Yesterday I dragged my tired self to Java, Galleria for my usual Sunday evening coffee date. 2 waiters and a waitress passed me several times in a span for 25 minutes before they could take my order. I sat right outside the door for crying out loud. No, they didn’t notice me until I asked if there was a spare waiter they could send to my table and what time he/she would be available. I offered to wait or I make my coffee.
The look I got from the waitress was atrocious. She sneered and proceeded to drag her feet as she brought me the menu. Honestly I felt disgusted.
According to her and the people in the surrounding tables, I was being a nuisance. I was disturbing the status quo. I could almost hear someone say I had a stick up my sh!thole. I should shut up and wait till they felt like serving me, right?
At this moment, it hit me. Kenyans don’t like upsetting the balance.
We can’t pull a ‘Libya’ or an ‘Egypt’ for crying out loud. We don’t like our peace disturbed even if it is for a good and common cause. Try speaking out against discrimination, or demanding for what you’ve paid for or is your right and everyone will distance themselves and you are branded as the town’s mad man. We can’t unite ourselves to work for a better Kenya, Organizers of KenyaFeb28 can tell you this.
Kenyans are fine with being fine. Nooo, doing better is just so much work.
When civil societies are up in arms shouting themselves hoarse about rise in taxes, we curse and cringe at the thought of how bad traffic will be on that day. We get mad at how they are wasting our time and money.
Most Kenyans didn’t participate in #KenyaFeb28 because we’d be busy at work, or have better things to do, or as some asked ‘Who cares’ or ‘What next’?
How many times has the price of fuel been hiked yet we can’t down our tools and take to the streets to show the government who’s boss? I mean it is JUST 4 shillings up, right? What is 4 shillings anyway? *Shrug*
How many times has bus fare been hiked just because it is raining/there’s traffic and we rush in like fools instead of standing strong till they stop this madness? How many times did we board overloaded vehicles because we didn’t care our own safety?
How many times do we bribe our way out just to avoid inconveniences that will eventually stomp out corruption?
As I write this, the Ocampo6 arrived back in the country this morning and are expected to host a rally at Uhuru Park. 40 plus MPs accompanied the 6 suspected perpetrators of the 2007 Post Election Violence to show their support.
These MPs don’t care about the injustice that led to the Hague process, they are setting up shop for 2012 by aligning themselves with the Ocampo6 for influence.
Another crazy one flew off the handle doing shuttle diplomacy using taxpayers money, MY MONEY, to gather support against a process I fully support.
Being the complacent Kenyans that we are, we will put our feet up and fold our arms as we whine about this rally and the participants. Come 2012, we will choose these same guys because we are brain washed to believe they are the ones we know: better the devil you know, right?
Else we will butcher each other while the same leaders who incited us go have high tea at The Serena patting each other’s backs. They’ll go on to doze off in Parliament as they get siting allowances and are raise their salaries at free will.
I was shocked when some IDPs were interviewed on their thoughts on the ICC process and one says that The Ocampo6 should be brought back to Kenya and forgiven!!!?? How now brown cow?
The ‘middle-class’ of this country who are the majority are failing us. The ‘low-class’ fights and throws stones, uproots railway lines while the ‘middle-class’ stays indoors where it is safe. We blame the low-class people for all the disturbances but we forget they are reacting to a situation. Rise in food and kerosene prices affect these families a hundred-fold.
Don’t for a minute forget that it is money from the middle class people which will pay taxes to repair any damage caused these uprisings, not the low-class’ people’s income because they are not taxable.
I can’t speak for our leaders because they make me sick and we keep re-electing them and that is how we got ourselves in this mess in the first place.
As for the ‘high-class’, they just don’t care. They live in the leafy burbs and all they can hear are the birds chirping in their backyards or their horse’s neigh in the stables, not our cry for freedom.
Come on Kenyans! Let’s get off our high horses and start scrubbing. Go on, get your hands dirty.
