In the year 1789, during the reign of King Louis XVI, France was hit by a terrible grain shortage due to the Great Famine. As the laws of demand and supply would dictate, the price of bread, which was the staple food of France at the time, shot up by 88 per cent due to the scarcity.
Considering the fact that the average serf spent 50 per cent of his daily wage on bread, this increment meant that they could no longer afford it. There was a public outcry on this, and one of the palace officials reported the matter to Queen Marie Antoinette.
Though numerously disputed, it is said she responded, “Qu'ils mangent de la brioche!” which loosely translates to, “If they don’t have bread, let them eat cake!” Well, in a few years, Queen Antoinette could no longer eat, as the serfs took away her head.
On May 23, 2016, the then Prime Minister of Russia, Dmitry Medvedev, visited the town of Feodosia in Crimea. There, he was met with a crowd of older people protesting on the street that their pensions had not been adjusted in accordance with the rising cost of living.
Medvedev, finding himself cornered with nothing to say, quickly retorted by saying, “Денег нет, но вы держитесь”, which loosely translates to, “There’s no money, but hang in here. All the best to you, and stay strong”, before running away.
These analogies above are a perfect reflection to either show the nobility’s frivolous disregard for the common people, or the noble’s poor understanding of the common people’s plight. And Kenyans haven’t been spared either, if the events in the past month are something to go by.
The rains, though predicted by the Meteorological Department last year, caught our government flat-footed. Either because someone stole funds directed to the acquisition of canoes, or because the government completely disregarded the warnings, going by how the Deputy President coerced Dr David Gikungu, the director of the Kenyan Met Department, to issue an apology on live television for giving contradictory statements to the President, who was wrong in his assertions.
Nairobi, particularly, had so many houses and roads submerged in the water, with cars even being swept away.
On April 24, 2024, while addressing the press after a Red Cross rescue mission, Governor Johnson Sakaja directed Nairobians to move to higher ground. I watched the press briefing numerous times, looking for hints on where that ‘higher ground’ could be. Was he referring to KICC? Was he referring to the 75-floor apartments he’s authorised in Kileleshwa? Was he referring to the State House (the House on the Hill)? Or was he actually referring to ‘majuu’?
As one Mercy Mutemi said, it is not enough for the government to direct people to move to ‘higher ground’ and then lambast them for failure to do so. The government’s role is to serve the citizenry. Therefore, they should walk the talk and designate the specific areas people need to move, provide temporary housing and basic necessities, and provide the transport for people to move.
Otherwise, all these directives are useless. The assumption that certain ‘higher ground’ exists out there waiting for people to occupy it, is egregiously ignorant, and it shows how shallow the politicians are.
The President's first response after the Maai Mahiu tragedy was to set up a Huduma Centre so the victims could replace their government documents.
Listen. These are people who have lost their homes, loved ones and property. But no. First things first, let’s get them a national ID. Is it because the government is committed to helping Kenyan citizens only? Or is it because the government only cares about the 2027 general election?
Let’s not even get to the demolitions happening in Mukuru kwa Njenga.
When the story of Kenya is written, it will be the most entertaining tragicomedy. Never have I seen a government so committed to being out of touch.