What We've Lost.........

The ongoing situation in Kenya has turned from watching a car crash to watching a multi-car pile up. When you think that it is over and want to go and help another car comes barelling down the road and slams into the pile adding more to the carnage. Everytime you want to help there is another car coming to join the pile, it also doesn't help that instead of clearing the wreck the drivers who started it want to argue as more cars join the pile.

That is my analogy on the Kenyan situation right now. It is amazing how less than 2 weeks are going to set us back years in many ways. I've decided to take a broad look at the different ways we are going to be hurting.

1. The Economy - One of the daily papers in Kenya said that the chaos has cost Kenya 60 billion shilling so far. I'm not going to bandy around numbers but the results are self evident. We have looted businesses, destroyed infrastructure, tourist numbers are going to plummet and I'm even going to venture and say that investments both local and foreign won't be coming in any time soon. I see our neighbors Uganda and Tanzania benefiting from our misfortune. Of course in turn what is going to happen is that we are going to end up exporting even more skilled labour than usual and given the xenophobia Tanzanians and Ugandans have for Kenyans that isn't going to help relations much. I'll even venture to say that the rate of inflation is going to rise.
If one took a close look at the rioters and looters one would notice that they were young men. A writer said there is nothing as dangerous as an unemployed young man, Kibaki's failure to create the jobs he said he would or encourage the growth of small businesses is indicative of the large number of looters, rioters and militia. Rest assured if these young men had something to call their own, they would have been less willing to riot and enter battle. On many levels I feel that their rioting was more a way of expressing their frustration than expressing their tribal allegiances. Since the 90's the number of disenfranchised youth has been growing in Kenya at an exponential rate, a walk around the different neighbourhoods of Nairobi can attest to that fact. Until Kenyan's leaders starting from the head put in place economic policies that have a trickle down effect instead of a trickle up effect we are always going to have young men willing to loot throw stones and kill either for money or to prove a point.

2. Tribal Relations - I have a Kikuyu friend (yes it has become that bad when we have to claim to have friends from certain tribes) told me that when Kibaki announced his Cabinet, the Kamba messenger loudly and happily proclaimed, "sasa tuko na nyinyi!"
That is what we have been reduced to, us vs them. I can recall reading Kpundit's post about how she was really conflicted since she came from a multi ethnic family. I am sure her anguish is being felt by thousands all over the country. In some cases it didn't end at feelings as some individuals have had their families torn apart by in-laws who have come to claim them or other in-laws who have banished them from their adopted community irregardless of how long they have lived there.
We have now entered a whole new period of distrust among tribes, we are one nation in name only at this stage. Alot of this tension has been simmering for a very long time and no attempts have been made to disperse it after the explosion since the powers that be are willfully blind to the cause and even deny its' existance. I have been reading different Kenyan forums on-line and while many people are attempting to at least put out the fires in our country and help the affected, there are some blog postings I have read that are full of gloating and are just a step away from hate speech. What they are gloating about, I don't know because right now any victory is Pyhrric at best.
I remember a time when you could travel throughout Kenya and the only thing you had to worry about was your property but now we may be coming to a stage where the only way certain tribes can travel through certain areas is by air. That may be a stretch but with the tensions that have been inflamed in some areas I think we are going to have sunset towns (outsiders must be gone before sunset) if we are not careful.

3. The Land Issue - One underlying cause of the tribal tension in Kenya has been the land issue. Skewed land distribution after independence, poor land policies, land grabbing and no attempts to address the issue have been a cause of sporadic clashes in parts of Kenya and the only thing most leaders have done is use it for political mileage. Now with certain groups being banished from certain areas of the country, their land will be taken by the "natives" but what of the displaced? Even if the government attempts to give them their land back, most of them won't go back especially when your neighbor was the same person who drove you out and burnt down your house.
So while one group may have solved their land issue (the wrong way), a whole new group of disenfranchised people will have been created alongside a new set of tribal tension and hate.


