There is a drop of madness in everyone

The common cliché in Kenya is that every Lavington has a Kawangware and every Ngumo and Lang’ata has a Kibera. This changes a bit to the East, Runda has a slum but Muthaiga has a mental hospital protecting it from Mathare slum. What does mental illness got to do with economic class?

Word has it that there lived a special mad man in Migori, South Nyanza. He would come from his home smartly dressed and engage people in normal talk and political discussions. When it came time to answer to a long call of nature, shock on you if you were not prepared. He would walk to an open space, and then proceed to fully undress himself. He would go ahead and relieve himself oblivious of people around him then dress up again. He would then proceed with the day’s business as usual.

Like the man from Migori, we are all prone to a surge of insanity. Then again, it is mad people who change the world. What matters is how you use the madness streak in you. Like the ‘mad men and women’ who went before us, those who were first misunderstood but later revered, we can make the world a better place. 

John the Baptist and his cousin Jesus Christ were ‘mad men’ when they sprung into the scene in Israel. Galileo shocked the world with his revelation that the world is not flat like a table. William Wilberforce knew that Britain could survive economically without cheap labour from slaves. The irony is, these men were rejected by the people before what they said was believed. May our madness not separate us from each other like Mathare Mental Hospital but bridge the many social gaps that exist among us.

© 31 August 2011-  otieno kenyatta

Single ladies- Get your own man- Pastor Wa'

This week I have taken a post from Pastor Wa's blog, it touched my heart and mind and may God bless him. The link to the original post is below. To all the hustlers, this is your man.

http://pastorwa.blogspot.com/2011/08/single-ladies-get-your-own-man.html?m=1

 

So I was reading that Linda Muthama proudly calls herself Nyambane’s second wife. He is managing more than just her ‘music affairs’ as well. Has a baby by him and the usual blah blah… By the way, all this has happened a while back

 

And of course as usual, it was fodder for the blogs and media.

Worst of all, there were chics telling Linda to do what she wants, it’s her life.

Now, I don’t know whether to just rant or try and put this entire mountain of a relationship stink-hog in perspective. Because something stinks. And it stinks to high heaven. Someone ought to call it what it is; Relationship bull.

 

When a single young woman of notable influence in this country, goes ahead and becomes a second wife to a man of equal media exposure and women go ahead and cheer her on, something is wrong! Terribly wrong!

You see the truth of the matter is; you single young thing, building a man, a marriage and a family is work. Loads of it. By the time you see a ‘made’ man, some of you need to be schooled on what investment has gone into the making of the man.

 

And by the way, the making is not a procedure by machine. It’s normally by another woman, popularly referred to as the ‘wife’.

You see, no man comes made. It mostly takes a woman to do the dirty work.

She believes in him when no one else does. She helps him get started, encourages him, cooks his meals, irons his shirts, bears and raises his babies, talks to him when he’s down, makes love to him, faithfully waits for him when he comes home late at night, helps him know how to dress up, get his manners up, teaches him how to love a woman, builds a home with him painfully and painstakingly.

 

By the time people and your kind are starting to take note, there’s a nameless faceless woman somewhere that has literally laid down her life to help him become who he is now.

He has money, drives a car, owns or is in the process of owning a home, looks good, dresses the part. How can you not ‘like’ him? He is charming, I mean, come-on, who can resist this man? Who? He’s been in training for years! And then he shows some degree of interest in you?

Well honey, what you fail to realize is, it’s taken his wife 10 years or so teaching him how to talk and listen to a woman, how to be a husband and a father, and now it’s all easy to see how great he is.

Problem is, he didn’t start that way.

He started out broke, single, mostly skinny, unsure of himself, needing affirmation, a dreamer with no money or connections, a simple hustler, and this woman believed in him when nobody else did.

So how do you get yourself to a point of taking ‘over’ his life from that point on when you couldn’t afford him a second glance when he was a hustler?

 

Why not look for your own hustler to believe in and build up?

That is not only a travesty to the relationship, but an insult to another person that has poured their life and strength to build something beautiful.

It really takes quiet a bit by the time a man gets to that level. So I have a piece of advice for ya’ll single girls out there feeling the hots for a married man,

Get your own man!

