The Leading Story

                                                                                                                        Photo courtesy of KWELI

Today I declare total loyalty to President Uhuru Kenyatta. Let me be candid and say I did not believe in his presidential bid. I know now you think I am CORDED, oh wait- am more than that. I love stories, listening to them, telling them and writing about them. It is the story of Uhuru presidency that did not resonate with me.

I went to school somewhere in Kenya where I was the only Luo in my high school class and this came with its joys and baggage. I had to translate those dirty words people get to learn first in a language- donge? Then receive all the slack meant for us jang’os, but yes I enjoyed my time.

Around this time a man called Okatch Biggy emerged from somewhere I don’t want to lie I know. I heard he used to be a boxer trying to destroy the fingers that were meant to make him famous by strumming a guitar. Because he was BIG, I became Okatch Biggy to some of my classmates despite being nothing close to big. I knew nothing about him then nor ever heard of his music.

Fast forward and when the boy in me turned to a man, I happened to be around Donna Hotel (note the word ‘around’) one evening and heard some good beats of Okatch Biggy belting out Helena Wang’e Dongo (big eyed Hellen). Wait before you think it’s another version of Musaimo’s Kana Funny. My close friends know that this song has inspired me in many ways. His lyrics later inspired me to learn fluent deep dholuo so as not to float at sea- to get the gist of a master poet and story teller.

Since he died, I have never known any other Luo benga musician who could measure to Okatch, so I don’t fancy this neo-luo benga anymore. Sorry if the vulgar laced song kanungo makes your bones to start vibrating like an android phone. Okatch Biggy had a way of singing vulgar, someone once described his vulgar as liberating, oh my how can that be? Several times he crossed the line but not as far as Kanungo.  For your information, many people drove from Nairobi to Donna Hotel in Kisumu every Friday afternoon to dance to Okatch Dola Ja Ujimbe- Dudi. Luo is a lifestyle and a responsibility, but do we say.

Later I learnt that successful leaders have a personal story and when this story is packaged to resonate with the people, his influence grows hence succeeding in his tenure as a leader. The stories Okatch Biggy told revellers in his songs, brought Luos and also none Luos from far and wide. Stories are powerful.

Barrack Obama made it to white house because his personal and his father’s story of triumph over adversity resonated with the hopelessness of economic depression of the last years of George Bush Jr. tenure. Franklin D. Roosevelt in his inaugural speech in the early 1930s economic depression gave Americans the narrative- there is nothing to fear but fear itself- and America pulled through the tough times.

In East Africa, Paul Kagame’s personal story as a refugee, rebel fighter then a military intelligence officer in Uganda made him succeed as a rebel movement leader and later a successful president of Rwanda. You may have your reservations about this man, but yes, he is the president to watch in Africa.

Back to Kenya, the Uhuruto ticket had two verses, the ICC narrative and anti-Raila chorus. These two stories did not cut it for me as transformational in any way and we can see it now. Then again, they won the elections. If you have not accepted it, just move on. You are allowed to move on without accepting- do I hear some shuffling sandals - for now Uhuru Kenyatta is the president and William Ruto is his deputy.

The first 100 days of Uhuru Kenyatta’s presidency has not brought out the best in him or even in Kenyans. It is prudent that a narrative comes out of the house on the hill. If his ICC narrative was good enough to get him to state house, it cannot sustain his presidency. Things don’t look good and as a Kenyan, I am 100% behind my eloquent president, he must give us a convincing story.

Kenyans have began to feel the economic pinch so much so that they are not fulfilling their role in nature. No wonder a daily newspaper columnist wrote that despite Uhuru making maternity services free of charge; Raila is telling Kenyans not to give birth. There is more to making babies, it needs energy which is food and the baby will also need food. So circumstances have conspired to deny Uhuru an easy win in 100 days.

On the flip side, Raila Odinga and Kalonzo Musyoka have been going around telling stories. If these two gentlemen still hope to remain relevant in our political system they must also change their stories. Raila Odinga should stop this- elections were stolen- narrative and give us another story. He should stop making Uhuru Kenyatta his agenda and show Kenyans what we are missing even in small doses.

Jakom, this story of elections is stale. I can understand your predicament but if you want us to even dream of electing you again, tell us a new story. Tell us how your grandchildren are coming up. The Kenya you would like them to grow up in, and do things to that end, may be, just may be- my county mate, you never know.

Uhuru can tell us about Margy, how he tuned her akaingia box. How the birth of Ngina and Jomo changed his perception about life. There are times when political propaganda gets boring and such is the time. We need stories, it will change the people but more so our leaders. We will know where they are coming from and where they are likely to take us.

Kenyans need to dance to inspiring narratives, not depressing rants. Kenyans need a reassuring story in these tough times.

The devil is not in the details but in the story.

                                                                                                     Okatch Biggy