Those are the three main points that came to mind but I am sure the fall out is far far wider. Who ever knew that a struggle for power between 2 men would hurt Kenya this badly. At this point in time it doesn't matter who won or who lost the election, the point is that as Kenyans we all lost. It doesn't matter if you live in the slum, in the village, in an estate or in a mansion we are all going to be feeling the after shocks of this for a long long time to come.
The only question is that as Kenyans are we going to path a positive way forward and seek reconciliation or are we going to get into our respective tribes and dig in for the long haul? Think about it.....

What Words Can't Express

What happens when an unstoppable force meets an immovable object?

I'll give the answer to that riddle at the end of the post. For the last almost one week I have been following the news from Kenya. I have been on a roller coaster of emotions that I can't even begin to describe. A friend of mine told me before these elections that Kenya will never be the same again, I scoffed at her but now I agree wholeheartedly. It has been hard for me to do this post, I have started it several times but the right words wouldn't come out.

Basically from what I gather the elections seemed to be going well with the usual hiccups. Then the count began to take longer than expected, and then it was stopped to investigate irregularities. Upon resumption the leader was now the follower; results were announced followed by a shot gun swearing in. One side wasn't taking it down and rose up to demonstrate and the government decided that they were going to put them down with an iron fist

At one point I wanted to accuse and point fingers. At another juncture say that certain people had brought this upon us and if anything happens to them they asked for it, but now the only thing I can ask for is peace.

One thing I am going to say is that alot of the sentiments that led to this state of affairs have been fomenting for a very long time. We have had elections before in Kenya and yes we did have scuffles but for things to get this bad must mean that something was building in the back of people's minds.

What's worse is that tribal relations in Kenya will not be the same again. It is now going to be them vs us mentality for many different tribes for a long time to come.

Anyway I'm not on the ground so there is a limit to what I can say since I am not experiencing things first hand. One thing I can say is that there is no winner in this election, in fact the greatest losers have been the Kenyan people.

All I am hoping for is that most bloggers and readers out there are fine, and that even if you lost property that at least you and your families are safe.

Oh and as for my riddle you might have guessed that the unstoppable force is Raila and the immovable object is Kibaki.

What happens when an unstoppable force meet and immovable object?

They must both yield or there shall be total chaos......

ps: I did see Gathara did post a similar version to this riddle but with a different answer somewhat, I guess great minds think alike.

Monday Moanings Part XIV

I know people in America love their pets but I was reading this story and I was like enough is enough! How does someone who lives half way across the country invite you over and you decide to bring your dog without their permission and expect the dog to get 5 star treatment? If you told them or they asked you to bring your pet, all well and good but in any other situation that is sheer stupidity to say the least. Anyway people here love their pets to a fault, I think we all read about how Leona Helmsley left her dog millions and left her remaining family members next to nothing. Anyway the dog now has bodyguards due to death threats, were in that fam I too would plan a hit on it. Love for your pets is great, but the overt devotion people out here have is too much!

Talk about being left without a leg to stand on! I think it takes a special kind of brute to decide to chop off someone's leg. What happens if they find out the leg doesn't do what they thought it would do? Will they go back for his other leg?

Last week I learned the importance of listening via hearing. You see I sent an acquaintance a happy Jamuhuri day text and he texted me back asking me if I wanted to go to Opera. I pondered the question for a few moments and I was like, "Yeah, why not? Tell me the time and the venue."
I never thought there was an opera in Atlanta, so if there was this was going to be something interesting for me to do. It is when he called me later on and told me about the time, place, dress codes and all the rest of the information is when it hit me that he was talking about a new nightclub called Opera that is in midtown ATL and is barely a year old.

Since I had already agreed to go with such fervour earlier, I masked my reluctance and decided to get ready for my FIFO. What does FIFO mean, well it means; Fast In Fast Out. I dislike clubs so I usually set things up very well so that I can make my time there as useful as possible and make it pass as fast as possible. My maximum time in most clubs here in the States is 2 hours, in the pre-driving license days it would be much longer because of course I was at the mercy of whoever was driving and I could also drink the boredom away. But as a driver, I dont take risks; two drinks max. So I met my pal at 11 pm and I was in my car at 12.45 am revving it for the drive home. Clubs here just don't do anything for me, I don't begrudge anyone who goes but for me I think I'll pass. Give me my bars, bashes and BBQs anyday!