This is your country: quit acting like you are just visiting.
*Lights out*
Well said.
I’ve had several such experiences at the Java outlets at Galleria, Junction and Adams Arcade. Its like they are trying to tell us they surrendered the CBD ones to us mediocre folk so we should leave the ones in Suburbia to the white folk.
Nice post.
Like the lay out of thought.
Challenge accepted. We need to demand for better.
Brilliantly put!!!
Well said. This is so true on so many levels!!
Los Politicos de Kenia Loco
The events of last week’s political soap opera have made my blood pressure rise quite considerably. The latest installment in Los Politicos de Kenia Loco had acres of media coverage among which was an item showing a horde of 41 MPs outside an international courtroom waving the Kenyan flag and singing the national anthem after having attended the initial summon hearings. That image has enraged me beyond belief because in the next news item there was image of a rather deserted looking floor of the August house. These are the same 41 people who are charged with the responsibility of passing crucial bills to make the document of our constitution come to live yet there was quorum at the steps of the ICC building but one quorum for a committee reading of a bill.
ISN’T it time we remember that on February 28 we gathered to REALLY sing the words of the national anthem, to remind us from whence we had come , we sang the national anthem hoping that justice be our shield and defender , may we dwell in peace and unity . As I was watched in sheer disgust at the polloi of those 41 MPs I could see the little injustices that we have allowed to define our society, the turning of the other cheek and the unrelenting obsession of the news media on political news. I have always felt a sense of patriotism in watching the major sporting events and the Kenyan flag highs above the stadium and the first chords of the anthem are played. What rushed through my soul was a sense of betrayal, outrage and sheer rage.
Instead of spending time and resources and the 41 fat paychecks on real work they were in a European country on a chilly day desecrating the words of our national anthem and the real victims waiting for hope and for a sense of justice to prevail back home got not more than a few bylines and there was lukewarm news item about the photo exhibition organized by civil society of those chilling and horrific scenes that bear witness to our collective madness .
Now is time to TAKE BACK OUR VOICES AND really have a media blackout day on any political news. Instead all media outlets should dedicate one day as the voice of the people to show real stories and stories of celebration, the resilience of the Kenyan people, maybe run the Safaricom advertisement as a news feature to remind us what a beautiful country we live in and which a large majority of us will never afford to really se because our incomes only allow for survival. Show the strength of family educating their children despite the odds. Tell the story of the entrepreneur who started with nothing but after many years has made a success, the fisher man or woman by the lake or Indian Ocean who has watched the waters change, the story of a coffee farmer enjoying the benefits for demand for Kenyan coffee maybe. Can you feel your blood pressure lower at the thought of watching real news items?
Mzalendo Kibunja can make this the initial salvo at a people driven agenda for cohesion -give political news a blackout for a day and warn media houses who do not comply that they are not being patriotic rather than being treated to yet another soap opera of political shenanigans. The intended rally at Uhuru Park is a true desecration of the very ground where we made a new pledge to forge ahead with a respect of the law how outrageous. Anyway Madam ICC President was speaking Russian and does not understand what sovereignty means.
The Media Council of Kenya of Kenya should instead of intensive lobbying the government and other political stakeholders and engaging in dialogue against the restrictive media laws proposed. These are sure to be passed by the same politicos they dedicate airtime and ink time to once they get to the Honorable House. Instead the Media Council of Kenya should engage in subtle subversion and issue new editorial guidelines for news that dictate that media houses should carry business news 30%, science and technology 25%, sports 15% , agriculture 15%, human interest stories 20%.Any news related to politics should be parliamentary proceedings shown only during the day.
There are no guesses that since it is political news it will be splashed all over the media till round two in September and we will be treated to every speech, every slight nuance, every intrigue invite several political analysts to engage in navel gazing all in the name of the role of the media to inform , educate and entertain . Anyway if you are like me I have made a standing order for movies and perhaps when the budget allows a subscription to cable when the price of cooking oil comes down. Up till then I am still stuck with the soap opera Los Politicos de Kenia Loco.
