The Animal Farm in Kenyan Politics

Bungoma Governor Ken Lusaka explaining the runaway insecurity in Bungoma on Citizen TV. His county government's recent purchase of 10 wheelbarrows at a cost of 1M is just but an exposed sore thumb of a badly rotten hand that is the Kenyan government. Image courtesy Citizen TV.

Besides the Animal Farm being an allegory for the Soviet Union and the failure of communism, it definitely is an intricate work of literature that has a relevance to the dirty Kenyan politics. Furthermore, through this enduring masterpiece, George Orwell showed how human nature inherently and consistently fails to be equal, all thanks to bad politics.

Old Major, is an old boar on the Manor farm. He instigates a rebellion against the human rule because according to him, humans are parasites. In preparation for a revolution, he teaches the other gathered animals of the farm a song titled Beasts of England. Unfortunately, Old Major dies before his dream of overthrowing the human rule in the farm comes to fruition. However, Snowball and Napoleon are two young pigs at the farm that took Old Major’s message to the heart and are willing to pursue his ideology to a satisfactory conclusion. The revolution is successful as the staged coup sees Mr. Jones—the alleged ever-sloshed and highly irresponsible farmer—flushed out of his farm which is immediately christened ‘Animal Farm.’ The new animal government then adopts the ‘seven commandments of animalism’ and explicitly state the commandment ‘All animals are equal’ as the most sacrosanct.

The jubilation and optimism that greets the Kenyan post-election period is well captured in the Animal Farm, where the new government seems quite in charge and everybody is happy but only for a while. Soon, evil political machinations that have brought us a hundred thousand worth of a wheelbarrow hatch schemes of absolute power consolidation and even manage to stage yet another coup in which Napoleon, the pig, orders his dogs which we can take to mean the military in human equivalent, to chase away snowball who till then was the de facto ruler of the Animal Farm. It is interesting to note the bone of contention between these two pigs who certainly wield a considerable amount of power in the Animal Farm. Apparently, Snowball ticked off Napoleon by trying to build a windmill! Perhaps he was scared that Snowball might gain considerable political mileage in the Animal Farm from the windmill project. Napoleon is thus a true reflection of most Kenyan political leaders who feel threatened by the goodwill of their opponents, real or imagined, and will stop at nothing to shatter their rival’s career. This scenario actually rings true for a majority of human conflicts; there will always be a good and a bad guy.

The subject matter dealt with in the Animal Farm mirrors closely the human nature and does justice to it. Kenyan politicians are particularly notorious for ghost projects that are just a conduit for siphoning public funds into personal pockets. The windmill project in the Animal Farm is one such project that has been erected high enough for everyone to see and have their spirits lifted in a false belief of a better life for all. Unbeknownst to the animals, they tirelessly work their fingers to the bones in what is actually akin to the chasing the wind because it will amount to nothing other than a waste of time and other resources employed at such a service. So, there will always be people fooling others for personal gain.

There is always a thrill in something new and what we see in the Animal Farm is no exception. The carnival mood in the farm and all the merry making after the deposing of Mr. Jones is an event most Kenyans can identify with. But soon, like it always happens, the personal interests of the coup leaders dredge up to the surface when they can’t agree to pretend anymore. The misery that then visits the farm is legendary.  Inasmuch as the pig administration in place claims to advocate for equality, what we see is further from the truth. Ideally, the pig government is just but a disguised extension of the deposed human government. This is so because, soon, pigs adopt an upright gait besides wearing clothes like man and carry agents of slavery in the form of whips. The disillusionment towards the end of the book cannot be overlooked. Dejected animals can barely tell apart the pigs from humans since they both look alike and act the same. The new government has eaten its own subjects just like did the old regime it claimed to replace.

The central theme of equality partly forms the subject matter of the thesis statement of this essay. It literally begs the question: can human beings be equal? Certainly not, as some people must play second fiddle to others. Perhaps equality was just but a misconstrued notion meant to play around with people’s minds and raise the hopes of those battered by life that they too, just like those they consider way ahead of them, can rise from the ashes like the proverbial phoenix and ‘make it’ someday. But the bitter truth has it that people can never be equal—there must be rulers and subjects for instance for a government to exist, failure to which there will never be a government.

