Hussein Obama
21
January
Yesterday, one Hussein Obama was sworn in as the 44th president of the United States of America.
Kenya, as it is generally wont to, sent a contingent of idlers and freeloaders, captained by Foreign Affairs Minister Moses “I’ve just been to Optica” Wetangula, who must be full from his numerous helpings of humble pie as he is the unfortunate who said “Who is Obama to tell us anything? He is just a junior senator from Illinois.” Wetangula famously pronounced the ‘s’.
Speaking of humble pie, I am eating my share of the same. I could never have wagered that Obama would win the election, much less the democratic nomination. Considering that Obama could not have won on the strength of the black vote alone, it speaks volumes of the American people walking the walk rather than just talking the talk.
I categorically eat my words and my hat.
Well in Mr. Obama! Well in America!
Although in my defence my jaundiced view is not helped by the poor calibre of leadership shown by our leaders and the tribal myopia of an embarrassingly large contingent of my fellow countrymen.
I have no doubt Obama would have lost the election if he run in Kenya.
If he was lucky enough to find his name on the electoral roll, and was even luckier to find his face and name on the ballot, he would have been sunk by voter turnouts of 340% voting for the incumbent. The final nail in his coffin would be the swearing in taking place while the ECK chairman is having his announcement typed by a ‘secretary’ in a beret , green uniform and a G3 slung across his shoulders.
But I digress.
Contrast
The biggest contrast I have ever seen in a long time was the way Americans looked fondly with admiration and pride and even love at their new leadership yesterday, compared to the *****, *****, ******, ****** and ***** with which Kenyans regard their leadership from the swearing in todate. What a vast difference! Rest assured you useless logarithms, that is not the way we look at you!
Why oh why can’t we get such a man instead of the hyenas and garden gnomes we have now!
I was in a passionate argument with a gentleman yesterday to the effect that America has had 200 years to get themselves in order whereas we are a young country.
I find this to be a bullshit excuse not worth the 1ply it deserves to be written on. Show me the commandment that dictates we must learn from the school of hard knocks! Is it not wiser to learn from the successes and mistakes of others.
AOB
Pal: Dude, clearly you’re being looked after well, you lucky bastard
M: I cannot tell a lie my son, that I am, that I am. What makes you say that?
Pal: Before you got married my guy you carried biscuits and snacks in all the oddest places. In your pockets, in your laptop bag, in your car dashboard
M: I categorically deny!
Pal: Now you actually have a sealed container, something that cannot possibly be your doing!
Indeed, I am a lucky man. My dearest, YOU ROCK!
1. 'Your 1.7!'
(1 Comments) | January 21st, 2009 at 3:48 pm
About time, my dear! Not saying anything about just how much exhorting finally got you in that position.
Ya rocks too!
2. Sportskenya
(1 Comments) | January 21st, 2009 at 6:13 pm
Hey Thinker,
1st , I don’t know if ‘run’ an election is grammatically correct, but then again, I’m no grammar teacher. Contest would be more appropriate.
2nd the whole eating humble pie is shared by yours truly who also thought of the same prejudices but then it’s America and they say anything’s possible.
Ours is but a mirror ‘demogracy’(from demagogues. May the best dog eat ! Wonder if we’ll make it to the 10th leave alone the 44th President at this rate !
3. vituvingisana
(38 Comments) | January 21st, 2009 at 7:31 pm
Hear ye, hear ye…
Only idiots would proffer excuses like… “they have been independent for 200 years…” for crying out loud, the USA had better (in this case meaning financially responsible) leadership immediately upon independence… & we are still clueless 45 yrs hence!
George Washington retired gracefully as a Gentleman Farmer while our 1st prez went senile but wouldn’t let go… unless Heaven literally pulled him up! Oh, & some silly pronouncement that it is treason to ‘imagine’ the death of the prez… Only if imagination could kill…
4. toiyoi
(106 Comments) | January 21st, 2009 at 8:01 pm
“Why oh why can’t we get such a man instead of the hyenas and garden gnomes we have now!”
Things do not just happen. People cause things to happen. People move things. The fact is that Kenyans elected the leaders they have. Period.
Why, i ask: if ECK forced Kibaki KEs and Annan forced Raila on KEs, why on earth don’t the people remove them, even if it means death? Did not one wise one say
“Give me liberty or death”
Seems to me, dear sir, that the KE people have this notion that “good leadership comes easy on a silver platter”.
5. Jababoeku
(4 Comments) | January 21st, 2009 at 11:08 pm
What can we say about our so called *****, *****, ******, ****** and ***** that we have! Sheer madness.
Creating a mess that we don’t need,then using our hard-earned taxes to clean it up! Plus doing a shoddy clean-up job that leaves us in a worse-off position than we initially were!