 

That’s right. Get your own, because contrary to the popular opinion that all good men are married, I say all good men are simply undiscovered.

It takes a smart woman to see potential in a man, and work with that potential till he is fully what he should be. Most girls are looking for a made man, but the reality is, that man is only found among married men. Many single men are not looking for much, just a chic that will believe in them and encourage them.

You see, as a chic, you have to be wiling to get down and dirty (Yes ma’am. And I’m not talking sex here) with your man while you are building a life together. Shop at Marikiti, ride mats, live in a flat in Eastlands, and spend time helping him build a dream most girls wouldn’t give a second look. Why? Because that’s what the brother needs. You consistently invest and work together to build something. In the process, the money will come. The looks will change, class will come, probably even fame and fortune. Ten years down the line. You will look at him and marvel at how far ya’ll have come. He will be the envy of the hormone charged 22 year olds who have no idea what it has taken to get where he is.

 

The reason I seriously disagree with Linda is not because I’m hating on her. God knows that.  I pray they both come to their senses. Oh, and I’m not excusing the guy for allowing that to happen. Not one bit. Nor am I claiming to be in the scoop of the whole deal, so spare me the hate mail. I’m pointing at the travesty that is infidelity from what it does to a family. I’m pointing out a trend among some ladies, and saying; it ain’t right. Again she bragged about it, and there were women bold enough to support her. That is never the way to approach another person’s family. Never. 

 

Nyamb’s wife was with him when he was a nobody. When he was hustling to make it. When his talents were not appreciated. When all we thought of him was a shady clown trying to make us laugh. She bore him babies and raised them. Oh, and don’t even go there! The work it takes to raise kids?  Waking and staying up all night, fevers, throwing up, school work, cooking, cleaning, relatives, moving house…..What?

 

So before you start swooning about a married man being a sweetheart, think. Think hard. Think about the woman that has given her life for this dude to be able to captivate you. Think about the kids. Think about yourself! Think enough to realize, you can have exactly what she has. You can start believing in a guy, working with him. Building a house and a home, a business and a career, from the ground up. And soon enough (However long) He will be exactly what you want.

 

Some of you single chics need to talk to their own mommas. Some of you wouldn’t be where you are if they never helped your fathers build a home and a family. Even when the men treated them wrong, and I’m not at all excusing men for behaving badly. I’m just saying, for the work it takes to build a man and a marriage significantly, the key is found in believing in a guy when he is starting on his own.

It’s seeing his potential.

 

It’s helping him become the man he can be. It’s you giving yourself into the journey of life.

Teach him his manners,

How to listen, How to treat a woman

How to raise kids, save money, build a business, stay encouraged.

 

If you commit to that, then you won’t have to start drooling over another woman’s man.

He is taken! I don’t care if he is making advances. You simply don’t go there. You get your own man. Help him become ‘made’ and build a home a family to enjoy.

So, if you are considering a married dude, I will say this,

 

GET YOUR OWN MAN!

Just sayin...

"Leave my ball- Obingo, Nyamweya and Hatimy"

 My dreams of playing for Gor Mahia FC crushed in high school. I had cut my teeth at Railways Youth FC in Nakuru with the likes of John Mo' and Ramathan Balala.  I hoped to emulate Mike Otieno and Tom Odhiambo who I watched play for Musingu High School and later joined Gor. I did not meet the cut but I tend to lie that I chose to pursue books because footballers did poorly in academics. However this has never dampened my love for the beautiful game.

My love affair with football began as an eight year old back in 1987. One evening my headboy at Musingu Primary School took me to watch the All African Games finals between Kenya and Egypt. The following year I followed the African Cup of Nations in Morroco with glee. Since I knew football, Obingo and Sam Nyamweya have been associated with Kenyan football.  I do not have anything to say about Hatimy because I believe he lacks a football bone in his body. Just leave my ball alone.

Please Obingo, Sam Nyamweya and Mohammed Hatimy, with all due respect withdraw your candidature for the Football Association elections set for this month. Former president Moi said that there was no one in his cabinet able to succeed him; he did not know that he was announcing his failure to the world. A leader’s success is in raising other leaders and for this Mr. Nyamweya you score an ‘F’ for failed. I humbly ask you to let your biological or adopted children vie on your behalf. What you could do, you did let others also do their bit, leave my ball alone.

