Last week, renowned controversial columnist, Prof. Makau Mutua decamped from Nation Media Group’s Sunday Nation and made his way down to Mombasa Road, at The Standard Group. However, his landing was not smooth as the welcome he received from fellow columnist was so welcoming.
Yesterday, Sunday Standard columnist, Moses Kuria, penned a very unsympathetic welcome note to Prof. Mutua; it was more like a harsh awakening. And harsh it was because the Standard Group never published it on the Sunday paper. The post, however, found its way to Capital FM’s site.
Here’s that;
Makau Mutua has made a grand entry as a fellow columnist in the Standard on Sunday newspaper. I take this early opportunity to welcome him to the hallowed columns. I do so with both hope and trepidation. Hope:- that every sinner has a future and every angel a past and therefore the good professor can use his transition to this column to redeem himself in the eyes of Kenyans. Trepidation:- because I shudder to imagine that the Dean of Law at New York State University at Buffalo may transfer his now crashed and discredited crystal ball to this paper otherwise fabled for sense and balance.
Looking back at Prof Mutua’s crystal balls, I would encourage him never to place a bet with anyone. In fact, if he had placed a wager on his predictions over the last few years, he would lose his deposit all the time. Since he lives in America, he would by now be filing for Chapter 11 Bankruptcy protection.
Let’s sample some juices from the Oracle of the Crystal Balls.
“I have concluded that Uhuru Kenyatta and William Ruto will not run, and even if they do, they will not make it” – September 30, 2012. Fact: Uhuru Kenyatta and William Ruto were elected with over 50pc of the votes cast during the March 4, 2013 General Election. Crystal ball loses deposit.
“Former Mungiki leader Maina Njenga has turned the Kikuyu youth against Mr Kenyatta.” June 17 2012.
“I am almost certain they will be eliminated from the presidential contest because of ICC.”
“My crystal balls tell me-take this to the bank-will be a two-horse race between Mr Odinga & Mr Musyoka.” Nov 6, 2011.
“This is a Sword of Damocles. Kenyatta is damaged goods whether or not charges against him are confirmed.” Nov 6 2011.
“In my book, Ms Karua is one of 3 top presidential candidates-others are Odinga and Kalonzo Musyoka. Uhuru and Ruto are out” Fact: Mohammed Didda beat Martha Karua in the poll. Crystal ball loses deposit.
“Don’t ask me why Mr Kenyatta and Mr Ruto are “finished”. Let’s stop kidding ourselves. Their supporters should move on
“Mr Kenyatta and Mr Ruto – are “out for the count”. Ocampo has dealt them a mortal blow. This is fact, not fiction.”
“Mr Kenyatta would be wise to seek to be Mr Odinga’s running mate, and become Vice-President under Mr Odinga.” -2010. Fact: I haven’t checked Mr Odinga’s last recorded location but at one time he vowed to sell mandazi in Kibera if he loses the election, which he did. Crystal ball loses deposit.
“Mr Odinga needs to convince Mr Kenyatta that Kenyans will not elect a Kikuyu for president in 2012.” June 2010.
The predictions of the crystal balls aside, I would urge Prof Makau Mutua to take a sabbatical from New York even if it is for a year. He needs to come back and acclimatize to the realities of Kenya and Africa. Too often, one can sense that Mutua is out of touch with Kenyan realities. Take for example the civil society movement in Kenya. It is undeniable fact that Prof Mutua is the father of civil society in Kenya. In the late 80′s and early 90′s he worked tirelessly to set up a motley crew of dozens of civil society groups under the cover of the Kenya Human Rights Commission. Without these groups, the transition to multiparty democracy would have been a lot more difficult.
Over time however and with the original mission accomplished, these groups degenerated into vehicles of hate and propagating some very un-African values. For instance, I recall Okiya Omtata Okoiti lamenting to me that his Kenyans for Justice and Democracy (KEJUDE) was banned from receiving donor funding. Reason: Mr Omtata (like me) is a staunch Roman Catholic and is totally against homosexuality.
Apparently, any group that receives donor funding from the likes of the Ford Foundation, Open Society etc must sign a declaration committing to promote trans-sexual rights. Whereas this would be perfectly in the West, it is simply an abomination in Africa. Barack Obama discovered this to his horror when President Macky Sall of Senegal told him so to his face when he visited Senegal this year.
Mr Mutua is a very powerful columnist. However he may want to heed to the words of British Conservative Party leader Stanley Baldwin in 1931. When he came under incessant undermining by British newspapers, Mr. Baldwin described them thus “What the proprietorship of these papers is aiming at is power, and power without responsibility – the prerogative of the harlot throughout the ages.”
Yes Mr Mutua wields the power of the pen but he must avoid exercising the prerogative of the harlot. His columns depict a man who is short of love, so why not give him some love today.
Welcome on board Prof Makau Mutua.
(Kuria writes commentaries on public affairs and policy matters)
[Capital FM]
