10/28/2007
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IS RAILA ODINGA A FASCIST?
Is Raila Odinga a fascist? According to the research conducted when writing this article many Kenyans do not appear to probe or analyze ideological principals behind Raila Odinga as his dramatic wave of euphoria to the youth and ethnocentric orientation to the Kenya public continue to heighten.
What type of ideologies does Raila really propagate in his politics? Does his philosophy carry a true African Democratic concept? Is it Anarchy especially when he is able to say one word and all follow like "…tosha"? Or is it authoritarian ideology giving him authority to order one ethnic group not to pay rent to some Nairobi house owners and follow the command like robots or ordering a group of youth to set church properties on fire and they do so without question or remorse? Is it dictatorship in the making coated with chocolate of national interest, or is it communism dyed in the romanticized great future of the Kenya citizens? The more you observe and probe the life history and the blue print of political tower designed by Odinga the more you find the characteristics on the ideology known us "Fascism".
This philosophy that is more idealistic than bearing any content of realism runs its roots through fabrication of society propaganda that helps to inject euphoria in the society especially to the youth, middle-class and the poor. The ideology was started by Mussolini of Italy. Modern historian has accredited Bento Mussolini for having been the mentor and the role model of Adolph Hitler of Germany. Historians express that Hitler's voice that resonate authority and the method of vigorous communication gestures with animated facial expression was adopted from a former soldier, a journalist, revolutionist Bento Aderea Mussolini of Italy. I am sure now it makes sense why Mussolini was the only known European ally of Adolph Hitler. The ideology helped to fuel Hitler's rise of power in Germany purging economic concepts and the bewilderment of political policies. All Hitler's techniques of moving the society under the intoxicating euphoria and soaking their will under well schemed propaganda through radio and journalism was learned from Mussolini. Please note the ability to put media under his control and subjection.
But what does fascism entails?
One of the greatest scholars on Fascism Dr. Chips describes it as
"An authoritarian political ideology, generally tied to a mass movement that considers individual and other societal interests inferior to the needs of the state, and seeks to forge a type of union, usually based on ethnic, cultural or racial attributes"
Dr. Mathew N. Lyons describes it as a form of extreme right wing ideology that celebrates the nation as an organic community transcending all other loyalties. It emphasizes a myth of national or racial rebirth. It promises a political paradise, where all shall be economically equal and no more poverty and want which can be achieved through eliminating the evil people and the economic suckers. Hence, Lyons describes fascism as machinery that elevates the elimination of the elite and the hard working citizens even those who might have attained the level of affluence legitimately. Under such approach he then divides one section or ethnic or demography of the society creates conspicuous political boundaries between the evil and the good. Then continues to condemn and scapegoat on the assumed evil for any assumed societal misnomers.
This Mussolini's ideology was not based in factual or on any adherence of government formulated process. Political scholars describe it to have been based on un-meaningful or unpractical assumptions build on an individual whose power delirium has taken over. This description is well evidenced when one dictator assumed he can rule the world by eliminating some particular group of people. To achieve his unreachable political Canaan he moves to mobilize public who in turn suffers grossly when the dictator grips the total power. Naturally the fascists with their napoleon complexes light up the desire of the young who bear limited historical reverence and by nature yearn for change anyway. Hence, the fascist usually use such opportunity to infuse a storm of propaganda that works to his power quest. In other words in the pretext on the nation at interest his political compulsive power derive is fulfilled.
Mussolini advanced the ideology to the people that the rich were evil and needed to be tamed. He then turns and spreads a propaganda to the affluent promised them that they will enjoy his protection if they fund his ideals; he came to the farmers and condemned the socialists who were accused of wanting to take the land of the farmers and general peasants. Propaganda bought all Italian nation population into the most evil ideals in the modern history, fascism. Mussolini himself called the philosophy "reactionary" that means it reacts towards the circumstances at current to fit his will from the people but not a movement that was guided by a constitution or laws by which societal incidences are guided by.
Could these attributes fit the personality and behavior of Raila Odinga who wants votes from some particular ethnic groups in Kenya and without pre-design governmental protocol yet promises them that there will be new positions for them as long us they agree to join his undefined political turf. For example, Raila magnetizing votes from some ethnic tribes by promising position or titles like Prime Ministers and Vice Presidents to various tribes while there is no policy in the constitution that allows such provision. Nor has there been any model to follow. One day Kibaki is "Tosha" the song next month "Kibaki is a demon" for having not fitted Raila's dictatorial view. According to Raila's messianic assurance he promises that "no one who will join my party and gets forgotten" yet condemns the current government claiming it as made of Kibaki's friends. These inconsistencies are one of the major characteristic of Fascism, making the political rules when the game is going on.
