Migingo & The Art Of State Propaganda

For a while now, I have pondered over the importance of what I will call The Migingo Saga.

Why is Migingo happening now? At the initial stages of the saga, analysts thought it was a ploy by Museveni to rally Ugandans together againist the "big bad rich neighbour". On close scrutiny, one realises that Kenyan leaders are the ones that needed to divert the nation's attention from pressing problems of famine and drought, corruption, mis-rule and general lack of leadership.

Everytime I try to place the importance and relevance of the island saga, I get drawn closer and closer to the conslusion that its mere state propaganda aimed at keeping Kenyans emotionally charged and directing all of our national stocks of venom towards our neighbours to the west. Uganda also seems to be in the know and must have been requested to "play along", how else would you explain all the drama and theatrics they are involved in- sending their brigadiers to the island and Government Spokeperson to Nairobi, Kibaki meeting with Museveni in Lusaka, etc. The only unscripted part is the one of Kenya looking like a sissy simply because someone forgot to let Kianga and Wetangula in on the secret. So we end up with State officials seeking a diplomatic solution, while Ugandans and common Kenyans are spoiling for a military fight!

This tatics have been used in the past and at different intervals we have had to deal with "manufactured crisis" like guerrillas here and there, sedition, coup plot, cabinet reshuffles, a cure for AIDS, pyramid schemes, etc which are meant to keep the citizens on tenterhooks for months on end and their gaze away from the real problems.

What company do you keep?

The other weekend while having a beer with friends of a friend, one of them posed and asked what kind of role models do we expose our kids to? His view is that most parents like hanging around their "kind", which means that if you are a lawyer then all the successful adults that you expose your kids to apart from family members will be in the law and enforcement careers. The twist was that in Kenya today only a small percentage of people are engaged in formal employment or in the the type of careers that every parent wishes their children to engage in. Invariably too many Kenyans are in "jua kali" or informal businesses. To make matters worse our type of businesses lack professionalism and you will therefore find a very successful real estate player raking in millions but plying their trade from a parking lot or a cybercafe! Professionals are looked down upon and those in public service are demeaned. He went on to observe that in the olden days, civil servants were respected and it was an honour and privilege to serve the nation. Teachers were respected and emulated, doctors too. Poor kids are therefore left no choice but to emulate the "wheeler dealer" uncles they are familiar with. With this comes the oft lauded cutting of corners that Kenyan business world is associated with. The hero and heroines of Kenyan business-lore are all strugglers who cut a corner here and suplied "air" there! In such a world where every "uncle and aunty" is in business, are we not limiting the options left for career chioces to our kids. To make matters worse, TV has filled the vacuum with a very unrealistic reality of aliens and a Harry Porter-type world full of sorcery black magic.Will it be a wonder when your teenage daughter finds inspiration in Gothic culture and your son becomes a slave of hip-hop culture? As we discussed the issue, it dawned on many that a "bling" and informal culture was seeping slowly into our society. The most respected in our midst are the tie-less "bling"-ardoned businessmen who drive a flashy and pimped car, keep irregular hours and remains vague about what they really do for a living. The discussion got me thinking. How do I expose Natasha and Gregory to the right kind of people. Inspirational and not hyped types. What advice on careers do I give them? While I may not have a game plan to share now, the discussion was food for thought and I hope I will be conscious to what and who they learn from.