I don't know if I have ever blogged about this, but I detest Christmas with a passion. I am happy that the enthusiasm here has also been dying down with the recession and all. It is with that in mind that I am happy to have come across the perfect gift for the occasion. I know it won't get to me in time for the big day, so I will get some for next year. Screw Christmas!

Anyway Monday is here, back to the grind...........

Monday Moanings Part XIV

From my daily tuning in to Capital FM I learned that 112 were in Kenya sometime last week. I remember when they were tha shiznit! Now, not so much. I was quite amused to read how they went to party at Pavement and till it was announced the crowd didn't even know they were there. Did any blogger go for the performance? I would really like to know how it was. I'm not hating on 112 and Tevin Campbell but I don't like it when musicians choose to go to African countries when their fame has waned, that is why I have love for people like Shaggy and Sean Paul who chose to perform in Kenya when they could have gone to more profitable countries.

Blind Item

The Acolyte used to live in the same 'hood as this now well known kapuka artiste as he was slowly making his way to fame. At this point in time the artiste used to live with his brother and cousin in one house. Due to carelessness the group only had one house key having lost all the other copies, so they resorted to leaving the front door open whenever they went out at night.
The Acolyte found this out when dropping them home from the club one night and advised them to stop doing so and get a key cut. The artiste laughed it off, saying they were too lazy to do so and they had fared well so far.

It was with a great bemusement therefore one day when The Acolyte a few weeks later encountered the artiste, his brother and cousin beating the crap out of 2 of the estate watchmen. On further inquiry it seems that after going off to the club after leaving the door open as usual they came back in the morning to find their TV and video missing.

The artiste in question did climb up the ladder or is still climbing and as I was leaving Kenya had moved out of the house into his own apartment with his brother and they were having a ball. Guesses anyone? I'm not naming the 'hood because that would be a dead giveaway.

This Judge sounds very Kenyan to me, don't you think? I can so picture a Kenyan judge doing this!

In other sad news, someone told me that Carnivore doesn't have Soul anymore. By the time I was leaving Kenya, Soul at Carni had been overtaken by Rock at Ka-choi and Soul at K-2 but I remember when it used to be the place to be. Who can forget buzzer beating? You see entrance was free before 9pm or was it 11pm? Anyway what people would do was go have one cheap pint at the local and then zoom off to Carni just a few minutes before the deadline. Of course there were always obstacles like the "powerful" Kenyan watchmen who would want you to park your car 10 inches close to the white line instead of the 15 inches you had parked, to which my regular answer would be, "hakuna shida, hatukai!"
Which would of course mean that the next time I would be seen at 1.30 am when Soul was over with the next stop being Jean's pub for food that was only edible when you were under the influence.

I had this link months ago and I don't know if I shared it but I ran across it today and it still put a smile on my face. Anyway this is what happens when you try to take a picture with 2 animals that don't get along.

Some people have no shame I tell you. There is this chic from I used to know when I was in Uni via the International Club, we had somethings in common but were more of acquaintances. So once I was done with uni our keeping in touch ended there other than the sporadic message on one of the social networking sites I'm on.

So on Saturday morning at 3 am my phone rings and I don't recognize the number but since it was in the same area code I answered it. I didn't recognize the voice until my old pal identified herself, it seems she was in Atl with her girlfriend (not friend but lover who she turned lesbian but that is a story for another day) and the person who was supposed to put them up hadn't shown up at the club and the whole night wasn't answering their phone. So she asked if they could come over and sleep at my place.

No, at this point in time Acolyte was not entertaining fantasies of converting 2 lesbians with his magic pole of love in his room which would be light by a pink light bulb as cheesy music played in the background that would climax in an earth shattering guitar solo at the same time as the Acolyte (as you can tell I am practicing writing a bad love scene for The Drama Post series - yes Eclipse I am working on the next episodes). This was because first of all the above scenario only happens in the movies, second this mama is very butch and her and her girlfriend (who is a nice chic) do nothing for me, thirdly I have no couch or a spare bed and last but not least; how the hell do we not talk for 11 months and then you come out of the blue expecting to sleep at my place?!

