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Magara and Ruto as guilty as Nyachae |
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Written by Ombuya E. Okongo
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Sunday, 23 September 2007 |
While condemning Simeon Nyachae for the acts of savagery committed by his hoodlums against MPs Omingo Magara, and William Ruto, Kenyans should not ignore the part the victims played in the events.
Magara, the South Mugirango MP, and his Eldoret North counterpart should bear responsibility for their decision to storm Nyachae’s rally. The two MPs should have known – given the nature of political fundamentalists during campaigns – that walking, uninvited, into a gathering called by one of Gusii’s most vicious men was bound to result in violent confrontation. There is no doubt that prior to the attacks, Magara was aware that Nyachae gets extremely aroused by orgies of violence.
Both legislators seem to be enlightened enough to know that pacifists do not confront violence head-on. Magara and Ruto know that when political emotions run high, tempers flare and mobs lynch people without hesitation. Yet they chose to provoke supporters of a man many Abagusii think is next in rank to the Holy Trinity – an idol whose word his believers act on blindly without question.
Why the MPs exposed themselves to danger is unclear, but a cultural expectation that has sent many men to their graves maybe to blame. Society puts so much pressure on men that they fear failing to physically engage those who “threaten” them would make them less than men. This apprehension is so great that men unnecessarily put themselves and others in enormous jeopardy, just to prove to others that they are, indeed, men.
Men’s desire to be macho forces them to resort to violence, even when their consciences tells them otherwise. No one explains this phenomenon better than Jackson Katz, an American nonviolence educator, in his 1999 video, “Tough Guise: Violence, Media & the Crisis in Masculinity.” Although Katz’s work mostly concentrates on the U.S. media and culture and their role in defining masculinity as the source of violence, the same “tough guise” theory may be used to explain violence in more traditional societies like Kenya. In fact, in such societies, where exhibiting “womanly” characteristics is highly condemned and ridiculed, the number of weaklings putting on tough guises is multiplied.
It’s possible that Magara couldn’t go to bed knowing another man had held a rally in his constituency. Perhaps he feared that the Abagusii would not consider him man if he stayed away while another man dined and played around in his backyard. So he went there to confront him, though he knew the man was a bully with a long streak of inciting people to violence.
For the upcoming General Elections to be peaceful, for our society to move towards peace and democracy, men must lay aside their overzealous pride. Our society must also strive to redefine what it means to be a man. It’s okay to walk away from a fight to avoid unnecessary bloodshed. You can retreat and still be a man – a great man, in fact. After all, weren’t Mohandas Gandhi and Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. men? Shying away from fights makes a stronger statement with great potential to change violent behavior. Part of the pledge to uphold peace during the elections should include refraining from provocative behavior. A true democrat accords respect to people of differing political views. A believer in democracy recognizes the right of opponents to hold rallies anywhere – even when the rival is a brute like Nyachae. A committed democrat doesn’t own a constituency, but recognizes the populace’s right to host and listen to whomever they wish. |
Ombuya E. Okongo |
| About the author: |
| Edwin is a widely published Kenyan journalist, humorist, memoirist and satirist in the United States.
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Last Updated ( Sunday, 23 September 2007 )
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Let's get the facts correct. There was no rally in the first place. This event was a fundraiser for all youth groups in South Mugirango constituency.
The elected Member of Parliament for South Mugirango happens to be Omingo Magara. For such a development initiative seeking to benefit youth groups in his constituency, and in view of the fact that this is an election season, the area's local representative in parliament must have surely felt obliged to offer his contribution to the harambee.
Not only was that Magara's right, but also considering the likely political implications of his failure to attend and give financial support, just because the organizer (Nyachae) was from a different Party, his actions were quite politically prudent.
In fact Magara also brought in another other well-wishers and guest contributors from other constituencies like Ruto, Bichage and Obure. Nyachae needs to accept like Moi, that his native backyard has it's fair share of support for the Opposition. That's an expression of free exercising of citizens' democratic rights.
You cannot suggest that the violence was an acceptable way of welcoming guests, or rather pass the blame to the victims claiming that it was the guests fault - gosh! Weren't they invited by none other than the local MP?
Civility in politics must be encouraged. I see it all the time, the other day in Kuria, the incumbent MP, Dr. Machage, was in a fundraiser with his ODM challenger Chacha Mwita. In Ugenya, rivals and brothers-in-law Archbishop Ondiek and James Orengo always attend functions together and chide each other in humour.
Lets keep our eyes on the biggest news from this incident - Hon. Simeon Nyachae's admission that he had a private army paid to offer such "protection" in the entire Kisii region during the campaigns. That's a red flag.
I think, for selfish and egotistic reasons, Nyachae is unfortunately dragging his innocent Abagusii brothers and sisters into unnecessary troubles. Look at those innocent victims who have absolutely no business in political thuggery being targetted in Sotik, Kericho and other areas.
On a bigger picture, all political violence, whether perpetrated by supporters of Raila (Nazlin Umar and Livondo incidences), Kibaki(Kamotho stoning in Mathioya), Kalonzo ( Kalembe Ndile's beating), Nyachae, Kombo or Kituyi must not be tolerated.
But the admission by any politician that they infact have a security army, is plain criminal, and should be investigated for possible prosecution.