How our leaders put power first and sacrifice people in game of deception

It is now very clear that the only constant in the equation of Kenya’s current crop of leading politicians is staying in power. Anything else can shift. Power is the point – the constant. Anything that stands in the way must go.People must go!

People can be relegated in importance – their significance shifted downwards. Those in power must have a second term! Taking care of the needs of the people is a distraction. Citizen’s blood spilt by state agencies is dismissed as collateral. In other cases, the dead are blamed for their own dying. If they are indifferent to death, how much less to taxes and job losses! When the power seekers see people, they do not see humans in need of better lives. Rather, they see numbers—votes—almost to the level of addressing crowds as “Dear votes.” Populations are seen as voting blocs and assessed based on their potential to fill up ballot boxes. As long as power is at the center, people will remain poor.  

Flexible faith

When power is king, faith in God is not fixed – it is relaxed to serve political ends. The worshipper seeks to be worshipped.  Aspirants become gods. The millions in offerings may be said to be for sanctuary buildings, but that is only face value. But in actual fact, the money is given to acquire, maintain and increase the god-status of the givers. Gullible clergy fall into the Mammon trap. Mesmerized by the millionaire politicians, they give them worshipful treatment.

Such priests then mediate the presence of men. Their congregations have gods as friends! When the gods show up, millions rain—and the congregation goes wild in worshipful cheers. This reverence makes the king and his men, even if for a moment, feel extra-human. The supra-human feeling is addictive and churches uniquely provide a platform for a politician’s pseudo-transcendence. They supply the “high” feeling.  To congregants, monies offered in abnormal quantities become “the voice of a god!” Politicians long for a cult-like following. But the wanna-be gods have a shelf life. The fallen clergy must remember that the Creator God does not compete for worship with another and does not take any other rank apart from the Only One.

Loyalists

Loyalists can ship out too! Those who made sacrifices to get UDA to power are being sacrificed too. Betrayal is deemed noble. Those who a few months ago were at the center and were center controllers are first moved to the margins, then ejected from the circle altogether. One wonders how politicians live with themselves as they cut off the political lives of their adamant followers. But one may say, that is part of the risks of political associations—it can happen, and one must be quiet when it happens because their minds are trained for it. Those who tow the lines take over. Friendships do not matter when they stand in the way of power—they must pave the way.

Morals

Morals—who needs them! Good behavior is for children. Parents give lectures on integrity while they have no idea how it feels and looks in practice! Integrity does not inform their operations—what for, if you can bribe your way to your destination?

Integrity is a narrative used as a weapon to bring down enemies by painting them as corrupt. They hire crowds, lying to themselves about their popularity! Such intentional self-deception points to a delusional disorder. Gen Zs are the exorcists of this lying spirit.

When the government is accused of corruption, the script is always the same: “Produce evidence…” They have learned to cover their tracks—so that they can portray an image of uprightness—which is only a phantom. A country with no values is on its way to being valueless. Its moral-freeness marks it as a country to avoid and, sometimes, to be sanctioned.

Elastic law

When it comes to retaining power, not even the law is sacred—it is stretched to bend in favor of the state. The government plays clever, and when necessary, delivers nasty tackles in its attempt to keep the fence of power intact. The independence of the judiciary in Kenya has always been theoretical—up in the air. Accusations of the purchase of justice always taint the judgments that come from the courts. Claims of justice shops are increasing. The government does not mind rulings in its favor and will often invest in making this so. But some independent judges disrupt the surety of this expectation.

The conscience market is open for hypocrites to sell their deceit. They turn craftiness into a product they dispose of for personal gain. The tactical and desperate system secures more power. There is agreement among thieves and reason between gangsters.

There can be common action among rivals. If the government is willing to cede power to the opposition for a price, a greedy opposition will consider and take the offer. When loot is in sight, rivals can fight each other to elimination or agree on how to share it.

The transaction does not mean love. Gangs can agree on sharing territory. Thieves can agree on how to apportion plunder. Such are dark transactions that will never bring light to the people.

Plan shelved

Even The Plan is dismissed and replaced. For UDA, The Plan document has already been shelved. It has paved the way for the real plan—how to have the president back in power without the backup of The Plan’s performance. They cannot stand the shame of a one-term president. They want the full eating season—but the Gen Zs are threatening to cut it short.

They were not ready for campaigns to start this early, but dynamics have forced the campaign sunroofs open earlier than planned. When a president is this distracted, it means the threat from his potential replacements is real. This should be an affirmation to the Gen Zs and crew.

What should be a constant is love—because it is the greatest. But according to the government referee, power is on top. If you are not keen enough, you will miss the shallowness of Kenya’s politicians.

The narrative is sorry—an abuse of public intellect. Like a suitor refusing rejection, the political system is doing all it can—to ridiculous extents—to see a second term. The power orientation has defaced UDA. It is no longer recognisable. Yellow is no longer the innocent, bright colour of the party—it now stands for an unhealthy, shriveling party.