• When leaders start going at each other, their followers do the same.
• The result is an endless politicking cycle that distracts us from more important issues.
Once upon a time, a farmer was in the farm sowing flax seeds where a Swallow and some other birds were hopping about and picking up food. “Beware of that man” quipped the Swallow.
“Why, what is he doing?” inquired the other birds. “The man is sowing flax seeds, and you must ensure that you pick up every one of the seeds or else you will repent it.” Stated the Swallow.
The other birds laughed at the Swallow and paid no mind to his warning. In time, the seeds developed into cords which the man used to make into cord nets, and many of the birds that had despised the Swallow’s advice was caught in the nets made of that very cord.
This fable is used to explain that wise men read effects in their causes, but fools will not believe them until it is too late to prevent the mischief. Delay in these cases is mortal.
Are we as a country living in such a moment where we have thrown caution to the wind? Are we back to sowing the seed of discord that will have all of us trapped? Have we forgotten what discord has done to this country in the past?
Why am I asking these questions?
Well, in the last couple of weeks, we have been treated to political rhetoric that is pointing to carelessness. We have witnessed top national leaders going at each other in a manner that is likely to raise political temperatures.
Last Saturday, we marked the first anniversary of the handshake between President Uhuru Kenyatta and opposition leader Raila Odinga. It is unfortunate that the peace and tranquillity that we have enjoyed over the last year is now being overshadowed with this war of words.
That peace is at risk of being jeopardised with the constant onslaught and attacks between our leaders, who seem only focused on answering each other. Even when they are called upon to control their speech, just like the birds in the fable above, they laugh it off without thinking of the dangerous path they are pushing the country into.
It is time that we called a ceasefire once more and focused on matters that will develop the country. We cannot afford to engage in political bickering as witnessed before the 2017 elections. The country was divided and the economy affected.
When leaders start going at each other as we have seen, we find their followers doing the same and the result is an endless politicking cycle that distracts us from more important issues.
This war of words has been linked to the war on corruption. As the President said in Kirinyaga last week, there are institutions that are charged with dealing with the war on graft and it is of no use for politicians to keep politicising it.
We actually cannot afford to lose this war because we are choosing to take sides with either our tribesmen or even just our friends in the name of politics. We also cannot win the war on corruption if we wake up each day to sling mud at our political opponents.
There is a Swahili saying that says, when two elephants fight, it’s the grass that gets hurt. Kenyans have everything to lose in this uncontrolled show of might among our leaders.
At the end of it all, this political rhetoric will sow seeds of discord that will end up trapping Kenyans in anarchy, especially when we the elections draw near and the politics gets heated. Kenyans have lost a lot before because of simmering anger that arises from this kind of political talk.
It is time that we bring this talk to an end and focus on what is most important for the entire Kenyan population—transformation of our beloved nation.