What I think is this, that democracy is not good for us simply because we are not mature a nation to practice it effectively for our own good. This article is partly inspired by the events of last week when the PM backed up the students of the University of Nairobi in their bid to demonstrate against the killings of a human rights activists and one student of the UoN. Things went terribly wrong, the demonstration or the 'procession' as they would like to call it turned out to become a cake-looting spree, those who watched the news know what I'm saying. The student body apologized, formally. At some point they even claimed that those were not students from the University, the looters. Well, the grand question is this; can a peaceful demonstration with all positive intent behind it occur in this nation? Or should we just forget it because whenever we want to express ourselves in the streets thugs come along to take advantage and spoil everything? Before I used to think different and I was wrong, blaming the government for disrupting even the humbliest and most peaceful of demonstration, even those harmless ones carried out by a handful of idle Kenyans. I came to realize even those demonstrations are not harmless. The government wouldn't just take any chances because they have accepted the idea that there is no such thing as a peaceful demonstration in this country as true.
But then do we really need to demonstrate anyway, is it the best way we can make ourselves heard in this 21st century, doesn't hitting the streets, yelling and looting sound barbaric? Revolutions came from the result of civil wars and unrest, where citizens said enough is enough and defied authority and brought down that same authority and tore it into pieces. Would that still apply in this day and age, with all the technological advances and all the lessons learnt from the past? We don't need to have the same solutions for yesterday's problems, we need better solutions.
Mutahi Ngunyi, on his Sunday article said that this was good, for the students to demonstrate. That it would go far to make the youth (esp those in the university) realize that their 'legs' are not tied and that they can push for whatever it is that they desire for this country, that they can have influence on the executive, or something.... Mr. Ngunyi keeps talking about that we have to go through some pain and hardship for us as a nation to have a rebirth. From what I understood he implied that there has to be a war or bloodshed for peace to rest undisturbed omongst us. I totally disagree. I say the days of revoltions are over! Fights for freedoms are done, what's remained is the struggle.
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5 Educated Opinions Yet:
Uuuuuuuuwi! Screamer, I sooooooooooooooo love this template!! It looks really classy.
I thnk its better to demonstrate and get stuff out of your system. I mean if I was given the opportunity to demonstrate over the stolen elections in 2007, I think I would have been less bitter today. I mean every other minute I hear Kibaki's name I think of election thief and human rights abuser. If I had been given an opportunity to peacefully demonstrate, maybe I would have healed Screamer....just saying.
I think those cake looters were hired by someone to loot....only the hirers know why! To discredit the prime ministers directive perharps? Who knows?
I mean these guys were looting and police STOOD ASIDE to WATCH them? Where the heck have you ever heard of such a thing? Something was not right about that demonstration.
Let me get this right, for you, you'd demonstrate just to feel better within yourself? What happen to showing outrage and 'sending a message' to whoever it is intended?
People looted, taking advantage, hired or not hired. And assuming that the demonstrators had good intentions, wouldn't they also forget the demo cuz hooligans will always be there? I'm just saying Mama.
Thanks by the way, it took me almost half a day to choose!
cuz if you want to release the bitterness you carry around then you can do it in the privacy of your room, lock yourself up and scream with a pillow in your face. It helps. You don't need to run around mad in the streets.
I bet, Mama, that you wouldn't run in the scorching sun shouting your lungs out in the name of a demo. Personally you wouldn't, but you don't mind other people doing it for you, am i right? Ask yourself why.
Very nice template I must say. Where is this blogger of late?
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