In the novel, the seven commandments are for inexplicable reason(s), other than the need for personal gratification through dubious schemes of corruption, summed up into one draconian rule which explicitly states that “All animals are equal, but some animals are more equal than others.” We have all seen this kind of thing in the Kenyan society. Some people are just deemed ‘untouchable’ and seem to operate from a level different than ours where neither our rules nor petitions can apply and/or affect them. This is certainly the height of inequality considering that such individuals live in the same towns and cities like we do, but seem to operate from a totally different lane than ours.

The renaming of the farm back to its original name of ‘The Manor Farm’ is a sure sign of the greatest disillusionment that sometimes characterizes the human condition. The animals finally reach a conclusion of hopelessness after a comedy of errors staged by the pig government. It is utterly obvious that the pig administration is phony and tottering the entire animals’ existence on the brink of disaster. Fed up with risking a horrendous crash by trying to commandeer a vehicle he barely understands, Napoleon finally throws in the towel and agrees to an alliance with the local farmers. By ceding ground, Napoleon thus kills two birds with a single stone. First, he successfully thwarts a simmering revolution by the animals against him and his corrupt administration. Furthermore, he cleverly eases off himself what was clearly to him, a debilitating yoke of governance. But he betrays Old Major’s vision beyond forgiveness.

The promises of grandiose dreams and lives that follow up immediately after the coup are something we can all identify with. But of notable concern, is the fact that these promises only seem to come true for a chosen few. Pigs particularly benefit a great deal perhaps because ‘one of their own’ now sits where it matters. They isolate themselves and eat a rich diet that is different from the rest of the animals. Moreover, they elevate themselves to positions of leadership and take maximum advantage of their good fortunes to mercilessly oppress the other animals in the farm. This is typical of a Kenyan politician’s job description and has only served to worsen the socio-economic chasm between classes.

Somewhere along the way, it becomes too obvious that a revolution is in the offing. All the promises of the pig government have metamorphosed into slavery and there is a lot of grumbling among the masses. These grumblings certainly denote lack of satisfaction from quarters feeling less equal than others. The human version of such has always been industrial actions, like our perennial teachers’ strikes that often end up in running battles with the police as the government fights back in a frantic bid to maintain law and order. If there had been equality, then nobody would have a reason to complain.

Animal Farm is a literary classic that combines outstanding writing with Orwell’s political leanings. Orwell used the Russian Revolution and the Soviet Union as an allegory for why revolutions almost always fail and why humanity can never be equal. Orwell was staunchly anti-totalitarian and he used his ability to write as a platform for his political beliefs. Orwell believed that humans were inherently unequal and nothing could be done to change this fact. I beg to differ.

Demystifying Islam: Conceptual Analysis of Surah Abasa

United Airlines Flight 175 closing in on one of the World Trade Center Twin Towers during 9/11 attacks in New York City. Islamic terrorist group Al Qaeda later claimed responsibility. Image courtesy AP.

Islam has always been defined as a religion of peace. At least, that is what most dictionaries state. But this definition has become a bone of great contention owing to the violent crimes of unprecedented magnitude associated with Islamic extremists, who don’t hesitate to cite the Qur’an as their source of inspiration for their despicable acts. And a majority of us take their word hook, line and sinker and thus don’t hesitate to shout down the holy religion of Islam. But just what does the Qur’an offer to its believers? Is it truly a religion of peace or it’s a religion that thrives on sadism?

Islamic view of disease

In the beginning of chapter 80 (Surah Abasa), the prophet ‘frowns and turns away’ when a blind man comes to him and in the process interrupts the prophet. This frowning and turning away could be the prophets’ way of telling the blind man not to interrupt. In no way should this be misconstrued to mean a lack of love for the blind man by the prophet as most people will react in a similar fashion when rudely interrupted. However, the blind man is considered impure but the good news is that there is hope for his healing and redemption by the Almighty Allah.

