Deputy President William Ruto has warned political leaders drumming support for the BBI against using the "nobody can stop reggae" saying that reggae can indeed stop.
By Ndung'u Wa Gathua
Speaking on Sunday in Matungu Constituency, Kakamega County, Ruto noted that such threats and insults mainly being amplified by ODM leader Raila Odinga, will only serve to jeopardize the whole BBI process.
"Hawa watu watajua hawajui. Let us have a people centred all-inclusive conversation on the Constitution. Don’t tell us about nobody can stop reggae. That reggae will stop. If the people’s issues are not in this discussion, oh my friend it will stop!" said Ruto.
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He added: "Walete maneno pole pole. Wacha kiburi, wacha madharau. Kenya ni yetu sisi wote. Hakuna vile mtu anaweza tuambia eti hii BBI nobody can stop reggae. Ati mupende musipende. Kenya sio yenu peke yenu."
In a March article, I argued in details why the "nobody can stop reggae" rallying call was misplaced and nonsensical under the context in which it was being used. In fact, I couldn't help but wonder who was stopping reggae in the first place?
If BBI is indeed a unity project, I wrote, then it shouldn't be seen to propagate such divisive rhetoric which is undoubtedly targeted to those who seem to oppose it.
Well, it seems that the DP belongs to the same school of thought where he even perceives the use of the rallying call borrowed from the late Lucky Dube's hit song "Reggae is Strong", as "madharau" and "kiburi".
And Ruto could not have interpreted it better, because as he said this, President Uhuru Kenyatta while touring Nyeri County at the same time to drum support for the report, was seemingly met by near empty streets and roads as residents kept away.
This was surprisingly unprecedented in a President's stronghold and was perhaps a strong befitting message to him by the area residents that they neither cared nor were they interested in what he was there to do.
Put differently, reggae in Nyeri, had apparently stopped even before it could start. So, as Raila arrogantly asserts that "nobody can stop reggae" it seems as they say, "kwa ground mambo ni different". Yes, kuleni kiburi yenu, one would say!
The Boasting Traveler
At this juncture, I find myself having to allude to the story of a man who had traveled in a foreign land (Rhodes) and on returning to his own country, boasted of the many wonderful and heroic feats he had performed in the different places he had visited.
Among other things, he said that when he was at Rhodes he had jumped to such a distance that no man could leap anywhere near him. He even said that he could call upon many in Rhodes who could stand as a witness.
"There is no need of witnesses," said one of his listeners, "simply assume this is Rhodes and jump for us."
The boasting traveler not liking this proposal, sat down quietly, and had nothing more to say for himself.
The moral of the story, "boasting of deeds done is plenty of fun at least until someone calls you on your boasting".
And how other better way to call UhuRaila and company on their "nobody can stop reggae" boasting than what was witnessed in Nyeri on Sunday in broad daylight?