Of Prostitutes and Instant Gratification
What you need to know:
- One can say that Sonko has done a lot for his people, yes. He has paid maternity bills, and given them money, yes. But what next? What happens tomorrow, Kenyans? What about tomorrow?
Zuqka.com Friday carried a story about the instant generation. The generation that I am in, that wants everything ‘as soon as they think it’.
They want success. They want fulfilling relationships. They want a close connection with God. They want it all, and they want it now.
The perfect example of this was a clip going round today. Mike Sonko, Senator, was being interviewed by Caroline Mutoko. She asked him what his plans were for the future of the people he doles out money to; in other words, she was pointing out that you cannot give a man a fish every day – you must teach him to fish.
She also stated that she had done what he is doing before (which may have been provoking him, but oh well) and asked what his plan is to be different, to empower his people and to help them sustain themselves.
It’s a good question. Kenyans are fond of hand outs, from the ‘we’re going to shags and must leave all our city possessions behind’ level to the ‘we’re going to be in agricultural and financial debt to first world countries like China because we can’t build the roads we have had plans for since independence’ level.
We tend to take from everyone, and take as much as we can, whenever we can, without a thought of what happens next.
Like during elections. Or when someone becomes an MP and thinks it will last forever (though to be fair, in some case, it does). Even fighting with each other during times when we need food relief. We are seemingly a starving nation.
This must stop. We have to find a way to rely on ourselves, because, in actuality, if we prioritized our budget and used uncommon sense, we could get by. By ourselves. Solo. Without begging.
Sonko called Mutoko a prostitute.
The sheer irrelevance of his statement overwhelmed me.
Number one: Who cares who she sleeps with? Unless it is of personal interest to him?
Number two: Is this really the forum to be throwing out such accusations, oh chosen leader of the people?
Number three: He never did answer the question – which was, funnily, a GOOD QUESTION.
Number four: The irony is that some people think Mutoko deserved it.
We are ignoring the issue here.
The issue is not whether she deserved it or provoked him, or whether it is true – despite it being vastly inappropriate.
The issue is that the man did not answer the question. The policy question – policy – WHICH IS HIS JOB.
The best – and cheapest – diversionary tactic possible (how ridiculous that a man must attack a woman’s sexuality when he is backed into a corner. But that is a story for another day). He hung up – and didn’t have to answer the question.
One can say that Sonko has done a lot for his people, yes. He has paid maternity bills, and given them money, yes. But what next?
What happens tomorrow, Kenyans? What about tomorrow?
