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This is a post sent in by a young Kenyan poet, University student and member of African Liberty Students’ Organisation in Kenya, Mariah Akinyi Ayugi
In Kenya, the political arena entails the following spices without which ones political life is nude, tasteless and raw. As a Kenyan politician, you need not be right but you need to look right. You should come from the right tribe and speak a language nice to the people. Speak to them not what is right but what is might and appears bright. Gain bits of popularity daily by doing what seems to positively touch them although it harms! You should never consider how much it harms but take into critical check how much it will manipulate them. Tell them not what they need to know but ensure you properly, touchingly, appropriately and convincingly articulate that which will paint your picture angel white even when you know too well that you are devil dark. Go to burial ceremonies to sell your ideas not because you sympathize or empathize. Colour your language so that they believe you are in their shoes. Give to them, not because you are inspired to give but you need them to know you are a giver. Still, in so doing, ensure you do not dig into your pocket. If your tears are close, shed them off, you would have wonderfully created an empathetic impression.
Be the first one to reach a scene of accident for the television guys to capture you. You will be seen so caring! The opposition is always wrong even when they are right and you are always right even when you are wrong. Whatever the opposition does, however good it is, soil it so that it looks toxic in the eye of the public. Do not accept a failure, if the situation demands that you accept, do so inwardly, not in public. Use everybody, everything and every single second to ensure you move to the next level. When you realize you have done something so bad ,unbearable and you can not convince the wise public otherwise, you better insist it was not you or conceal it underground. If you are a junior officer, your senior must edit every single speech you give. Never should you dare cross ways with him/her unless you want to be politically irrelevant. Go to a big church, give an offering and wear a spiritual face, look humble and submissive but remember when you step out, its business as usual. That is what it involves to be politically upright in Kenya .I do not know of other countries…
[photo: Kenyan political rally. Credit: All Africa]