So what is similarity between Mussolini and Raila Odinga? Mussolini was born by an activist who was never satisfied with Italian government of then but never rose to power. Raila is a son of a father who was an activist whose obsession of power and great admirer of Russian communism derailed him from reaching the presidency of the republic of Kenya. Even the time he was given vice presidency, Jaramogi Odinga could never be satisfied. Mussolini's father represented New Leftist ideals that never took roots in Italy but before his death he pumped his son to carry on the deserted feared ideologies that gave birth to fascism. Raila's father who died before his Russian political mechanics put in place in Kenya, but had his son to achieve his education in East Germany in order to learn even more distorted and radical form of communism operated under close ideologies to fascism. Like Musollin's father it appears his father's commission was to make sure that Raila goes all the way by any means to establish ingredients of communism mixed with fascism in the young republic of Kenya.
Through Injecting of anger, fear and hatred towards some ethnic people within the society Mussolini became the first known in modern history to assume that there are people born of good genes, Aryans and the rest are bad and they are supposedly to be purged. Hitler did the same he associated the economic down fall and embarrassment of Germany loosing the First World War I with existence of the disabled, the gypsies, describing them as inferior and expressed that nature deems them not good to live, condemned them as being sackers of the nations economy, hence, he massacred all of them. He then turned his attention to the Jews and directed hunting all Jews in all Europe and sending then to gas chambers and in various death camps that gave birth to one of the worst atrocities in human history, holocaust.
In Raila's foundation of his government practices he has managed to inject hatred, anger and fear towards one ethnic group, the Kikuyus. He has successfully helped to build a wind of tougible contempt towards the Kikuyus so much so as if they do not deserve to exist. He has created the seedbed to saw the separation of the Kikuyus with the rest of tribes of Kenya politically. Railas accuses all Kikuyus collectively of having been the grubbers who have had opportunity to enrich themselves through the rate president Mzee Kenyatta. Although statistic shows differently he has also broadcast that all main jobs in the government and major industries including the Non-Governmental Organizations are pinned to the Kikuyus.
He has managed to portray that whether the Kikuyus worked in their business, as professionals or bought their cows right in the village and bought more and more cows to establish themselves they are all accused of being the greedy and whose appetite of getting rich is perpetual. Those who desire to know how other Kenyans tribes think about the Kikuyus need to visit some of the Kenyan websites and find how many of them swear on how they shall annihilate the Kikuyus after Raila's election. Here then we are likely to be visited with genocide where the Kikuyus will be set on fire of rage and unjustifiable indignation of the other tribes and all their properties and their lives will be devoured like buffalo calf on the fangs of hungry hyenas.
The Kalejins have their share of Odinga's boiling indignation which has multiplied for having some members not put to the gallows by President Kibaki when he took over the presidency. Moi's government, of the Kalejins is accused by Odinga for putting him in prison for an attempt to overthrow the government. Odinga has promised to put them in prison at any cost when he is elected.
It is African cultural practice to name our children after our community heroes, kins men or naming after members of our family. This helps to keep family inspiration, bond and actualization. However, Raila's admiration of fascism and communism ideologies appears to have overcome him to the extent of disregarding his ancestors and named his son Fidel Castro in honor of Cuban socialist dictator.
Let all Kenyans remember that history repeats itself and Kenya is not immune to any dispensation of terror and blood shed. If we have managed to produce Idi Amin Dada of Uganda, Mobutu Tse Tse ko of Zaire, Dictator Obaka, Sergeant Samuel Doe, we are still capable of glooming a fascist. Let us all be cautious of any influences that would undermine the abundance of democracy and freedom within our society today.
Please note in all societies in history of mankind those who have and those who do not have always have been an obvious characteristic of any society. We are all having different abilities and the intensity of motivation to achieve life goals vary in each one of us. And when we are all equal our level standards and choices will always vary. Unfortunately, the revolutionaries and dictators in the political history have been using such natural discrepancies as means to take those who might not have achieved much as machinery by injecting euphoria and turn them against those who are in leadership and those who have. Again here the tools that help to create messianic hero the same society in turn has been subjected to atrocities and blood shed by the same leader.
To the contrast of the democratic concept Dr. Gerald Buenos defines it as the government, which declares not to hinder the natural rights of each individual. It is an administration of the people, by the people for the people for the betterment of all. Democratic philosophy propagates the right and justice for all men and women the old and the young, the infirm and the healthy, the rich and poor, share a spark of humanity that must be cherished by all. In all levels binding all together in a manner that continuously re-affirms the freedom of achievement according to each individual are abilities and talents to any height possible as each and collectively cerebrate life and joy of living".
Kenya needs democracy.
In the conclusion what would happen if Raila Ondinga wins the election and what could we expect if Kibaki goes back? Get it on the next article.
By
Elijah Ngugi
The Director of Secretariat of Congress of Kenyan Congress Diaspora.
Joluo.com
Akelo nyar Kager, jaluo@jaluo.com
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