I agree! the collective attitude of the middle class borders on hypocrisy.
nice post
I feel you about the restaurants. led mwe to ask whether it is us or them who are the waiters. Couple of weeks back was at the coffe place opposite galito’s waited for so long yet I was right next to the counter. mpaka the manager is the one who served us at some point!!
Enyewe we have to stand up when enough is enough
Lovely post..towtally agree..we need to stop whining and start acting..as for Java Galleria,it gives Art Caffe in Westlands a run for the kiss white ass n serve our fellow Kenyans last, a run for discriminatory services:-)
Spot on! Can this post be published in the papers?
So long as it is credited, why not? Thanks.
Well Said…….
Will
This post is brilliant! One time, a matatu conductor announced fare to be 80 bob and when we got in he changed to 100bob! I complained, looking around me for support from other passengers but none was forthcoming! It’s only 20bob, right?
We Kenyans need to change our attitude
Ha. I’ve had similar experiences at Java, Galleria. Bure kabisa. But onto to matters of national importance, the idea of revolution has been sown, and the the time is coming. Slowly but surely, we are getting to a critical mass. For those among us with the courage, more will be given.
Just this morning, a driver did a u-turn on Ngong Road in a a matatu full of passengers.
You’d think he was going to re-fuel! Or even, avoiding the copas. But nooo, Mo-Fo turned back to go pick a colleague [a fellow driver] who they had left at a previous bus stop 20 minutes away.
As in WTF! Such is the impunity we are exposed to on a daily basis.
As Kenyans, we must do 2 things.
1. Each one of us must develop a culture of excellence.
2. After we are done being mediocre, only then shall we demand it of others.
And we should. Especially of our leaders and people in the service industry.
Coz its all about the paper, and yall dont tip! Real talk, if I worked there Id also walk straight around you and go serve the cracker at the corner with the kroners.
Moral of the story: Tip a motherfucker once in a while maybe youll get better service. I mean, they dont call tips ”service charge” for nothing!
Everything that I could or would have said has been summarized quite succinctly above.
I find our service culture quite interesting. If your are a (white)tourist or look vaguely important, people fall over backwards to lick your shoes. Look like raia and your priority is slightly above congealing phlegm.
And the political situation is going to give me ulcers at some point. The only rational solution is to get angry. Really angry. Angry enough to be the ringing voice of dissension.
I’m finding that voice.
I went to a supermarket once, Tuskys i believe, and they gave me change in sweets so i told the cashier that i don’t eat sweets & he threw a tantrum & the other shoppers started sneering at me and giving me the evil eye. I simply told the guy that if i’m to accept sweets as change then i might as well pay with sweets as well. That shut him up & he gave me my coins and i walked off.
I feel you & i think it’s time the middle class grew a pair & gave a damn about this country. Maybe then, things will change.
I went to Uchumi early this week and instead of my change in coins, they gave me a matchbox. Yep, a matchbox. *SMH*
The middle-class………pay all the taxes they are actually more pinched than the so called the rich/wealthy and all they they do is sit all comfy in their living rooms staring at hdtv’s…wake up guys this country needs you and writing these pieces in twitter wont do it…that crowd i saw at uhuru park read no twitter.
Couldn’t agree with you more.
Kenyans should drop its name and call itself Conformia coz we are just CONFORMISTS, Go-with-flow, never-rock-the-boat kind of people. Am just from watching Kizza Besigye being bundled for the FOURTH time into a Police truck and the Conformist sitting next to me is busy asking me what’s Besigye’s problem???
Reading this almost a year later and it is still relevant, if not, worse. There is a certain waiter at the Norfolk who does not serve black people yet he’s black himself. I digress. I doubt Kenyans would have the gall to do an #OccupyNigeria like the Nigerians have. We are too comfortable and complacent. We need to stop talking and start acting.