The Politics of Change

Every election time, politicians come around with very sweet sounding rhetoric. Traditionally the world over, it has been the same script of ‘ better roads, better schools, water for everyone, higher standards of living, affordable healthcare’ and so forth. I recently listened to Barack Obama talking about broken bridges across the United States that need fixing using the money that so inexplicably goes to Iraq. It is the name of the game. Necessitated by the uniformity of these messages, some clever politicians introduced sufficiently ambiguous rhetoric; things like promising to bring back a sense of national pride, bringing people together and all that kind of crap. Woven into this discussion is the notion of change too (the kind that you can believe in, see or even Xerox. Some talk of change that is real). People like fantasy and that is why this kind of rhetoric works like a magic pill. Bill Clinton, easily one of the greatest presidents of the United States, used this argument of change to turn the tables against a sitting President who only months before the election was enjoying an unprecedented 90% approval rating, a President who was fresh from leading the country into sweet victory in the first gulf war. He gave hitherto unheard-off promises like allowing gays and lesbians in the military (something that turned out to be a gross mistake). His promise of a ‘new different America’ was pure charm. Did he live up to his promise? Well, it depends on how you want took at it. One thing we all agree on is that no President had received a blowjob in the oval office before. That’s definitely change. The 21st century face of change is of course Barack. He has done stuff no one would have ever imagined and this is all attributable to the same argument of change. We cannot pass judgment on him because he is yet to be elected, but a look at those being touted as likely cabinet members in an Obama administration points to another gimmick in the making. People that served in previous administrations continue to be the nerve centre of his campaign. At what point Bill Burton underwent a complete makeover, nobody knows. Bill Richardson and John Edwards, the same old politicians will supposedly help Obama deliver change to Americans. On that one, time will tell. Back home, we have been treated to this gimmickry as well. On 12th December last year, President Mwai Kibaki promised Kenyans what he called a “clean-hands” government. That is definitely high sounding. But this is a President who had been in power for five years. This is a President who had flatly refused to stand up for principle and tell economic criminals like Prof. George Saitoti that there was no room for people with questionable backgrounds in his cabinet. Some would have read betrayal in that, but then again it would have sent a clear message about a President truly committed to a different order, a new order. He did it again this year and he will do it again. Then there is the face of change in Kenyan politics, Raila Amolo Odinga. I will not talk about his very well documented personal involvement in crime and duplicity, but I will talk about his team members. Hon Raila calls himself “an agent of change”. Let us look at some of his fellow ‘agents of change’; Otieno Kajwang, a man whose name was stricken off the list of Advocates of the high court for petty crime, is Raila Odinga’s idea of a perfect immigration minister, after all the waragi he took at Makerere, just like conning legal clients, did not stand on his way to prominence! Henry Kosgey, the man credited with bringing down the Kenya National Assurance through out-of-control embezzlement of funds is the man to bring industrial change to Kenyans. William Ruto, Dalmas Otieno, William ole Ntimama and the other guys would, after all, be there to lend support. They have actually shown a very concerted commitment towards this end over the years. Then there is my party leader, Hon Kalonzo. During the Presidential debate that never was (he is the only candidate that showed up), he said this in response to a question; “……and this is going to come in the form of real change”. That made me cringe. Sir, did you not serve a backward regime for ten years? I love you, man, but please don’t lie to me. It is all about change that never was, change that will never be. It is all pandering!