Ford Asili chides politicians over abusive outbursts

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A section of Kenyan leaders has been faulted for engaging publicly in political outbursts using abusive words.

The Forum for Republican Democracy, FORD Asili, said the abusive language being embraced by politicians, hitting back at their opponents, is creating an unhealthy environment for co-existence.

Speaking during a press briefing in Nairobi, Njeru Kathangu said leaders across the political divide are actively involved in this mischief because they are the same group, created by the same tools, mentored by the same people, for the same ambition and intention.

“Observe this, because of the utter lack of maturity and national agenda and other life discourses, our leaders simply jump at each other with insults. Ooh, how our society has sunk so low, in a backward and primitive manner as to be so careless in public, even to insult one another on national television and radio networks as our children and grandchildren helplessly watch,” said Kathangu, adding, “Let the leaders spare us that psychological pain to be worthy of our humanity.”

According to Kathangu, the insults are not music to their ears; they sound like utterances by some hopeless and lost fellows, throwing words like from drunken and frustrated lawbreakers along impassable and dilapidated streets in a violent and insecure neighbourhood, angered by lack of basics.

“Hope for Kenyans has been fading as generations disagree on the kind of society we should create. Intergenerational interaction and working together have been curtailed largely because social institutions have broken down. Families, schools and faith-based institutions have become poor shadows of themselves, and are not able to complement the efforts of parents in child rearing,” he said.

He argued that education curricula, which were developed to create a knowledge wedge among Kenyan generations, instead of preparing them for their future.

“Those of Common Entrance, KAPE, English medium, and Cambridge systems of 1940s, 1950s and early 1960s, cannot agree with those of the, CPE and the new mathematics systems which were totally in variance with 8-4-4,” he said, noting, “We reflect that Education system in this country is part of the wider but deliberate scheme to manipulate, deprive and deny our people the right path to knowledge.

Kathangu said as a result, individuals and, to a large extent, families have been affected by a lack of basic guidance to know what to do with their children and personal lives.

The party said churches should rise to the occasion and deny such leaders platforms for their campaigns to spew discord.

He said churches should be respected as a sanctuary place for worship.