 |
| President Uhuru Muigai Kenyatta |
“Win through your actions, never through argument. Any momentary triumph
you think you have gained through argument is really a Pyrrhic
victory...It is much more powerful to get others to agree with you
through your actions, without saying a word. Demonstrate, do not
explicate”. This Robert Green gem has pricked my conscience as I reflect
on the state of our nationhood in this historic 50th year of our
independence.
I look back at these past five decades and marvel at how our
“forever” project of “national unity” has stubbornly remained a paradox,
with everyone preaching harmony while disharmony seems to define our
very existence. I am mystified by how we condemn corruption by word; yet
appear to routinely condone the vice by deed. It is flabbergasting how
we demand to be honoured yet our very actions ooze dishonour. Indeed if
rhetoric alone was the tie that binds, Kenya would be the most cohesive of nations. Jomo Kenyatta made the word harambee iconic, using the concept to rally Kenyans
to build their fledgling nation. But even as his words rang nationhood,
his actions sowed seeds of toxic ethnic jingoism. Daniel arap Moi
invented the “nyayo philosophy of peace, love and unity”, yet his reign
mirrored the Jomo tribalist tendencies.
Emillio Mwai Kibaki rode to power on the dizzying wave of the “yote yawezekana” dream that saw Kenyans
momentarily ranked the most optimistic people of earth. But the son of
Othaya firmly kept faith with the bad ways of his predecessors and left
behind a nation far more fractured than he had inherited, and
permanently stained by the 2008 post-election pogroms. President Uhuru
Muigai Kenyatta has picked up the same tune, but will it be any different?
Yes,
good people, we have a sad history of being great at talking the talk
but quite lousy at walking the walk. Our words just don’t match our
actions. At the individual level, we argue and spew disgust at “those
tribalists”, yet our actions shame our very conscience, for those who
still have any! Not even this thing called the National Cohesion and
Integration Commission (NCIC) has exorcised the malevolent demon. In
fact NCIC looks quite clueless. Yet history is replete with countless
fine examples of how easy it is to convince others through deeds rather
than words.
Ancient Greek historian, Herodotus, records in his
5th Century master pièce, The Histories, the remarkable tale of how
Amasis of Sais galvanised Egyptian support. When Amasis ascended to the
throne after Apries was deposed, at first the Egyptians were inclined to
be contemptious, and did not think much of him because of his humble
and undistinguished origin; but later on he cleverly brought them to
heel, without having recourse to harsh measures. Amongst his
innumerable treasures, he had a gold foot-bath, which he and his guests
used on occasion to wash their feet in. This he broke up, and with the
material had a statue made to one of the gods, which he then set up in
what he thought the most suitable spot in the city.
The Egyptians,
constantly coming upon the statue, treated it with profound reverence,
and as soon as Amasis heard of the effect it had upon them, he called a
meeting and revealed that the deeply revered statue was once a
foot-bath, which they washed their feet and pissed and vomited in. He
went on to say that his own case was much the same, in that once he had
been only an ordinary person and was now their king; so that just as
they had come to revere the transformed foot-bath, so they had better
pay honour and respect to him too. In this way the Egyptians were
persuaded to accept him as their master.
Robert Green warns that
even the best argument has no solid foundation, for we have all come to
distrust the slipery nature of words. “Everyone knows that in the heat
of an argument we will say anything to support our cause. We will quote
the Bible, refer to unverifiable statistics.
Who can be persuaded
by bags of air like that? Action and demonstration are much more
powerful and meaningful. They are there, before our eyes, for us to see.
No one can argue with a demonstrated proof...the power of demonstrating
your idea is that your opponents do not get defensive, and are
therefore more open to persuation. Making them literally and physically
feel your meaning is infinitely more powerful than argument”.
We
all agree that action speaks louder than words. The Bible teaches that
its the demonstration of your faith not the mere “mouthing’ it that is
your key to the everlasting Kingdom. And Baltasar Gracian’s wisdom, “the
truth is generally seen, rarely heard”, continues to ring through the
sands of time. What are you waiting for...C’mon, stop just talking,
start doing something!
Writer is Budalang’i MP, and Chair of Parliament’s Public Accounts Committee
SCROLL DOWN TO LEAVE A COMMENT
No comments:
Post a Comment