Thread by @DisasterKenya

Today's political science too often inculcates a dispassionate view of politics among scholars. Somewhere in the "literature reviews," mathematical models, "event counts," & language of "transaction costs" are buried issues and incidents that have real impacts on people's lives.

https://twitter.com/DisasterKenya/status/1393955992438726664

1980-to 2002, restrictions on speech & association in Kenya chilled discussion of policy & institutional development. Kenyans, civil servants included became noticeably less willing to take decisions, for fear of disapproval, & Govt business in some ministries slowed markedly.

Politics was not fit material for discussion in public places because of the proliferation of security agents in bars, matatus, public transport, clubs, & offices. Kenya had become a Gestapo country. Speaking anything that could be construed as Anti-Establishment was dangerous.

Under Moi, relationship between KANU & the Govt changed rapidly. In his 4th year as president, he was increasingly ill at ease with the existence of alternative forms of political association & moved rapidly to curtail the ethnic and regional welfare societies. @GitauWangari1

These associations had long served as a springboard for political candidates. He proscribed & voided these organizations. Spearheading the move to a de jure single-party system in 1982. So went everything that had any semblance to his nemesis, the GEMAs, Abaluhyas & Abeingos.

Moi sought to eradicate factional divisions in KANU by creating internal disciplinary committees & a system of party schools (never established) to instill rules of behavior & fidelity to the positions of the new Govt. Hand picking sycophants as drum majors & tower guards.

He moved still further away from the Kenyatta political strategy of the 1960s by seeking a more active role in the personal selection of party officers & by supporting, off & on, a "youth wing" with watchdog or surveillance responsibilities. Added by the ruthless Special Branch.

In short, between 1980 & his 1989 fight with Wangari Mathai on the proposal for the office tower building, at Uhuru park, with his statue meant to enshrine the new order in stone & steel. KANU acquired a new & far stronger role in the pursuit of political order.

Its boundaries began to merge with those of the Office of the President,or State House." Immediately after the declaration of a single-party system in 1982,Govt put down the 82 coup attempt by air force cadre, who allegedly sought to secure greater participation in Gov'nance.

The "August disturbances," as Moi later called them, generated significant popular uneasiness. However. his machinery spoke widely of the need to proceed cautiously so as not to follow the paths of our neighbors in the then strife-torn Uganda, Sudan, & Ethiopia.

Kenya finally become a matter of personalities, & closed-door negotiation instead of predictable public stands on issues & coherent, brokered alliances.
Rumor & speculation were rife, inspired by the many levels of significance associated with Moi's words & actions.

Moi began a bosom buddy relationship with the then, Romanian dictator Nicholae Ceaușescu, Special Branch officers began going for training in Romania, as the political language changed. Acquiring a new "code"; where previously politicians spoke freely at their own risk.

They increasingly began substituting political talk with parables & metaphor. The public too had many names for him. Bwan Jumaa, Mgoroo, & such emerged. As did the so called Mwakenya movement.

With constraints on political association, churches & other organizations with international connections became the refuge for dissenting voices & took a more active role in debate. Rates of participation in standard political activities, such as voting, diminished.

Kenya begun sharing a shrinking political arena with some of the world's dictatorships." Although opposition among elites & some of the "popular classes" had not ceased, it took different forms. In most instances, it failed to stop Moi's efforts to restrict political activity.

KANU became a loosely organized "debating society" with little policy influence,leading towards a Kenyan "party-state" in which, it increasingly became a vehicle for the Office of the President to control political opposition. With the Mulu Mutisyas,& Kariuki Chotaras of the day.

There was sustained interest in democratic reforms among some segments of political elite, but it still proved difficult for them to organize effectively or maintain space for political competition. Meanwhile Moi was not resting, along came the Nyayo torture chambers & snitching

Kenya long appeared to be an exception to trends detected in countries such as Ghana & Zaire. During the 60s &70s, it was one of Africa's "relative successes" in the eyes of many Westerners. This reputation stemmed in large part from the country's agricultural performance.

Paralleled on the African continent only by South Africa, Zimbabwe, & Côte d'Ivoire, but it also derived from the perception that the country had retained key elements of the Westminster parliamentary system that had been adopted at independence. Nonsense of course.

The long story short. pushing for the BBI Nonsense, as the proponents for, have started doing, with the Moi tactics of Sunday Kangaroo courts. With the AG filing an appeal on a Sunday. Shows the deeply vested personal interests, Uhuru Kenyatta & Raila Odinga have.

They may stop at nothing, intimidate judges & even use State machinery to coerce the masses. But,what they must never take for granted is the Kenyan common man's resolve when they have had enough. Who would have thought Kenyans capable of pelting Moi with rotten tomatoes in 2002?

Dear Uhuru Kenyatta & your hand-cheque brother Raila Odinga. Kenyans may be docile, but please do not mistake it for cowardice.When pushed to a point of no return,then comes ''Kama mbaya mbaya'' madness they keep hidden. You won't like it, your thugs in uniform notwithstanding.

At the root of the shift from fully implementing the CoK 2010 to your BBI Nonsense lies a concern for your securing short-run political gain, regardless of the economic collapse it touts. By aiming is to win the adherence of elites & masses clientelistics to myopic policies.

Once in place, BBI is only meant to create an incentive structure that precipitates the rise of demagoguery." The rebirth of sycophantic interest groups with financial bases & a people dependent of whoever inhabit the office of the president & or your delusional prime ministry.

The 5 bench judge ruling only informed you of the real mood of the 45M plus Kenyans who didn't sign to your concoction. & are the majority thus. You say ''No one can stop Reggae''. But forget Reggae also says ''You can fool some people sometime, but cannot fool them all the time?

@StateHouseKenya Kenyans are awoke & katiba tutailinda. @JerotichSeii @DavidNdii @johnnjenga @KaranjaMatindi @Gitau_Wangari1 @MutemiWaKiama @WanjikuRevolt @HakiNgo @MUHURIkenya @ajfactual52 @Anon1KENYA @historykenya101
@RasnaWarah @WaMukina @wmnjoya
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