26/06/2024
© Mahinda Gichohi ~ 2024
Over the past two weeks, I undertook it upon myself to join others in a call about what I felt was wrong with the Finance Bill 2024. Having been to places like Ganze and Kinango, I understood better that sanitary towels are a rare and precious commodity to girls and women in semi-arid and marginalized areas. The above was among the things that made me reject the bill.
How do you even propose VAT on bread and milk? Save us the amended version.
In the course of exercising my constitutional right peacefully, police provoked me and others by lobbying teargas and injuring some of us. Still, I chose not to pelt stones on them nor take on others who were not part of the protests. My restraint was not that I was not bitter; I was and boiled with anger.
During the past month, we saw politicians in the ruling coalition mock, insult, and ridicule us, starting with the National Assembly Majority leader. For the past two years, the same has been the norm for some cabinet members. They have mocked us in our millions, insulted us, ridiculed and even shown us the middle finger, and the assumption has been that we should go s**t on or f**k ourselves. Mr. President, is it right for appointed officials to mock the citizens of a republic?
Over time, flamboyance, wastage, and reckless spending have been the order of the day, yet the ordinary citizen was expected to believe that our country was broke and thus should be taxed more and expected to live within their means. Mr. President, how do you wish us to live within our means with millions of shillings to upwards of 20,000,000 donated in Harambees in churches across the country every coming weekend? We all know that Harambee is an element of poverty that benefits those in power at the expense of the commoner.
Mr. President, you don't have to be out across the country every weekend promising this and that, yet there are no resources or a budget to facilitate that. The many unrealistic promises are what have been christened lies, and with the digital media and our gadgets, be assured that a record of each of them has been kept. The promises will be evaluated based on the timelines given and questioned. In addition, you don't have to fly every other time. During the Covid era, travel was limited, and things moved on. Again, there was no need to remove the tarmac in the Statehouse in a broke state. Mr. President, the buck stops with you; every penny spent has a trail. We will evaluate all the audit reports, ask whistleblowers to raise their voices, and then demand responsibility for any wastage, embezzlement, or whatever it will be.
To my fellow millennials and Z generations, the dismissal of the FB2024 has shown that our voices matter, and at no other time will our unity, voice, or numbers be taken for granted. We have realized a new social order of a fearless, tribeless, and partlyless movement that will keep all ministry and state departments in check and ensure that parliament undertakes its role accordingly. Together, in just a week, we reclaimed the pulpit and altars from the hands of politicians and rogue clergymen. I encourage you to keep this in check; rest it is abused after some time.
Today, the world and those in our country's leadership are in awe and still cannot believe how we pulled this through with no leader. Please don't fall victim, today or in the future; let no one use you to echo their vendetta or settle scores with the state or anybody else. Our unity of purpose is our strength, but distractions can and will derail the common good: prudent use of national resources and better governance across the counties and national government.
To those police officers who killed our peaceful and unarmed brothers, the rage, anger, and bitterness in me and other youths might drive us to do crazy things. Hence, it is all on you. You are no different from members of parliament who decided to ignore the cries of electorates in the name of towing the party lines. The blood that has been shed lies with the entire executive, members of parliament, and uncivilized police officers within the extensive police service, where we have seen restraint and sobriety, among many other officers, in the course of this journey.
I am no leader to call others back, but today, I go out in white to mourn my comrades and will exercise restraint, which I also seek of my fellow brothers and sisters. Let's not act like killer cops or satisfy the desire of those who don't share the vision we do. One of liberation ensures President Ruto and his 195 members of parliament go home. We have seen it is doable. We march on to undertake civic education in our villages and ensure that no one is left behind in liberating ourselves from political slavery and conmanship.
Whatever you do with your MP who voted Yes is up to you, but remember to pass our regards.
