When tortoise got his own back

By LAWRENCE CHITERI
Published October 28, 2009

The animals of the wilderness had wanted to get the bees drums from them for so long. No drums at the time, sounded as clearly and melodious, as those of the bees. Several attempts by several animals were made without success, some of them fatal. The animals were just about to give up on the most coveted drums, when tortoise offered to try and get them. There was scornful, and chastising response from the animals. They wondered how clumsy tortoise would succeed, where other animals of repute, and high profile failed. Nonetheless, they allowed him to try.

Now, the good news was that, against all odds, and doubts, tortoise managed to wrestle the drums from the bees, and with unrivalled ease. Like all of us, he expected to be recognized, and incorporated in every way concerning the drums. The animals were so excited that, they soon forgot about tortoise, which they shunned, and shoved off forever.

Every evening the animals converged around the only source of fire, where they warmed themselves, did merry, and played the drums. They firmly excluded tortoise from these sessions, which in turn, was burning with the rage of vindictiveness. One day, whilst the animals were away in the day, tortoise knowing they would converge at the fire place in the evening, collected some water, and put it in a container directly above the fire place. In the evening, the animals had their merry, danced, and kept tortoise away as usual, before one of them saw the object directly above the fire. Out of curiosity, they decided to get a long stick, and poke at it. That is when the water inside, popped out and put out the fire.

There was sudden cold, and doom, for there was no other source of fire! There was no more cause to make merry; the truth being that, while tortoise got his own back, he too lost the only source of warmth. This fable does illustrate with vividness, the political landscape in Kenya. Around the time of Kenya’s independence, Jaramogi Oginga Odinga, was considered as having handed the reigns of power to Jomo Kenyatta. It was roundly believed that by extension, the Luo had surrendered their chance to be president, and expected better returns than they thought they were experiencing. The climax of this disappointment, and the feeling of thanklessness, is what culminated into the pogrom, now known as the Kisumu massacre of 1969.

The Luo were ostensibly getting their own back! Yet in the ensuing melee, several innocent and defenseless people, lost their lives, or were permanently maimed. Someone should have known that, presidential security can be scathing, and wanton when challenged, nay provoked; all in the blaze of state security. Come 2002, Raila Odinga literally wrestled the reigns of power, from KANU and so to speak, single-handedly thrust it on Mwai Kibaki. Again, there was the feeling that reward was not commensurate with the task, and a disgruntled populace, were bound to get their own back. The post-election violence, which blotted most of the country, was more rampant, and pronounced in Nyanza province, and herein lies the banter.

In the wake of violence, particularly in Kisumu, several issues came to play. One needs not look deeper, to appreciate that the hub of the economy, in this lake town, is virtually in the hands of so to speak, less than indigenous people. Never mind that among the people of this lake town, loud whispers regarding triple K (Kajulu, Kano and Karateng clans), amount to sectionalism in itself. One shudders to imagine that, you may hail from the same province, but be branded “outsider” on the basis of triple K. The Asians, Kikuyu and the Kisii, are the most visible entrepreneurs in Kisumu. Most public vehicles, shops, and supermarkets, are run and owned by them. They are literally the private sector employers in this town, which does not exclude the truth of exploitation, to some sizeable degree.

Yet when hell broke loose, venom was directed in the direction of these people (employers), who literally own the economy; and looting of property, or is it outright burglary? was witnessed. When temperatures thawed, people trooped to work places, only to realize, they had shut out their livelihood! They had got their own back, like the tortoise, and felt the crunch. Which begs some pertinent issues; Kisumu is supposed to be a metropolis now, in fact, it is a city, and before people look at it as a purely Luo haven; they must deal with their attitude towards Luos, hailing from outside the triple K zone. Then, Kisumu must harmonize their feelings towards the Kisii, who share the province with them!

Whenever general elections are held, and results show the Kisii as “splitting” their votes, in the undesired direction of the wider Luo, the Kisiis are usually molested in Kisumu, their property looted, vehicles barred from entering the city, among so many reactions. Ironically, Kisii is the bread basket of the province, and their vehicles transport the daily livelihood of the town. When you seal the roads from Kisii, Kakamega, Kericho and Busia, for one week, you will for sure starve this town. People from Western Province, for their part are “jamwa”( outsider), and must take taunts for it.

There is another stumbling block in the way of the people from the lake. As much as the so called “outsiders” control the economy; it does not mean the indigenous population is itself incapable of ownership. The problem is, many people would rather deal with, or buy from an “outsider”, in the thought that, if I board Otieno’s vehicle, buy from Onyango’s shop, and so on, that will make him better, richer, and me poorer. We had better be the same! Languish together! That is how “outsiders” have thrived, up to the time the Luo‘s want their own back.

This argument will be dismissed as an over generalization, but there is innate truth in it. There are many indigenous investors now, many of whom have dared it in Nyanza, but it is still not as dominant as the outside force. For people to look at the luo as pitted against other tribes such as the Kikuyu, this macro position must first give way, to sorting out the myriad micro issues, inhibiting social, economic realities. Only then with the political awakening mature into a homogenous society. No one ever killed ticks by burning the very grass the cows want to feed on.

Related Posts