Most recently, Kenyans have been angry, a lot. Forced to choose between survival and servicing GOK’s debts. Constantly venting at the current crop of politics, policies and the Presidency.
On 3rd May, President Ruto announced the indefinite closure of schools.
This was largely due to floods and the scare of Cyclone Hidaya. We are familiar with floods and droughts in the Tropics. Not cyclones. Listening to the State House media brief, my children, similar to the COVID pandemic period, were furious with the second postponement of schools opening.
Before fighting the drowning waters and a sinking nation, Kenyans were battling over-taxation. Taxing everything seemed lost in this lot!
Today, let’s not bash GOK’s bulging taxation base that seeks to creatively and crudely amassing revenue from roadside hawkers or salaried folks with punitive (housing and other) levies.
For a moment, let’s look through Wanjiku‘s lenses as she painfully struggles to liberate herself, for the umpteenth time. She wears the shoe and bears the burden.
Here is the real Wanjiku (from Nyeri Museum).
Pull up, selecta! Reggae fans know this (outdated) disco hype!
In January 2021, at the aftermath of COVID, Cucu Nyambura threatened to beat up Wong, a Chinese female contractor. Wong was leading the construction of a water dam. In her jibe, Cucu Nyambura referred as ‘kairitu‘, loosely translated as ‘a small girl’.
Before this GOK project, Cucu Nyambura had bravely survived the death of her husband, Mr. Mugo, in 2017. Four years later, she was facing kairitu. She embodied her community’s unwelcome emotions towards the project and its implementers.
With courage, she confronted the demons of development.
At the time, GOK had just negotiated with the inhabitants of Kariua, in Kiambu to buy off their ancestral land at Ksh. 3 million per acre, as compensation deal. This was to construct a water dam for Athi Water Agency.
All in an effort to rump up renewable energy onto the national greed grid.
Cucu Nyambura was the unbowed widow. Adamant to relocate her husband’s grave. She read mischief in the whole (or)deal. This fiasco brought to the fore, land as one of major issues that (African) widows confront after the grim reaper does its thing.
With stoic confidence, she addressed the area MCA through media. Her battle-hardened index finger pointing at the Chinese contractor, “Kanjura, unganirie kairitu karia! tondu Ngai Mwathani nondikahure mbaara itahana mbaara!”
This loosely translates to ‘MCA please warn this small girl! I swear, I can beat her up, in a way not to be forgotten.’ Sadly, you lose the punch when you translate Kikuyu to English.
Are Kenyans angry at politicians, climate change, neighbors, themselves, or God?
Back in time, Israel too was in distress. Not because of the ongoing genocide against Palestinians in Gaza. Rather, they resented Rome’s iron fist rule. Anything that would unshackle them from Augustus Caesar’s grip was welcome.
In their time, revolutionaries and their wannabes paid the prize, with their freedom (Barnabas) or lives (two ‘thieves’ on the cross). Cucu Nyambura isn’t the first zealot.
Not too far away, in Kiandutu, also in Kiambu county, Wanjiru was married to Kiai in the 70s. In their happily-ever-after marriage, they lived with Kiai’s siblings in their ancestral home. Five children later, Kiai succumbed to a short illness in the 90s.
Wanjiru was left to single-handedly wade off her in-laws. It was the battle royale for her one-acre piece of land. Cursed is the ground! It produces (emotional) thorns and thistles.
It wasn’t long before Wanjiru was dispossessed of her husband’s inheritance and vomited out. Off, she relocated to Nairobi’s Kiambiu slums, to begin a new life.
Before Kiai’s death, Wanjiru was a happily married housewife.
His demise left her with the daunting task of feeding and raising five children, in a new neighborhood without friends and relatives.
She too was a fighter. Went to court. Won the case against her in-laws, hands down.
Repossessing Kiai’s inherited land, from the greedy in-laws. Immediately, she sold off the land. Educated her children with part of the money. Soon enough, she mustered the ropes of selling second-hand clothes in Gikomba market.
Without a father, her children stretched her every bit of emotion. If she wasn’t confronting their mischief in the neighborhood or in school, she was screaming at their rebellious teenage emotions.
She soldiered on, like every other person. Life doesn’t give us what we deserve. She joined church. Sang in the choir. All along gaining the needed psychosocial support. And strength to navigate the intimidating path that is widowhood.
Sadly, she couldn’t raise all her children as she so desired.
Her three daughters got pregnant while living with her. They dumped their unwanted children with her. With a growing number of grandchildren under her care, she soon became Cucu Wanjiru. Her sons too, got into all sorts of truancy and drugs.
In 2023, she buried her first born son, Mugo. His drinking had wiped out his liver. In the level 5 public hospital where he was being treated, the doctor was extremely impatient with his runaway attitude, every time he was being attended to.
Attempting to extend his liver’s lifespan and utility, they did a bypass on his abdomen. This was to help empty the fluid build up on one of the liver lobes. A procedure that required full anesthesia in a fully equipped theatre.
As if to punish him, the doctor inserted this bypass at his office, with no anesthesia.
That was the last puncture on his body. He let out his final cry, in the presence of his mother and sister. . Not your usual cry. A high-pitched scream that was heard across the hospital hallways.
While Cucu Wanjiru is angry with the doctor’s negligence, mistreating and killing his firstborn son, Cucu Nyambura is baying for Wong’s blood for driving her out of her ancestral home.
As Kenyans, the doctors and development have triggered our anger.
Not we are battling climate change. Threatened or displaced by the raging waters from dams and rivers that have burst their banks. Who is thinking of the least (widows and orphans) among us, as everyone is fighting for dear life, property and livelihood?
How is GOK cushioning the most vulnerable citizens from misery?
In anger, Cucu Wanjiru and Cucu Nyambura are fighting (back) with clenched fists. Should they unclench their fists, like Frozen (cartoon) and sing let it go. In some instances, anger has externally produced great results, but in others, it has internally damaged the one venting.
Nobody wants to die. At least, not now.
Perhaps that family member, friend, colleague or neighbor is angry with you or at themselves. Let’s together burst the bubble of anger. And free ourselves from the mental agony of fighting outsider forces. Jealously, let us protect our inner peace.
Frozen sings, It’s funny how some distance makes everything seem small
And the fears that once controlled me can’t get to me at all
It’s time to see what I can do
To test the limits and break through
No right, no wrong, no rules for me
I’m free
Yes, the government hasn’t fully honored its social contract with the citizens. Climate change is wreaking havoc. Rich people are exploiting the poor. Our stress levels keep soaring. May be it’s time, to let it go.
Let it go, let it go
I am one with the wind and sky
Let it go, let it go
You’ll never see me cry
Here I stand and here I stay
Let the storm rage on
Together, let’s say the Serenity Prayer, originally written by Reinhold Niebuhr. Members of Alcoholics Anonymous have been enthusiastically embraced this prayer.
“O God and Heavenly Father, grant to us the serenity of mind to accept that which cannot be changed, courage to change that which can be changed, and wisdom to know the one from the other through Jesus Christ, our Lord, Amen.”
Taking care of the least among us, knocks off our runaway societal stress levels.
Joseph Ngaara is inspired by people’s life experiences. This is a true story. Views and opinions expressed are mine. Do you have an intriguing life story and need to share your triumph or tragedy? Email: j.mungai@hotmail.co.uk