I read George Orwell’s novella in high school and failed then to appreciate the reality of this work of fiction. In an already authoritarian State, we knew no different and lived a sheltered life. “Social media” of the time was the state radio and TV station. Today, a few skin changes later, the book is all too real. Big Brother is as oppressive as ever despite modern social media being what it is.
Ordinary citizens live at the behest of an elite despised for their arrogance and detachment. They have no idea how the 99.99% live or survive and, to enforce their will, appointed sycophants make brash pronouncements that have questionable basis in law. But we take it on the chin, screaming on social media, and are quickly distracted by the next edict designed to make our lives more miserable.
Here’s a good f’rinstance – the ongoing SIM card saga. A minion announces that citizens are required to re-register their SIM cards. Go and queue for hours at our service provider with details you have already handed over years ago. Few take him seriously. He is outraged. A week before deadline day, in mock shock, he states there are 65 million issued SIM cards and less than 50 million registered citizens, a startling revelation that many of us have more than one SIM – as though this is a crime. He is outraged that so many of these SIMS are ‘not registered’ making it personal and our fault they are not, oddly enough.
You didn’t know it was your duty to ensure the corporation that issued your SIM did so ‘correctly’?
You didn’t know it was your fault they did not maintain proper records… or did you? It isn’t, but thats irrelevant.
You also didn’t know that the same minion and others he will call upon, threaten to come take you away, Russian style, if you are non compliant. They can’t, but that’s the threat. But then.. might they?
We have a special way to make Kenyans and “Aliens” co-operate and toe lines that always move. Threaten everyone with massive fines – 300,000 shillings or/and 1 year in a max security shithole – for SIM non registration. Mama Mboga doesn’t have 300 to pay fines? Why not make it 3 million? 30 million? 30 years even. None of us can pay anyway.
How do they plan to lock up 10million + (supposedly unregistered) SIM card owners? Siberia?
The fatties in parliament simply rubber stamp these edicts into law, in exchange for huge salaries, benefits and privileges. Rather than make it simple to comply they prefer to bully because when they do make it ‘simple’, it doesn’t work. Covid registration, Huduma Namba are examples. Safcom are equally unhelpful – 10 million + Safaricom subscribers are required to queue?
The epitome of what is wrong in Kenya today
Here’s another. The Traffic Police come up with ever more audacious schemes to extract cash from motorists – a recent one being to insist your vehicle insurance disk is illegal, because the X in ‘licensed to carry X passengers’ is offensive to them.
Point out that ‘licensed to carry’ and ‘insured to carry’ are not one and the same and you could face this action. The video and photo are real, not staged.
The motorist questioned the thug in blue and paid the price. The ‘offender’ was later sanctioned, we hear, but was the motorist compensated in any way? EVEN if he was guilty of a traffic offence. Highly unlikely. No idea what happened to him after his car was ‘stolen’. The apologists will say you must go all the way to court if necessary, but who wants to face this terror and it can happen to you at any time. Driving today is a cat and mouse issue and the odds are against you not being accosted.
This video and photograph, in my opinion, are the epitome of what is wrong in Kenya today. Why are ‘authorities’ so oppressive and out of control?
More? Pay all taxes they announce, threaten, demand. That we do, and they misappropriate or misuse is not the issue here. There is nothing benign or friendly about how tax collection is conducted. Is that because the government has seen fit to put the army in charge of tax collection? OK, not the whole army, a former army officer. But was he really the only choice or was there a plan? Should we ask “What are his credentials for this appointment?”. Probably not.
But it’s a given, his tactics are not one of winning hearts and minds? More threats of huge fines, imprisonment, appropriation and, if they had their way, execution? It’s there, you know it, just listen to the rhetoric, the news, and read the emails that start with an insincere “Thank you” and degenerate into all manner of threats and sanctions. It seems a ‘sensitising’ seminar advised them to start nicely and then go for it. Putin style.
Our Cabinet Secretaries seem to enjoy flexing their muscle too.
Remember how Covid rules were enforced so heavy handedly that people died? Children were shot to death in their homes, because the one in charge announced that rule breakers would be dealt with severely. If Covid won’t kill you the government will.
Remember the 11 rhinos that died when the government translocated them, against everyones better judgement. A Cabinet Secretary then told everyone demanding his resignation to literally “Go to Hell”. “Nobody has appointed me. It is only [President] Uhuru Kenyatta who has appointed me. So they can go to hell, I can tell them that.” He said very confidently. He later said he meant go to Hell’s Gate Park in Naivasha. The ‘in your face’ arrogance and impunity is out there everywhere you look.
After massive social media backlash, the SMS minion had to walk back his big talk, but remains typically defiant, the “go to Hell” attitude. What will he do on deadline day I wonder?
All this is hard on the heels of the fuel crisis brought about by the government failing to keep a promise made to fuel “marketers”. We the public and taxpayers paid the price.
Yet no one is ever held accountable for the damage being caused, thus empowering further disrespect toward taxpayers who pay their salaries. It is all very medieval Gunga Din, Putin, Sheriff of Nottingham, “Render unto Caesar ” stuff. The parliamentary opposition if it exists, remain silent. Is there a shadow cabinet?
In contrast, we see the Chancellor in the UK facing public investigation and humiliation because his wife’s company is getting special tax treatment. They reckon he’s toast! Oops!
Telling everyone to go to Hells Gate would definitely seal his fate.
Go figure!
April 11, 2022
Last Updated on November 22, 2024
