MWACHIRO: Hypocrisy reigns supreme but love will win

I don't know when, but I know love conquers all. And tell you what, not even you can hide a rainbow. PHOTO | AFP

What you need to know:

  • We call activists noise makers and make tyrants saints. We demand for a patriotism that comes from the mouth and not from the heart.
  • We are proud of our magical Kenya but refuse to preserve her history and happily pollute her skies.
  • We trade off four-hour traffic stories and accept it as normal. Not knowing we are driving our health to death.

This is a country where the leadership will rather speak against queerness but stay silent on femicide, corruption, tribalism, misogyny, lack of accountability, high unemployment, poor governance and lack of accountability, among other things.

How else could one describe the words of the of Kikuyu Council of Elders, who said that homosexuality could be blamed for the myriads of calamities that have been striking Africa in the recent past?

SENT TO SCHOOL TO DIE
We have youth killing themselves because they battle with their sexuality or feel that they aren’t being heard. Children are being sent to school to die.

We now look down on the teachers who educate our kids. We worship politicians who kill, steal and destroy and elevate them at pulpits, funerals, and on our TVs.

We raise funds for megachurches that sit thousands and yet have classrooms and lectures that are too small or poorly equipped for young minds.

We buy 4x4s for roads that have more potholes than the moon.

WOMEN MADE INVISIBLE
We have muted our children and made our women invisible. We want to be African, yet are proud to say, ‘I can’t speak Kiswahili’.

We have become that nation where thieves steal from police.

We call activists noise makers and make tyrants saints. We demand for a patriotism that comes from the mouth and not from the heart.

We are proud of our magical Kenya but refuse to preserve her history and happily pollute her skies.

We trade off four-hour traffic stories and accept it as normal. Not knowing we are driving our health to death.

HEADS IN THE SAND
We chose to stick our heads in the sand and when we come out for air, we got after individuals who’ve chosen to be speak their truth. We devour fiction not facts.

We build skyscrapers and forget to build pavements. We look up and not within. Too scared to admit that we are falling from grace but secretly appreciate that we have South Sudan and Somalia next us. “We are not like them,” we say.

We’d rather capitalise or privatise rather than revolutionise or rationalise. Bora uhai, we sing!

What life is this where you’d rather hurt, hate and harm instead of heal or help? What life is this where others’ eyes are more revered than your very own?

This country was not built on the hate, fear, corruption and despondency that so prevails.

We’d rather ‘other’ one another rather than live or try to understand each other.

Come after us. Come! But love will win. I don't know when, but I know love conquers all. And tell you what, not even you can hide a rainbow.
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Kevin Mwachiro is a writer, podcaster, journalist and human rights activist.