Sometimes, in Kenya’s political life, solemn matters of deep concern are turned into sarakasi in the most bizarre manner. One of those moments took place in Ol Kalou yesterday. It was there that Nyandarua Senator John Methu, accompanied by a troupe of political accomplices, orchestrated a farce of remarkable proportions.
In a cynical display of mock fundraising, these full-grown men purported to collect money from locals to give Sammy Ngotho—now curiously renamed Waweru—a haircut. The sheer absurdity of the exercise, however, was merely the opening act of a cruder spectacle.
A sitting senator and his colleagues held a bucket branded with Ngotho’s mugshot before a handful of Ol Kalou residents and solicited contributions for what was essentially a grooming exercise. This was an appeal for cash to clip the unkempt hair of a candidate whose appearance an opponent had recently taken issue with. The exercise was carried out with the solemnity of a harambee for a worthy cause, yet it ended up as one of the most absurd political stunts in recent memory.
After the haircut ceremony, the balance of the cash collected reportedly provided ample change for rounds of beer—Guinness Stout, to be specific. And what was “stouter” than the beverage itself was the commitment of the organising committee to wet their throats with proceeds collected in jest from unsuspecting residents of Ol Kalou. Thus, the hard-earned money of ordinary citizens ended up financing refreshments for the very individuals who had orchestrated the entire farce.
The people of Ol Kalou, like many ordinary Kenyans across the country, are facing genuine challenges that the Government is keen to solve. Yet Senator Methu and his associates found it appropriate to treat a political process as child’s play by reducing a serious electoral contest to a comedy interlude, complete with drinks for themselves and their candidate.
The members of the organising committee of the impromptu harambee ought to feel deeply ashamed of themselves. They have taken political drama far beyond the bounds of acceptable theatre and descended into juvenile buffoonery. The mock fundraiser was a public admission that those involved have no serious agenda to offer and must resort to gimmicks to maintain relevance.
To those who parted with their money, one can only hope that you learned your lesson. You were taken for a ride, and your goodwill was exploited for amusement. This is the contempt with which some leaders appear to regard the people who elect them.
The memory of the late Hon. Kiaraho, a man of dignity and purpose, deserves better than to have his vacant seat become the stage for such childish antics.
Senator Methu and his fellow thespians should reflect on whether their constituents are laughing with them or at them.
Meanwhile, those who heeded the call to part with ten bob yesterday to help Ngotho secure a date with a kinyozi should know they may have been funding ulevi tu. One wonders what state the poor DCP candidate was in after the celebrations. Meanwhile, Gùchaina na Mùchina wa Nyaga continues to rock.