AGEYO’S ANGLE: Take it with the politics - It is never that serious

I am reminded of a common phrase I hear often from my younger friends. They like to say, ‘It is never that serious.’ Many times, I disagree with them because I really believe there are many things in life that are quite serious and ought to be taken as such. But I revisit those words tonight because for the first time in a long time, I agree – it is never that serious.

Yes, I am talking about the politics that is going on in the country right now. Before you call me names, let me state that politics is indeed not a small matter. As a matter of life, a lot of what happens to us everyday depends on politics but I insist it is never that serious. It is not serious enough for us to throw out every form of good manners we have learnt in our childhood. No, it is not serious enough for us to insult each other and tear apart even the most meaningful of relationships.

You see today, anybody arriving in Kenya, would be mistaken to think that an extra-terrestrial object has been unleashed from outer space and is cruising perilously toward Kenya - with an expected landing date of 9th August.  How else can you explain the hysteria that we see on social media everyday – the hate, the spite, the tribal profiling, the disrespect and everything disdainful? How else can you explain the hubris on the campaign trail and the endless stream of insults - some of them unprintable - being generously dished out by the politicians at rallies and funerals? How else can you account for the fact that the audiences clap and urge the so-called leaders on, to spew even more garbage?

Ladies and gentlemen, I have had the privilege of covering four general elections, two referenda and a repeat presidential election and I can tell you without fear of contradiction that the amount of energy we spend insulting and disrespecting each other in the name of these politicians is not worth it. Sample this, in 2002, Uhuru Kenyatta was running for president on a KANU ticket, at the time, Raila had said Kibaki tosha, meaning they were on opposite sides of the political divide.

Come 2005, at the Constitution referendum, Uhuru then leader of the official opposition and Raila Odinga, a cabinet minister, were now fighting on the same side – to reject the draft Constitution. That was the beginning of the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM). Two years later in 2007, Uhuru Kenyatta was now backing Mwai Kibaki’s re-election bid against Raila Odinga. A few months after that election, Mwai Kibaki and Raila Odinga had shaken hands following a fierce contest and deadly violence. And once again Raila and Uhuru were now in the same government. Of course, they parted ways again and fought on different sides in 2013, 2017 before the surprise handshake in 2018. That story is somewhat similar for almost all the politicians that currently pollute our airwaves with spiteful speeches. They have learnt us very well. They do as they please at every turn – never consulting us, never requesting us. They just move and almost on cue we follow them and faithfully take our new positions are their keyboard warriors and other types of foot soldiers, fighting and insulting everyone on their behalf.

I repeat, it is never that serious, folks. If it were that serious how can Uhuru Kenyatta and William Ruto who once wore similar shirts and held hands like lovebirds be fighting each other today? If our politics were that serious, how can Raila Odinga and Uhuru Kenyatta who used so many unprintable words against each other just five years ago, be calling each other ‘my brother’ today?

If politics was the life and death issue that we have made it, how can Musalia Mudavadi be addressing the same rally with William Ruto, just a few weeks after the ANC leader blasted the deputy president for allegedly insulting the very government that pays his cooks and drivers? How can Martha Karua who famously walked out on Daniel arap Moi’s meeting be signing any pact with Gideon Moi, if this politics thing was that serious?

Fellow Kenyans, I know that a lot hangs on this election, but please, let’s keep it civil. You never know when the politician you adore will shake hands with the one you hate – without consulting you of course. In any case, no number of insults however vile, has ever translated into a vote.

That is my angle for the week!