Nothing comes to mind, other than FUUUUUUUUNNNDDAAAAAH (is a donkey!)
6. Whispering Inn
(26 Comments) | January 22nd, 2009 at 3:33 am
I would ask how the pie tastes but then that would be ungentlemanly.
Besides, it may be misconstrued as gloating. And I wouldn’t gloat now, would I?
After all, I think we made a wager and, if my memory servces me right — unlike that of my Chief Justice namesake, all I asked for were a pair of tickets…
What now, my jolly old friend?
7. Our Kid
(40 Comments) | January 22nd, 2009 at 10:57 am
I caught a glimpse of Wetangula on CNN during the telecast. He was perched on a tree! Can’t wait for his press conference when he is back. He is certain to mouth something like ‘ingu-lutet’ or ‘tiplomats’ or ‘condinend’
But seriously M. How about running for President? I think the only requirement is being over 35.
8. ---Supreme-G.R.E.A.M---
(18 Comments) | January 22nd, 2009 at 11:30 am
I sooooo much loved it when Kalembe decided to get dramatical by donating a TV to the ministry of foreign affairs. That was genius. Honestly why did these guyz have to go seriously?
9. Chrenyan
(143 Comments) | January 22nd, 2009 at 12:09 pm
First of all, GREAT snap.
Secondly, I enjoyed the inauguration, and that closing benediction was simply off the charts. How the man managed to distill decades of civil rights struggle into a four-minute prayer… it was one of the most evocative moments of the whole day.
Thirdly, I agree with Toiyoi. Kenya cries out for a leader like President Obama, but her own people stand between her and the object of her desires. I would like to believe that Kenya has plenty of capable leadership. Our leaders are a reflection of who we are.
Lastly, I PARTICULARLY enjoyed this portion of Obama’s speech (quoting offhead, may not be exact):
To those of you who cling to power through corruption, deceit and the silencing of dissent: you are on the wrong side of history, but we will extend a hand to you, if you will unclench your fist.
10. Jose
(24 Comments) | January 22nd, 2009 at 12:38 pm
I don’t think people fully appreciate the meaning of war and death, and what it does to a society.
So this goes our to Toiyoi:
In response to your comments, “Why, i ask: if ECK forced Kibaki KEs and Annan forced Raila on KEs, why on earth don’t the people remove them, even if it means death? Did not one wise one say
“Give me liberty or death””
Show me your fatigues, your boots, your AK, and your commitment to go to the death, and we’ll think about following you.
Otherwise, keep your couch-based revolutionary rhetoric to yourself.
11. WathiiFm
(84 Comments) | January 22nd, 2009 at 5:54 pm
The AOB is real…. I’m a living witness
12. toiyoi
(106 Comments) | January 22nd, 2009 at 7:19 pm
@Jose
I agree i am “couch” revolutionary. I deny it not, but the fact is: History bears record that no good system ever came into being without the some blood being shed.
Now, that blood my be the citizens ( God forbid ) or Christ’s ( but men care not for Christ). Take Your pick- Whichever it is, there is ALWAYS the shedding of blood.
Now, if the men involved are wise, sooner than later, they will come to their senses “agree to do this thing amicably”. If not,as is mostly the case in Africa and elsewhere, the prolong the senseless shedding of blood and suffering unnecessary.
That is the unfortunate world we live in.
13. toiyoi
(106 Comments) | January 22nd, 2009 at 7:22 pm
2 Corrections:
1. their senses “agree to do this thing micably”.
OUGHT TO BE:
their senses and “agree to do this thing amicably”.
2.the prolong the senseless shedding of blood and suffering unnecessary.
OUGHT TO BE:
they prolong the senseless shedding of blood and the eventual unnecessary suffering.
14. edge.of.sanity
(42 Comments) | January 28th, 2009 at 12:26 pm
Refreshing, just refreshing.
The grown-ups are in the [White] House.
As one of the early naysayers [or overly cautious optimists
], I, too, had to eat not one, but two of my hats last year. The first when the son of the native son, Obama, dismantled the Clinton Machine to clinch the nomination and later when he walloped McCain the Maverick, to become America’s 44th president.
THINGS TO PONDER [whaaa...again?]
Is it good leaders before a responsive population or vice versa?…à la the chicken or egg?
If leaders are a subset of a general populace, then are we as Kenyans forever stuck in an endless loop of less-than-desirable all-round leadership?
I know, I know…it’s been argued exhaustively and the solutions are known but hardly ever executed.
15. alextheafrican
(1 Comments) | February 3rd, 2009 at 9:00 am
“Show me the commandment that dictates we must learn from the school of hard knocks! Is it not wiser to learn from the successes and mistakes of others.”
Every teenager has to have their go at it no matter how smooth or rough their parents had it. it’s just how it is.