Moses accepted that Joshua was the chosen of God to lead Israel into the Promised Land. He had walked with Joshua through his leadership and the young man did not disappoint his mentor. Where are your Joshua’s? Leave my ball alone.

 In Numbers 27:15-20 below (NIV) Moses delegates his power to Joshua an act that did not diminish his worth to date. Let go, leave my dear ball.

¹⁵ Moses said to the LORD, ¹⁶ “May the LORD, the God who gives breath to all living things, appoint someone over this community ¹⁷ to go out and come in before them, one who will lead them out and bring them in, so the LORD’s people will not be like sheep without a shepherd.” 

 ¹⁸ So the LORD said to Moses, “Take Joshua son of Nun, a man in whom is the spirit of leadership,^[a] and lay your hand on him. ¹⁹ Have him stand before Eleazar the priest and the entire assembly and commission him in their presence. ²⁰ Give him some of your authority so the whole Israelite community will obey him. 

kenyatta otieno © since 1978.

ARE YOU A TRIBALIST? Do not look at her legs.....

We must continue to pursue the terrorists. We must not tire to ‘hunt down’ the criminals who regard themselves as ‘holy warriors". But who is pursuing the tribalists? Kenyans must track and pursue this threat to our security and nationhood. We must diffuse the tribalists ‘bombs’. We must ready ourselves for overt and covert operations to counter-tribalism. Young Kenyans must annihilate ethnic manipulation and assume their responsibilities. They too must appreciate the gravity of this threat. The fact that hope for nationhood rest with the young is undeniable. But the young must now rise up to the challenge.

Hassan Omar Hassan —The writer is a commissioner with the KNCHR

My grandmother is one jolly lady, I like visiting and spending time with her on the western shores of the beautiful Rusinga island. She always tells me with a light touch that I should not bring her a lady who is not endowed with fine legs. To my people, a pair of well curved calves is a beauty statement. This is usually meant to nicely discourage me from marrying my 

sisters from the slopes who in most cases are never endowed in this area.

This tribal mistrust is a fact in many people of her generation. I will be doing a disservice to my education and exposure if I flowed with her mentality. I do not condemn her, having grown up and lived her active life when information was rationed and what was served was censored, she cannot know any better. This social and security threat has spread to the younger generation. It is unfortunate that the people Hassan is calling to arise are caught up in the same trap.

I have traveled in most areas of this country and I can say without a shadow of contradiction that no region can claim superiority over another. Every region is endowed with resources that can be tapped. The poor in Central Province are so poor that the affluence among them is stained with destitution. The other regions cannot blame Kikuyus’s for their misfortune because someone will only ride your back if it is bent. The only people who need affirmative action are our people in the former Northern Frontier Districts. The rest of us  need to learn from each other more instead of hating each other.

That aside, the word of God says in Mark 12:31 “The second is this love your neighbor as yourself. There is no commandment greater than these.” This verse reminds me that I can only love others as much as I love myself. To have a dislike or hatred for another is to first have a problem with loving and accepting yourself. It is never about the other party, like in marriage, pray for your spouse and work on yourself. It is the only way we will get Kenya out of this cancer that is eating us up slowly. Come to think of it, it takes a tribalist to elect a tribalist.

 kenyatta otieno © since 1978

Look at me, Look at yourself; Look at me again….

I had a light bulb moment when I started learning my mother tongue dholuo in depth. It is deep in such a way that speaking it is so fun you can twist it at will. One phrase I will point out is the expression for ‘I am unable’- otamo wang’a directly translates to ‘I cannot see.’ The fact that I cannot visualize the end product means that I will not be able to do it. This is my great lesson in this season; the power of vision.

There is power that vision generates is huge, it attracts people and attracts resources around it as well. My wakeup call has been in my personal life, that I need a clear vision for it. I now know why it was easy to burn the midnight oil in my pursuit for academic excellence. I had a vision of what I wanted to be after school; I need the when I grow up type of belief.

