Kenyan Diaspora Senate Aspirant: Baptism by fire in Kiambu Skirmishes – narrow escape! Teddy Njoroge Kamau. In Kijabe:If you followed the US presidential and Senate Races, the major act, which determined whether one, wins or loses was the ground game. Both the Democrats and the Republicans were determined to get people out to vote. The person who got the ground game right is the one who got most people to the voting both, thus winning the election.
In Kenya, the ground game is, what can I say, Brutal? I wake up in the morning; the sounds of birds in Kijabe are soothing like Jonathan Butler’s jazz guitar. I am in Kenya doing what I do each year. Give back to my roots. An old missionary lady gave me a note when I left for the US 25 years ago. It read, “Do not forget your roots”. I have kept that note in my pocket and when the Sunshine State become too comfortable, I look at the note and go back to Kenya. This time it is for TV/Radio coverage of the coming general elections. A Christian perspective!
A Diaspora from Atlanta Georgia has decided to give back to the roots. She has not only gone through hell trying to meet all the requirements of registration into the process, she is nuts to want a hands on understanding of party nominations.
She Calls me and informs me that she will be in the Kiambu metropolitan hall given that she is vying for the Kiambu county Senate seat. Talk about courage. This is the place where every kind of Mungiki is. And they are part of the political machine. I have decided to follow her story. Diaspora gives back 17Billion shillings to their roots. They do this without representation. And even when the constitution requires that they vote, they find themselves muzzled by the logistics of the IEBC so that very few will excises their constitutional right.
It is a beautiful day and I do not expect any extra ordinary happenings. The Kiambu TNA Members elections for the committee for General elections are happening today 11/21/2012. By the sound of it, it will be a normal process. But nothing is normal in Kenya, and not in Kiambu. Teresia Wairimu Kairu is sitting with the aspirants and her name is read out loud. She has finally become IT! She is a candidate under TNA. Before the voting begins, a group led by William Kabogo the Juja MP comes in. He is running for Kiambu Governor and has hired about 6 buses to ferry in his goons. He has also given them some shots of high energy. When he comes in, he meets his opponents sitting in the hall peacefully waiting to start the meeting. Terry is among those inside. Kabogo has bought the popular musician Muigai wa Njoroge therefore both come in with round speakers. While outside, the journalists hear him call the youth and tell them to go inside and interrupt the meeting. When he comes in, it is clear that he has an agenda. He and Muigai wa Njoroge have a list that they want voted in. They have already made their choice.
His Goons come in and start causing havoc. They argue that the hall is too small and that they should move it to a bigger place. Before Terry and the others realized, Kabogo’s goons have started pushing Nyanja’s supporters, and those for Dr. James Nyoro. Both men are running for Governor.
The chaos become uncontrollable as Terry is pushed and shaved falling down with the other women. People are injured as they try to find the nearest exit! Terry manages to slip outside and by the time it is all over, the police have come and the whole of Kiambu Town has become chaotic: Every body is running.
I find out that it was a plan by Kabogo. According to the journalists with me, he had planned to disrupt the meeting so that people can run away. Then after that, to hold the elections with his people. This is exactly what happened. Those who remained represented his majority having run out every body else including Terry. They confirmed the pre-list of his people.
Having tea at the Village inn in Kiambu after the chaos, Terry is shocked but determined. “I was expecting a civil process which would reflect a party of ideas. I honestly did not expect my party, Uhuru’s party to include thugs”. She speaks like a Diaspora.
Neither did I. But if you wonder if Teresia Wairimu Kairu will give up, think again. “We in the Diaspora complain, talk, and criticize our country and its process all the time from a safe distant. But it cannot be that out of the 40million citizens, only goons win”. She tells members of the media with us.
That spirit, that courage, that determination and love for her roots is credible. And win or loose, at the end of her struggle, she will have challenged all the Diaspora to love their country enough to be pushed and shaved in Kiambu.
Teddy Njoroge Kamau, PhD, SYR Radio/TV Director, International Desk. Diaspora messenger Contributor.
Kenyan Diaspora Senate Aspirant narrow escape in Kiambu TNA Skirmishes-Kabogo to blame
