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BEN MULWA THE NEW FACE OF KENYA OR A FARCE


       The entry of Ben Mulwa into Kenyan politics has not only raised eyebrows to few but also rekindled the question of, just how ready is Kenya for new players?  Can Kenya brace up for new leadership? Are we ready to embrace one unknown character into the political game? Can the media give attention to this young man with passion to serve Kenya?
      I knew Ben through the social network, Facebook to be precise; He struck me as that young energetic Kenyan who was more than willing to go an extra mile for Kenya. His posts mostly inundate that passionate patriotic undying lover of this country. At first I was apprehensive of him because of his more than radical view of things. He struck me as an overnight dreamer, you know, that kind of guy who after four or seven years of university, comes out with energy and zeal possessing that aura of a Mr. Know It All.  Those people who are bookish about everything, in other words, he looked to me as an individual who takes a book to work.
      I was wrong or maybe I was right. Through the years of interaction with him, I have come to more than be, his friend. I cannot say that I know him better but if words have voice and voice creates a character and that character breathes life into an individual, then I can claim to know Mulwa more than he thinks I do.
Born on 02 November 1981 young Ben attended Kaliini Primary school and Kyemundu secondary school before joining Maseno University for a Bachelor of Science in Applied Statistics but he quit for personal reasons. He claims to be taking a Masters in Leading Innovation and Change at Robert Kennedy College, Switzerland and Bachelor of Science in Economics and Finance at the London schools of Economics.
Ben claims that leaving Maseno University prompted him to see the anomalies in the Kenyan system of education which he believes he can change if given a chance to hold the high office.
      I came to learn of Ben’s patriotism through the campaign initiative he started together with the likes of Bob Agevi, a computer geek, Nicholas Oyoo, a Nairobi based writer and activist and others to resettle scores of IDPs in the Rift Valley. He was very much lively on the issue. In the campaign, Kenyans were asked to contribute only ten bob towards the initiative. He was also involved in another campaign to feed Kenyans who were famine stricken in North Eastern and Eastern Kenya, this campaign was swallowed up by the Kenyans for Kenya initiative. 
       Ben therefore portrays an image of caring passionate Kenyan who has the feel of Kenyan mwananchi at heart. He is humble and more so generous at heart. He is innovative and quite a dare when it comes to taking risks.
       How then did he come up with the decision to run for the highest office in Kenya?  Well, the answer to that question is beguiling as it is a mystery. I do not have a candid and straightforward answer for that question myself. A random check reveals fears that Mulwa is either a project of Raila to test the waters of the ‘democratic’ UDF or the project of ‘UDF’ itself to prove that to a majority of Kenyans that they are indeed democratic. The 31 year old though maintains that, he feels that it is his duty to serve the people of his country.  He says, “…you know how far we have come in the struggle. You know how challenging it’s been. But most importantly, you know how important the future of this nation is to be left in the hands of the masters of deceit and greed. Let us go for this….. We can wrestle our destiny from this (current leadership)”  
    I asked him of his agenda and he said he and his team were working to tailor it to the party’s (UDF) manifesto which I am eagerly waiting. My concern so far is not on the issue of the motive behind Ben’s move but to see more of Bens out there fighting with the old guard, the owners of the political systems in Kenya.
It is very demoralizing to keep on voting in very very same faces with no progress. I think it is that time Kenyans begun to realize that this country is a democracy and not a monarchy or an aristocracy. This is the time where new blood should be pumped into this country’s leadership.
      Kenyans need to desist from this behavior of judging people according to their background. It is a high time that that chain of leadership has to be torn down dynamism embraced. If we do not do so, then our train shall forever be in the backward movement.
      A friend of mine said that, Kenya was sold the moment KADU refused to form government. His line of thought is, the Late Jaramogi Oginga Odinga sold this country by refusing to form a govt as commanded by the colonial regime. Oginga refused by declaring that the late Mzee Jomo Kenyatta be released, by so doing, Jaramogi was entrusting his faith in Kenyatta and not on his blood  brother Tom Mboya. Odinga saw that if he was to loose the presidency, so was his brother Mboya. Raila too did the same mistake in 2002.                 
      Therefore we should not let fraudsters’ masquerading as leaders dictate where this country ought to go. Kenyans should be able to judge their leaders according to their commitment and performance. They should also learn to differentiate between politics of hate and politics of progress.

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