At this juncture it becomes very important to decode a hidden message in the prophet’s treatment of the blind man. What is truly evident is the fact that in Islam, any form of disability is taken to mean that the sufferer is unclean—which is true in several other religions. In a nutshell, you must have wronged God to be inflicted with disability. Reading keenly through Surah Abasa, there appears to be an effort, though somehow cleverly suppressed, to blame the blind man for his condition. And there is certainly a limited chance of purification or healing, as evidenced by the degree of pessimism exuded by the prophet Mohammed because apparently, it is for Allah to decide whether to heal the blind man or not.

The question of faith

This brings us to the bedrock of any religion—faith. It’s common knowledge that all religions are anchored on some kind of believability. And this is where the aspect of faith quickly comes into play. Without faith, there can never be a religion and this is an indisputable fact. It becomes interesting to note the prophet’s much faith concerning the possibility of the blind man being pardoned for his uncleanliness and consequently healed. This raises the joyous fact that the prophet is merciful just like the Almighty Allah. His much faith is exemplary and a challenge to every Muslim, owing to his position in the faith and the Qur’an.

Literary style

Surah Abasa is also notable for its use of paradoxical statements. For instance, the prophet Mohammed is said to give attention to “. . . he who thinks himself without need.”  Furthermore, the prophet is said to be distracted from anyone who comes to him striving for knowledge while fearing Allah. This is mind-boggling and thus barely makes any sense. But like with any other literary piece of work, the paradox presented in Surah Abasa of the Qur’an calls for a keen reading in order to realize a deeper understanding of the hidden meaning in the text. There is a potential risk of misinterpretation.

The beautiful poetic touch to Surah Abasa cannot go unmentioned. The entire chapter is written in short sentences that carry weighty punch lines with hidden meanings. Take for instance the following lines that appear in quick succession from verses 33-37: ‘But when there comes the deafening blast/ On the day a man will flee from his brother/ And his mother and his father/ And his wife and his children/ For every man, that day, will be a matter adequate for him.’ This makes for an interesting and quick reading.

The fate of man

The Surah Abasa resonates with the message that the fate of man was long decided before his creation. The same can be said of several other religions out there. This chapter offers an interesting analysis of the origin of man as it acknowledges the sperm as the beginning of life. This boldness is outstanding for a religious book considered holy. But soon controversy erupts when it is stated that the creator causes the death of man and “. . . provides a grave for him.” This is unlike the benevolent character a majority of people have of their creator and begs the tricky question: why create something then kill it? Is this not wickedness? But on further retrospect, the message becomes clear—Almighty Allah doesn’t condone sin; he therefore isn’t a liar for what is written is surely what happens to man.

Through chapter 80 of the Qur’an, it becomes clear that like many other religions, Islam also believes in an afterlife. This is evidenced in verse 22 where it states that ‘then when he wills, He will resurrect him.’ An interesting point of concern soon shows up in the same verse 22. Note the use of ‘wills’. It is indisputable that the fate of a Muslim is subject to the will of his creator. It doesn’t matter what you did in your life; the creator could pardon or condemn you anyway. This is a sharp departure from a majority of faiths where one’s deeds in life decide their fate in the afterlife.

The shortcomings of man are laid bare in the Surah Abasa. Man is presented as a weak creation who doesn’t accomplish what his creator commanded him. Again, man is presented as disbelieving and is consequently cursed. The creator is nevertheless merciful for he eases the way for man, his weak creation, before causing his death and providing him with a grave.

Unlike what some people think, Islam is not all about doom and gloom. For instance, in Surah Abasa of the Qur’an, man is highly encouraged to enjoy the pleasures of eating a wide range of food that grows on the soil of the earth for there will come a time when he won’t find any joy in eating. Grazing animals are equally encouraged to join in the feast. We can take this to be the Islamic meaning of life—enjoying simple pleasures such as different kinds of food.

The Surah Abasa talks of a ‘deafening blast’ and great terror that will visit man in its wake. This is certainly Armageddon and serves to tell us that in Islam, there is also a day of great reckoning and judgment just like in some other faiths. On this day, the Qur’an through its chapter 80 describes how family ties will mean nothing as it will be every man for himself. The jubilation of believers and the doom of sinners are well put into context through a vivid description of their facial expressions in verses 38-42: ‘some faces that day will be bright—laughing, rejoicing at good news. And other faces, that day, will have upon them dust. Blackness will cover them. Those are the disbelievers, the wicked ones.’

