Monday, August 2, 2010

"Should I Say Yes, Should I Say No..."

"Should I Say Yes, Should I Say No..." This is part of the chorus of the song "Should I Say Yes" - Nu Shooz. Lovely track that is. Reminds me of those 80's handbags that used to make use of a pulley system (the ones with long straps. You could actually use the strap for tethering a cow) as opposed to the modern ones  that can be used for smuggling babies to ferrying a crate of Tusker. I've heard them being referred to as "I don't know where I'm sleeping tonight". Here's a sample:


Yes or No, No or Yes. Whatever the permutation of these terms, they still remain two. Kenyans, in the upcoming referendum, have to pick Yes or No. Personally, I don't think the problem has ever been the constitution. It's always been the people. So what, we get a new constitution but the leadership and cultural elements remain the same? Just because the operational framework has changed doesn't guarantee an improvement in the status quo...in as much as it may pave a way for such. Do we need to have a new constitution so that we can prosper as individuals and as a nation? What is preventing us from doing what the proposed draft will enable us to do now? Is the current constitution  a justification of  our failure to prosper in certain areas or as a country for that matter?

Despite being the driving force behind the economy, I think the Kenyan middle class is utterly selfish. They don't give two shoes and an underwear about the poor and are the main players the man-eat-man society and are also at the forefront of perpetration of corruption. They have absolutely no faith in the government and systems and are fighting as much as possible to stay high above the poverty line. It's only the poor and rich who get to interact with the government. The poor because they have no one to turn to and the rich because they need to clinch "that deal" and thereafter pump funds into some election campaign.

Think about it, a  mongoloid like Kamlesh/Paul(not the octopus) Pattni was an average wanker like the rest of us until he discovered some loopholes in the regulations and he took a stab at it. Just look at where this exploit landed us...and where it landed him! on a pedestal (oh, I'm told it's now a pulpit) where he can rub shoulders with the rich and mighty.

Shall we ever live to see a revolution of the middle class? Shall we ever have secure expectations and faith in the system? I surely hope & pray so. Meanwhile, I shall exercise my civic duty to vote come August 4th 2010.