Duale erroneously believes that he speaks for Somalis
There’s a misbegotten view that the most senior politician of an ethnicity is the “leader” and “spokesperson” for that community. This is primeval — primitive and tribal — politics. Utterly Neanderthal. But it’s the “perceived” reality in Kenya. That’s why Amani National Congress leader Musalia Mudavadi — like other tribal barons — speaks of panel-beating Luyhas to vote as one in the next election. Like a herd of sheep — unthinking. Yet Mr Mudavadi wants to be president of all Kenyans. But this disease doesn’t afflict Mr Mudavadi alone. Majority Leader Aden Duale, the Garissa Town MP, is the king of ethnic eccentrics. Except — and this is breaking news — Mr Duale doesn’t speak for Somalis. He simply uses them to bloviate and advance himself.
Let me tell you why Mr Duale needs to put a cork in it. First, Mr Duale doesn’t appreciate politics of “use and dump.” Kenya has two types of politicians — the elite and the pedestrian. The elite come from well-heeled families that have ruled Kenya since Independence. Many were even in bed with the British colonialists. The pedestrian are self-made and hoi polloi — they were either adopted by the “godfathers” or scraped their way to the top. Mr Duale firmly belongs to the latter category. The problem is that he — and his ilk — often forget that they are expendable. But he and other pedestrians usually cries louder than the bereaved. He reminds me of the American “house negro.”
Unlike the “field Negro” — who wasn’t the white “master’s pet” — the “house Negro” often thought that he and “massa” [master] had shared interests. When the slave-owner’s house caught fire, the “house Negro” would say “massa, our house is burning.” “Our” house — wow. When massa would whip and lash the “field Negro” for sociopathic pleasure, boredom, or because he had looked at the master the “wrong” way, the “house Negro” would look away in cowardice. Or even tell the massa that the “field Negro” deserved it. It’s the pedagogy of the oppressed. The victim becomes a victimiser. That’s Mr Duale. He defends Jubilee with a zealotry that belies the regime’s neglect — and active persecution — of Somalis. A house Negro.
Second, Mr Duale is partying in Nairobi when he should be saving Garissa. Not because he’s the kingpin of Somali politics, but because he’s from Northern Kenya. There are two existential challenges to the so-called NFD — Al-Shabaab and underdevelopment. Mr Duale acts as though neither is catastrophic. He promised to give up names of terrorists and their funders. Then he reneged. We are still waiting. Teachers, civil servants, and business people have fled. An already marginalised — and godforsaken — part of Kenya has been left lawless. Yet Mr Duale only relishes attacking CORD leader Raila Odinga. How many CORD attacks will fill empty bellies in Garissa? How many vitriolic missiles against Mr Odinga will stop Al-Shabaab? That’s right — zilch.
Third, Mr Duale doesn’t even take the “national government” — of which he’s a top honcho — to Northern Kenya. How many times has Mr Duale insisted that Jubilee’s Uhuru Kenyatta and William Ruto — the country’s numero uno and numero dos — travel to the NFD? Shouldn’t he demand that Mr Kenyatta and Mr Ruto visit the region more regularly to assure citizens the state cares about them? Shouldn’t they have gone there after every terror attack as a vote of confidence in the region? Didn’t Nigerian President Buhari Muhammadu establish a defence headquarters in Boko Haram’s midst to send an unequivocal message? Why can’t Mr Duale insist Mr Kenyatta does the same in NFD to scare the daylights out of Al-Shabaab?
Fourth, Mr Duale should stop acting like an unwanted concubine in Jubilee. The Majority Leader isn’t simply a shill for the ruling party. Nor is Mr Duale a mere errand boy for Mr Kenyatta and Mr Ruto. He’s very mistaken to think he’s just an escort. He behaves as though he will be unceremoniously kicked out if he doesn’t sing for his lunch every single time. He lacks the intestinal fortitude of Farah Maalim, the one-time Deputy Speaker. Mr Maalim had cojones Mr Duale can only dream of. Mr Duale should pursue a strategic — not sentimental — relationship with Jubilee leaders. Praying for crumbs from massa’s table won’t do. He must insist on sanity for NFD in the national government.
Lastly, Mr Duale should know I always pull for underdogs. Democracy works best when we affirm the fundamental dignity of every citizen. Right now, there are more Somali underdogs than top dogs. My educated guess is Somalis are the most marginalised people in Kenya. I saw this first hand when I led the Truth Commission Task Force to Wajir in 2003. I visited the site of the Wajir Massacre. What I heard and saw haunts me to this day.
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