IS KENYA A THEATRE OF THE ABSURD OR A THEATRE OF THE
OPPRESSED?
It has been over 40 years since we achieved our independence, and I personally always bragged on how far we have come economically, socially, culturally and more so politically. One never ceases to wonder what transpires [d] during elections. At some point there exists plenty of room for speculation. Over the past few elections there have been experiences of tribal clashes or, if you may, ethnic cleansing as our learned friends would purport. In the same regard we’ve witnessed families being left homeless while others are rendered widows, widowers, and to a greater extent orphans. It doesn’t surprise me that some Kenyans have also been rendered refugees in their own country while others seek refuge to the neighbouring countries. Tension and fears of being attacked clouds the hearts of many as others are left with the quest to revenge. This really makes me wonder ‘Is Kenya a theatre of the absurd or a theatre of the oppressed?’
Theatre of Absurdity:
It really struck me with great absurdity that after the elections such acrimony and hatred brewed. So many lives were lost while on the other hand property worth millions of shillings destroyed, and most people have been rendered jobless, while others homeless.
It is so absurd that communities that have co-existed for 10 and above years could turn against each other and heartlessly butcher and dismember one another mercilessly.
Friends it is indeed very absurd that this amount of hatred could amount to families being torched in the church. What really happened to the conscience and the fear of God that people we known for, at least the 80% Christians? This appears to be the question lingering in many people’s minds and hearts. The police shooting live bullets on the people they should protect, Friends and fellow Kenyans this is really absurd, insane and uncalled-for. I by no choice and dictates of mine decided to be born a Luo; I’m married to a very beautiful lady of the other tribe, if that really matters. It cuts me through the chest when rumours and propaganda is being propelled against any of our tribes of origin. My call to Kenyans is plain and simple, from far we’ve come since independence and it is time for the true Kenyans to stand up against this insanity let us outgrow this absurdity and embrace one another with loving kisses…
Theatre of Oppression:
Kenya indeed suffers two types of oppression, that is, the commoners’ oppression and the non-commoners’ oppression.
It is no doubt that Kenyans of all walks of life queued in large numbers to cast their votes and to exercise their democratic rights. Once this is done it is entirely the responsibility of the institutions that have been commissioned to ensure that these rights are not subjected to any form of abuse while fairness and justice is upheld. I totally agree that the elections were flawed and were marred with so many irregularities, and I also agree 100% that justice needs to be done to correct the wrongs that were committed by the ECK in announcing the presidential results.
At what or whose expense should this justice be served?
The commoners’ oppression:

Kenya has made it to the headlines of so many news agencies in the past few weeks for all the bad reasons; election rigging, ethnic cleansing, arson, looting, rape, you name it.
The person who is mostly affected is you and I, the commoners (mwananchi wa kawaida). It pains me to see families starving where as they used to produce their own food. It equally pains to see that small child dying in the hospital for lack of blood. As our leaders cry foul on the recent elections the commoners have turned into their subject of oppression. It is again the commoner who is being asked to burn his or her brother’s property and kill. Here the commoner is indeed being oppressed. My fellow commoners our leaders are really turning us into their subjects of oppression. Let us stand tall as we did during the voting time, unite with one another and stand up against this leaders who are infringing on our rights to be Kenyans, to prosper and to make this country worth living in. Let us not allow ourselves to be used and abused.
The non-commoners’ oppression:
These elections to our disappointment were rigged and carried with them all sorts of fraudulence. Now lines and conditions are being set from both sides of the divide. The noncommoners’ type of oppression is plain and simple for our leaders who believe they are among the chosen few who should cling on the mantle no matter the cost. They chase after their own gains and interest without concerns of their counterparts, the commoners.
The more the commoners suffer they rejoice and toss their champagne in celebrations, so long as their interest is being served the diet is good. These are the mean leaders who’d confidently snatch the meager rights that the commoners have just to satisfy their bellies, this are the fat cats. They are the dictators of the day, defying what Kenyans (the commoners) want and use their thorax to rule. Friends these are the leaders who give shoot to kill orders, assassinating our brothers and sisters and going scot-free. We the commoners are keenly watching and soon we’ll pass our verdict.

Is Kenya a theatre of the absurd or the oppressed? While we still ponder on this the call to stop the absurdity is never ending we are brothers whom by no body’s discretion we chose to be born from the tribes and communities we are in. Let us embrace each other and make this country habitable even to the generations to come. Equally, the same let us shun all forms of oppression while we caution our leaders to respect the lives of Kenyans.
May God bless us, may God bless Kenya.
Achieng Otieno (IT Specialist)