not the issue.
An angry Uhuru, bemoaning harassment by the administration of his successor, William Ruto, pointedly appealed to the assembled media – which had been helpfully alerted in advance of his arrival – for protection.
Then the following Monday, Uhuru hosted a large posse of editors for the first ever such gathering at his residence next to State House, where he dwelt more deeply into the animosity between him and his former deputy-turned-unwanted heir.
Apart from his take on why the once famous UhuRuto bromance faded so dramatically to the extent that he is now treated as an enemy of the State, a key take-away from the briefing was his warning to Ruto that “Power is fleeting … power is temporary”.
That is an apt and timely caution for a President not yet one year in office, but already exhibiting all the signs of that disease that afflicts African leaders and makes them think they are eternal, infallible omnipotent.
The tragedy is that as Uhuru, out of office, has digested and can now preach that simple fact, he never realised it during the period he wielded untrammeled power.
It was not only the media he treated with utter contempt. It was the period the police, and particularly the Directorate of Criminal Investigations, was diverted from the core mandate of fighting crime and used, or misused, to instead harass and intimidate political foes. Many are those who were arrested, or abducted, locked up in cells over weekends without bail, and then hauled to court on trumped-up charges. Ruto, even as Deputy President, was one of the main victims of the security establishment’s excesses, if not directly through harassment directed at his political allies.
One could say it was fortunate Uhuru did not have at his disposal the tools that allowed one-party dictatorships of the ancien régime to lock up opponents without trial and subject them to unspeakable torture.
If Uhuru is now being subjected to payback by Ruto, the petty, vindictive and feeble-minded might say he is only getting his just desserts. But the caution that power is transient remains valid, for two wrongs never make a right.
This is a lesson from Uhuru that Ruto must take to heart, for he, too, is exhibiting dangerous tendencies in recreating an oppressive police machinery to terrorise foes. He was elected on the promise to, unlike his predecessor, always faithfully respect and obey court orders, and never to weaponise the police, the prosecution and other arms of the criminal justice system for political purposes. He is emulating Uhuru on those blatant violations of the rule of law, as well as undisguised contempt for media, civil society and independent organs that act as society watchdogs.
Today it is Uhuru crying for protection from excesses of the police state, but tomorrow it might be Ruto reduced to seeking refuge in the media if the next government goes rogue.
*** *** ***
I was shopping for eggs at my local dukas. The first shop I enquired quoted KSh600 for a tray. I thought that was rather steep, and turned to walk away when the lady called me back. I thought she wanted to lower her price, but instead, she helpfully directed me to another shop across the road where I might get a better price.
So barely 20 metres away I got a tray at KSh450, which was even lower than the usual price of between KSh470 and Ksh500 in the neighbourhood.
Purchase done, I passed by the first shop and the lady spotted me and cheerily waved a goodbye. My thoughts were that some people just shouldn’t be in business. But on further reflection I marvelled at her kindness, generosity and selflessness in directing me to a business rival. Made a mental note to patronise her shop next time.