Oh here is the other funny thing, it isn't like she even had my number, her girlfriend used to be good pals with my room mate so whenever she wanted to get in touch with him she would call me. So she told me as they were scrolling through her phone for numbers they came across mine and decided I would be a willing host. Anyway this chic is a user, I was told how she borrowed some money from a Kenyan mama saying it was an emergency and was lent the money, the Kenyan chic a few months later needed that money to pay her fees and was taken round in circles despite being told how urgent it was.

All those thoughts ran in the mind of The Acolyte as she told him her predicament. The Acolyte said that was very sad and said he wished he could help but at the moment he was out of town and proceeded to suggest some other ex international students she could call who coincidentally were not picking their phones when she had called them (I guess they got the memo). Anyway I'm sure she made out just fine.

Damn, it seems I've over blogged for today. Time to scatter and yes, Drama post in progress!
Happy Monday all!

Monday Moanings Part XIII

Yeah yeah I know I have been MIA for a minute now. No excuses other than my life has gotten into a very predictable routine. Thanksgiving has come and gone, I have been off work since Wed afternoon so getting back into the grind is going to be difficult to say the least!

There were loads and loads of bashes that went on this Thanksgiving. I don't know how many of you came down to ATL for the bashes. I would like to get an honest opinion, which bashes were better? The Takeover DJs or 2kat? As regards this issue I am split, I vote for Takeover DJs in terms of music but when it comes to venues 2kat comes out on top. When it comes to crowds, 2kat has a more mature but yet "snobbish"; what do I mean? Well with a 2kat bash when you walk in, it's like you've checked into the local; everyone seems to know each other and you feel like a visitor. Takeover DJs on the other hand seems to have a more diverse crowd, so it's a bit easier to mingle with the crowd. I got to watch Hardstone do a surprise performance during one of the Takeover DJ bashes and that was a nice blast from the past, the only beef that I had is that on Friday night I think that the Bamboo or whoever it was who was to perform must have done their thing after 4 am because I left at 4 am and he hadn't performed. But at least on Saturday they planned well because Jua Cali performed by 2 am, I have to give him marks for the energy he has and his ability to work the crowd but I wasn't too thrilled with the use of playback tracks and such but I do know it would have been a stretch for him to get a live band and practice with them so that's cool. I did get some video via my cell phone, nothing to write home about though so I think I need to invest in a camcorder pretty soon. The next big thing is Miami for the New Year but I think I'll give that a pass, I'll do L.A Sevens instead. Back to real life now I guess.

I was reading this article in the Herald Tribune about the roots of the 35 hour work week in France and how it's proposed abolishment is causing a lot of drama in France. I now work a 35 hour work week and I must say it is heavenly. It is amazing how much more relaxed you are when you have 5 extra hours to yourself every week. I do know the French issue extends far past 5 hours a week but I do think that America needs to consider experimenting with a 35 hour work week, here most people are over worked, under paid and stressed to the core!

In other news I need some advice. Currently I'm living with my immediate fam (it always makes for fun and games) but our lease is expiring next year and it highly looks likely that everyone is going their own way. Which is good for me because I have been yearning to get a place I can call my own. But now here is the clincher, to get a room mate or not to get a room mate? Both come with their own pros and cons, you see if you have a room mate the costs go down considerably esp rent because here they rob you blind when you get a one room apartment but on the other hand getting someone you can live with is a headache and it is hard for me because I've been in the ATL area for less than a year so I'm not in the mix with people as such, you see I'd rather move in with someone I know than a complete total stranger. What also makes it more interesting is choosing an Apartment complex isn't easy because some places here are either in bad areas, have horrible residents, too ghetto, too expensive and have pathetic service or a combination of any of those; if you don't believe me go visit Apartment ratings. Anyway let me know what you think, I still have time to plan.

Now back to the grind..........