I can only handle what I can see, I will only solve a problem I can see myself in the solution. The bible has many verses that speaks about vision. The Message version in Matthew 6:22  says "Your eyes are windows into your body. If you open your eyes wide in wonder and belief, your body fills up with light. If you live squinty-eyed in greed and distrust, your body is a dank cellar. If you pull the blinds on your windows, what a dark life you will have!

It is evident in me that I have to be clear in my small visions so as to be able to be effective in my BIG visions. Do you know of anyone who ever anything outstanding without a vision? This is the reason why the gym has pictures of people with perfect chiseled bodies, so that you can conceptualize a vision in the gym if you do not have one. I HAVE OPENNED MY EYES they will not be defeated.

Politics is Kenya's Problem; Ken wa Maria vs. Kalonzo Musyoka

Chinua Achebe wrote a tiny book called 'the problem with Nigeira.' Like many story tellers he breaks down the cancer that has destroyed his country. If I was to extrapolate his book to Kenya, then our problem is bad politics. Former president Moi put it well; 'siasa mbaya, maisha mbaya.' (bad politics, bad living conditions)

Recently I watched Ken wa Maria (mutongoi wanzanze- wa wa) on TV perform during the Sakata final show and I remembered my escapedes through Ukambani. From Tsiekuru in Mwingi to the North to Emali to the South,from  Machakos to Kitui, wa Maria is a super star. He must be speaking to the core of the heart of Kamba community. I even met his look alike in Kitui, complete with artificial dreadlocks. I brought up the topic to a group of Kamba young men in my neighbourhood and they told me I can do away with Vice President Kalonzo Musyoka but should not touch Ken. (sorry Mheshimiwa)

Then why have we elevated politics and politicians to deity status? If wa Maria can wield so much influence in the Vice President's backyard, then we have hope. Politics may be a necessary evil but we need to moderate it by raising other superstars from other sectors of life.This will make politicians tone down their antics to make news and get serious about finding their place in people's hearts like Ken wa Maria has done.

The late Okatch Biggy used to make influential Luos drive from Nairobi to Kisumu every Friday afternoon for a weekend dance. If we can raise such story tellers who can speak to us in our language, then we do not need to expect heavens from politicians who think with their stomachs and keep their minds constipated. I sound harsh, yes. Kenyans deserve better, help us God.

Proverbs 28:2 and12 (The Message)

² When the country is in chaos, 
   everybody has a plan to fix it—
But it takes a leader of real understanding 
   to straighten things out. 

²⁸ When corruption takes over, good people go underground,
   but when the crooks are thrown out, it's safe to come out.

kenyatta otieno          since 1978

The Judiciary under Mutunga is about Studs and Dreadlocks

The news that Kenyan advocates and judges will not have to wear wigs and dark suits to court may have caught many except me by surprise. To add spice to it, they can wear studs and dreadlocks as long as they look smart. Though I was apprehensive of Mutunga becoming the C.E.O at The Judiciary, I welcome this new development. I am not outright conservative (do not misunderstand my earlier apprehension) but one thing I know is that I am not conventional.

There is an adage that an organization takes the shape of its C.E.O and the appointment of Willy Mutunga to the Judiciary has confirmed this. Someone’s shape is his gifts, what he is passionate about, ability, personality and past experiences. If you sum up Mutunga’s shape you get the man Kenyans see as the messiah to our legal system. He has already been to many FM stations and Korogocho slums. This tells us a lot about who he is and as they say ‘we ain’t seen nothing yet.’ He is a liberal and this will trickle down the legal system grassroots in a big way. 

This theory is best demonstrated in Kenya under Moi and Kibaki. It is surprising how ministers who served silently and loyally under Moi can publicly disagree with President Kibaki. If you have the opportunity to choose a C.E.O, whether by voting or appointing take it very seriously. Everybody has a space to offer leadership, at a family level in the minimum. You will lead from the platform of your shape which is who you are; your character. 

This brings me to the big question of who is your C.E.O?  My C.E.O is Jesus Christ.

Luke 6:43-45 (The Message)       Work the Words into Your Life

 You don't get wormy apples off a healthy tree, nor good apples off a diseased tree. The health of the apple tells the health of the tree. You must begin with your own life-giving lives. It's who you are, not what you say and do, that counts. Your true being brims over into true words and deeds.

© 8 July 2011- kenyatta otieno                  since 1978