Thread by @ephraimnjegafan

ONLY THE STREETS CAN SAVE KENYA
The meeting between Ruto & Gideon Moi was unexpected but not surprising. Politicians are always pursuing their interests, whether business or political. Anyone who thinks any politician is pursuing his or her interest needs their head examined.🧵

The reason why beating an incumbent is hard is because of the power, resources and influence they wield. These can be used to manipulate even their fiercest opponents.

During the 90s, opposition politicians shifting goalposts was a normal thing. Stories used to be told of how people visited the State House, and the president would personally serve them tea.

The "humble" gesture was so disarming that such naive visitors would have a different image of the president at their first sip of the tea.

To crown it all, they would receive a briefcase full of cash as they were being seen off. This would be accompanied by the words "hii ni ya mama ya kununua mboga."

Another disarming tactic which made the gift hard to decline. Once received, the hardline opposition politicians would be compromised beyond redemption. They would start singing the president's praises like a parrot.

People are even more vulnerable in a poorly performing economy. Most of the politicians are wallowing in debt. When the economy sinks, politicians become cheap. The vast State resources are easily deployed to neutralise such politicians.

All this demonstrates the power of incumbency. It is almost an unlimited ability to grant favours and make promises. Only the most principled can resist such.

Yet this power isn't without limits. For a regime whose rule is highly objectionable due to countless failures and lies, incumbency isn't enough to save it.
Politicians continue with business as usual politics in a most unusual political and economic environment.

This may create a situation where change through the ballot becomes impossible. This is what is causing numerous regime changes through the streets all over the world.

Every time I think of how Kenyan politicians are behaving, I see this possibility becoming a reality in this country. Mannerless and selfish politics make democratic change impossible and a street revolution inevitable. This can happen before or after the election.