Let Us Make Political Noise But Resist Violence

The political temperatures are rising. The ruling JUBILEE coalition launched Jubilee Party (JAP), the vehicle that President Uhuru Kenyatta will use in his bid to secure a second term in the house on the hill, while CORD’ race for the presidential ticket is getting fiery too.

It is time to hoot and clatter the serenity that Kenya has enjoyed except for disturbances from the Al-Shaabab cowards, take our efforts from building the economy and plunge heads-on into the murky political waters.

We are a nation that loves politics more than we care about making our lives better. Politics are close to our hearts yet there are no ideologies that back our love for this national love! Ethnicity and party euphoria determine how we vote!

Jubilee Party has perpetuated the lie of uniting the nation yet two big ethnic blocks call the shots while the rest are supporting cast, applauding the main actors on the stage.

At CORD, the coalition led by the kingpin of opposition politics, Raila Amollo Odinga and his band of followers has chastised the government for its failures, notably endemic corruption and an ethnic card that has never been this significant. 

It is humbling to accept that despite the two coalitions commanding near-colossal following, they have nothing to show except splashing money, extorted from the public purse to fuel their guzzlers and traverse the entire nation, taking part in harambees to cleanse ill-gotten money and hoodwink Kenyans into their fold.

Uhuru Kenyatta, William Ruto, Raila Odinga, Kalonzo Musyoka and Musalia Mudavadi are the major political voices in the nation and each commands a mini-nation!

They, however share a dubious distinction. They are all products of the KANU and Moi school of politics.

Their interests are co-joined at the hips like Siamese twins and can never give Kenya anything different despite the defeaning noise made by their foot-soldiers.

As we head to a fever-high political atmosphere, void of ideologies but full of empty promises of change, the nation must avoid drawing into the all-too familiar story of politically-instigated violence.

In 2007-08, we played with sparks that nearly burnt the entire nation. The wounds have not healed completely and the aggrieved never saw justice. 

Some Kenyans vowed never to return to the homes they were flushed from for fear of reprisals. Jubilee has used the unity lie to woo supporters while CORD has not offered and solutions in case it ascend to power next year.

Violence should not be part of the game this time round. It is happening in Gabon and Democratic Republic of Congo, where politics have set the nation on fire.

Kenyans should not go back to 2007-08. The wounds are still fresh. Let politics not destroy this great land. As former president Mwai Kibaki once said, voting is a day’s event but the nation will forever be here.

Harambee Starlets, Our Pride and Challenge to the Men!

Harambee Starlets, the previously unknown quality of our footballing damsels are on the brink of history today in Uganda; were 90 minutes from lifting the first-ever Council for East and Central Africa Football Associations (CECAFA), women’s category.

Cheered on by a hundred fans who travelled to Uganda courtesy of Football Kenya Federation (FKF) and SuperSport, our girls lost by 2-1 to Tanzania. A rather low moment to cap a fantastic outing in the regional tourney.

Our ever- disappointing team in the mound of Harambee Stars should sit back, watch and learn a few critical lessons!

To say Harambee Starlets have been magnificent is an under-statement. The girls have been brilliant and are reaping the fruits of positivity, hard work and self-belief!

They are using the CECAFA tourney as part of the preparations for the African Cup of Nations (AFCON), set for November in Cameroon. 

They missed out on the football party in the recent Rio Olympics after falling by two goals to Banyana Banyana of South Africa!

The achievements are something Harambee Stars can only dream of! The team finished last in the Afcon qualifiers, was shamefully bundled out of the running for Russia 2018 and has done nothing to make Kenyan football lovers happy!

Harambee Stars lacks a winning mentality, best epitomized by the losses at home to the likes of Equatorial Guinea, Lesotho and Zambia. 

This is what the Starlets can never be accused of! They bravely went to Algeria and got a draw with the continental giants. They bravely lost narrowly to Banyana Banyana in the Olympics qualifiers.

The girls have a winning mentality, the self-belief that has placed them head and shoulders above Harambee Stars. 

Harambee Starlets, despite achieving a near-stardom status amongst football lovers across the country have maintained a cool head. They are firmly focused on the task ahead, something that a section of our Harambee Stars lacks. How many times have we seen our players partying ahead of crucial matches? 

The girls went Spain last month and shone at the COTIF Women Football Tournament, finishing fourth. The ample preparations were part of the ongoing CECAFA and upcoming Afcon championship in November.

Can FKF organize high-profile build-ups for Harambee Stars and improve the team’s technical and tactical prowess? 

Perhaps this will lift the team from its mediocre performances and slowly put it back to the heights the team hit in the 80s and early 90s.

The girls’ success is a challenge to Harambee Stars on what donning the national colors means and the responsibility that comes with it! 

Harambee Stars has a lucrative national league to bank on, has a near-fanatical fan base and the players are well-paid, yet their performances on the pitch have been at best miserable!

They are our pride. A national team that despite lacking a robust national league to bank on, has eclipsed the region and holds a candle to Africa’s best such as Super Falcons, Banyana Banyana and Cameroon.