MHESHIMIWA

Forgive me Mheshimiwa if I do not flaunt my smile at your shreds of tenderness.  Take no offense if I do not feel an ounce of gratitude in my heart towards your generous contribution this festive season .My hands are folded to my chest as I watch my country men clapping for you for bringing us a packet of wheat four and a litre of cooking oil. I find it absurd that you made us sit and wait for you all day . We would have gone to our farms and businesses, but we waited for you, mheshimiwa .Today,you gave us thirty minutes of your precious time .My heart breaks at the irony of this. Have we been reduced to be  barely worth half an hour and a few fifty shillings coins? How bad is the situation on the ground ,such that fify shillings is life saving cash ? Do you not think you are creating a ticking time Bomb for yourself. Mheshimiwa ,head fast to the city ,leave the village that voted you.

Mheshimiwa ,you Come with your own  bottled water to the meeting .You remind your countrymen  that their water is dirty .Did we not drink it together five Years ago before you convinced us that your leadership was a better way.Mheshimiwa,you pried on our emotions and continue to do so. You knew just how much we craved change and that became your political niche .'A leader for change'. Mheshimiwa,things did change,but not for the better. I am afraid we took more steps backwards than we will ever take foward.You  hated politicians who had pot bellies and talked looking down on kinsmen.I have nothing against your over weight body,it is the attitude written all over your face as you rub your belly that I detest. You wait for the football captain to finish talking, you barely got what he said and you told him to take that two hundred shillings and buy a soda. Mheshimiwa,he was requesting for your presence in the next tournament. You can keep your two cents.

Mheshimiwa , you said you wanted better for us. You said that was the most important thing to you. It was the edge behind your desire to get in power. Then explain to us, why is it that during the special parliament sitting , all you asked for was an increased allowance for yourself? Let me be specific; an increased travelling allowance . You claim that you needed it so us to reach out to us more. That's ironical , considering the fact that you have been to Dubai more times than in our village. Or does the one time visit to dish out pity Christmas gifts give solace to your soulless soul? 

Mheshimiwa forgive me if I have overstepped boundaries. No, I am not sorry for that because that's exactly what you should be doing. You say you will ensure peace between us and our neighbors if we elect you next year. That just sends us down memory lane ,you gave us your word that you will do what it takes to ensure we do not complain of attacks or our cattle being stolen. However, your words are as empty as the bottle of water you are holding right now. Who do you think you are ? Spewing your pack of lies?

The whispers and murmurs from the crowd is something I understand. My country men are tired and fed up of all the beautiful lies you feed us. How long did you think it will take before we realize you are taking us for a ride? Once upon a time we hopelessly believed in your words, but now , crave for your actions . But it's too late , there is nothing you can do about it but stand there shaking like a man who fully understands his fate is sealed .

The stone throwing I do not appreciate. In fact I condemn, it's barbaric and can cause more violence . However, didn't you bring this upon yourself? The very stones that are being thrown at you , aren't they from the stadium you promised to finish constructing two years ago? Why didn't you complete the project mheshimiwa? Oh I have an answer for that, you gave the tender to your cousin. You thought we would not know ? Just because half of us do not have formal education doesn't mean we can't add one plus one. Formal education, that reminds me . What happened to the CDF funds? Do head teachers really have to give you and your chiefs a cut before the money reaches the common mwananchi who needs it? Didn't you get enough when you put your friend's son in the disbursing board? Why do you have to put your hand in every pot? 

I like how agile your body guards are . So you do have fine taste in men huuh ?! And you can appoint people who actually quality for a job. I mean, that would have been a very apt skill when appointing your cabinet secretaries or even board members of the various corporations. But who are you? Nothing other that a man with an unquenchable thirst for power and control. All you care about is having someone you know in every relevant office. Someone you can control like a puppet to satisfy you. No wander when you raise your hands in alarm , guards flock around you and lead you to your  car.  I mean, the car our tax money bought. 

Mheshimiwa you are well guarded in the back seat of your car . Your driver speeds out of the stadium and leaves us at the mercy of the police who waste no time to spray us with tear gas. Mheshimiwa, why did you make "utumishi kwa wote" become "utumishi kwa mheshimiwa?". I respect the underlying desire the police have to maintain law and order , but the assumption that they have to do it at any cost is what I do not appreciate. Mheshimiwa, do you know your little festive season pity party led to a kid being shot, and a number of people being left with broken limbs? I know you say we are safe with the police, but who exactly is "we"? I find it hard to believe it is me and my country men, especially after all the police brutality we witness at your event. Or rather , especially when we see police men only during political rallies.

Mheshimiwa, since you treat us like charity cases and pieces of PR in your achievement articles, I am not going to say thank you. I mean why should I ? For the one bag of rice and cooking flour? If I had not wasted my day at this rally today, I would have worked and earned more than enough for that. For your leadership skills? That's something all your term in office has shown you lack . You know mheshimiwa, when I say we are tired, it's an understatement. We are exhausted with your leadership and that of those before you.The world breaks everyone, and afterward, many are strong at the broken places. That's exactly what me and my country men are at the moment. We are not going to waste our precious time and votes on you again.It doesn't matter if you read your political story backwards. We will always end up strangers. Only difference is we will be at a better place than you. 

By Maria njoroge and Favor khaoya