In a recent article, Clifford Derrick, a Kenyan analyst, warned that marginalized communities in Kenya have been trapped in a cycle of permanent protest for 60 years while a small elite quietly builds empires. This phenomenon has been observed for decades, with communities in Nyanza, Coast, Western, and Northeastern regions guiding their efforts towards fighting for the superstructure, including constitutions, courts, and civil liberties. Meanwhile, the elites of two regions have monopolized the base, including industries, land, transport networks, and financial capital.
Derrick cited the example of former President Uhuru Kenyatta's recent admission that Raila Odinga won the 2022 election. This admission has sparked controversy, with some leaders questioning the timing and motives behind the revelation. Oburu Oginga, leader of the ODM party, asked why Kenyatta raised the issue four years later, why he handed power to William Ruto if he believed Raila won, and why he used the sacrifice of a departed leader as material for a new political project.
According to Derrick, the trap of permanent protest while others build is rooted in human frailty, including greed, pride, and selfishness. These weaknesses have been intensified and weaponized by a small elite to keep the majority in a cycle of protest. The analyst cited the example of Jaramogi Oginga Odinga, who understood this phenomenon and was punished for it, and Raila Odinga, who spent five decades paying the price before engineering the current political landscape.
Derrick argued that the base of the economy, including roads, railways, factories, and electricity, determines what is possible in the superstructure. However, Kenyan political elites have exploited this distinction for six decades, keeping everyone else in the dark. The communities of Nyanza, Coast, Western, and Northeastern regions have been guided into fighting exclusively for the superstructure, while the elites of two regions have quietly monopolized the base.
The analyst cited the example of the 2010 Constitution, which was a major achievement for the marginalized communities. However, the elites have used their control of the base to undermine the constitution and maintain their power. Derrick argued that it is time for the marginalized communities to focus on building their own economic foundation rather than engaging in perpetual protest.
Derrick also cited the example of Senator Boni Khalwale, who boasted that the Mulembe community, a central pillar of Raila's political base, are the trusted house helps who raise the children of the wealthy, the watchmen who guard their estates, and the boda boda riders who fuel their mobility. This statement has been seen as a confession of the role that marginalized communities have been conditioned to play in Kenyan society.
In conclusion, Derrick's article highlights the need for marginalized communities in Kenya to shift their focus from perpetual protest to building their own economic foundation. This requires a fundamental change in strategy, from fighting exclusively for the superstructure to building the base of the economy. By doing so, the communities can break free from the cycle of permanent protest and build a more sustainable future.
Key points
- Marginalized communities in Kenya have been trapped in a cycle of permanent protest for 60 years while a small elite builds empires.
- The base of the economy, including roads, railways, factories, and electricity, determines what is possible in the superstructure.
- It is time for marginalized communities to focus on building their own economic foundation rather than engaging in perpetual protest.
