The real Afro-pessimists are greedy political elite who detest criticism
What you need to know:
- State House should know that criticism actually brings about change.
- Kenya has been on the verge of take-off for a while now, only held back by its leadership.
The other day, Mr Manoah Esipisu, the State House spokesperson, advised Kenyans to “celebrate our country and treat the Afro-pessimists, who see nothing positive about Kenya, with contempt.”
I have since been trying, unsuccessfully, to figure out what Mr Esipisu meant by linking Afro-pessimism and criticism. Could he simply have been showing off his (reasonable) command of English, and had finally found a way to use the word Afro-pessimism? For he was way off: Criticism and Afro-pessimism are as far apart as night and day.
Those who criticise this regime, and previous ones, are actually the ultimate Afro-optimists! For we believe Kenya can and should do better. We hold Kenya and its elite to a singular universal standard and refuse to accept that our comparison should be Somalia, Central African Republic, or Eritrea.
The wonderful potential of this country has few parallels anywhere in the world — from natural resources, our dwindling wildlife, flora and fauna, to our amazing human resources. Surely, we deserve better than we often settle for.
Afro-pessimists, on the other hand, are those determined to write Africa off as a hopeless basket case, with the lowest standards and which should be content with its lot. Afro-pessimism is reflected in slogans like “This is Africa” where anything negative goes. It is this pessimism that treats hard-earned tax resources as fair game for looting, plunder and misuse for a select few with access.
KEEP AFRICA LOW
The biggest Afro-pessimists are those who accept Kenya and Africa as it is and have no desire, or inclination to change that for the good of the majority. It is those who believe that justice is for the rich and powerful who are innocent until proven guilty, but not for the poor where the police are judge and jury — with extortion to boot.
It is those who think it is enough to simply accuse a person, business or NGO as sympathisers of terrorism — with no evidence at all — for it to be so. It is those who believe that as long as their tribesman is in power, then benefit of doubt must be given. And it is those that think that the best way to deal with terrorism is to use failed and antiquated colonial tactics of communal punishment based on ethnic and religious profiling.
Afro-pessimists are basically those that want to keep Africa as low as it is on the totem pole, riven with corruption, disease, war, tribalism and tensions. Afro-pessimists are those who find ways of stealing and manipulating elections, because Africans don’t deserve fair, legitimate and transparent elections to choose their leaders, because after all, only “they” deserve to be in power.
It is those who protect the corrupt, even as they claim to be fiercely anti-corrupt, even when spending Sh50 million for a few-hours launch event that is obviously absurd. Afro-pessimism results in the weird “only in Africa” situation where “public servants” are better remunerated than those in the private sector either through corruption or by obscene emoluments.
HELD BACK
Frankly, the ultimate Afro-pessimists are our political elite that keep us from moving ahead by their greed, divisiveness, machinations and corruption — no matter their political leanings.
Kenya has been on the verge of take-off for a while now, only held back by its leadership. We have an innovative entrepreneurial class, a dogged civil society, thriving arts and music sector, and the resilience of the vast numbers engaged in jua kali business and agriculture that survives in spite of, rather than because of, state interventions. And we have a huge mass of survivors and victims from various atrocities who refuse to give up hope, despite all efforts to ignore and forget them.
So, as we bask in the visit of President Barack Obama, let us set our standards high, accept that criticism is beneficial and spare a thought for our survivors, IDPs and victims. And let us remember the pastoralist in northern Kenya caught up between the brutality of Al Shabaab and our security forces.
Karibu Kenya Potus: And please leave some of your audacity of hope here!