Other scholars’ commentaries on the Qur'an

In note 4 (Qur’an ref: 26:4), Islamic scholar Muhammad Asad comes out strongly in stating that even though man’s faith is the product of a free will and not compulsion, a “message from the skies” can as well take away the freedom that comes with the free will granted to man by his creator. This suggests the element of force being used as a tool of conversion of any unbeliever to Islam. But a lot of care should be exercised here not to misinterpret the ‘taking away of the free will’. One should be extremely careful to note that it is only ‘a message from the skies’ that can take away the so called free will of man. This means that it is only Allah who can force the conversion of non believers and no one else. The forcing is for the benefit of the non believer since Allah doesn’t want anyone to perish.

Abu’l Ala Mawdudi, another celebrated Muslim scholar, in his analysis of Surah Abasa supports prophet Mohammed’s treatment of the poor blind man with contempt for interrupting his conversation with the ‘big chiefs’, for which Allah expressed displeasure. But it should not be lost that the prophet was also human and prone to some human weakness like anger. In his glowing tribute to the prophet’s actions, Abu’l Ala Mawdudi argues that ‘. . . when a caller to Truth embarks on his mission of conveying his message to the people, he naturally wants the most influential people of society to accept his message so that his task becomes easy, for even if his invitation spreads among the poor and weak people, it cannot make much difference.’

To be honest, the difference between Abu’l Ala Mawdudi and Muhammad Asad’s interpretation of the Qur’an is quite significant. Asad posits that force can be used as a tool of conversion of non believers to Islam. But this privilege is only Allah’s. On the contrary though, Mawdudi argues from a coercion point of view. He believes in talking a non believer into accepting out of their own free will the Islamic faith. The sharp contrast between these two scholars interpretation of the Qur’an is certainly a product of personal opinion and religious conviction. Muhammad Asad comes out as somehow more radicalized than Mawdudi. 

Conclusion

Chapter 80 is a great piece in the Qur’an—a breath of fresh air in the whole chaos that is jumbled up interpretation of the Qur’an and Islam as a religion. It offers us a commendable insight into one of the most controversial religions on earth. Even though in a sneak preview, Surah Abasa quickly glides through the condition of man and his ultimate fate and serves to further heighten the interest in Islam. Furthermore, it helps clear the air about some of the contentious issues surrounding Islam—certainly, there is punishment for the wicked in Islam.

Kenyan Youth Despondency and the Question of Female Nudity

An anonymous woman in a miniskirt. Just how short is too short? Image courtesy fashionbyhe.com

That a group of young people, can for whatever reason, conspire to undress a woman is not only evil but highly reeks of hopelessness and a lack of excitement in the perpetrator’s lives. The creepy allure to humiliate an innocent woman and violate her privacy is something I find completely incomprehensible. Inasmuch as we would like to heap all the blame on the women for their strange choice of dress that barely leaves imagination any chance, the fact that some men think it’s their prerogative to set the dressing standards for ladies casts the entire society in very bad light and brings to question the community’s values.

Me thinks the real issue is not with the dressing; actually, this whole lunacy has all the hallmarks of a corrupted mind that has taken more than its enough share of beatings from a defunct social system. From grinding unemployment to lack of proper role models, the life of an average Kenyan youth has barely nothing to smile about. And so, what we are witnessing now is just a regurgitation of what the society fed its youth—when we think it’s funny to be caught with another man’s wife in some dingy lodging, then we outrightly lose the moral ground on which to stand and guide ‘the lost generation’ that is now disrobing our mothers and sisters in matatu termini in broad daylight while gladly filming and sharing the disgusting clips on phones and the internet.

Unless we identify and listen to the voice of reason amongst us again, then what we are seeing is just but the beginning of the beginning—the end is certainly nowhere near sight. Soon it will be women taking men’s trousers off in our markets. And where will this place our children? They will probably grow to think that dysfunction is normal; in other words, I won’t be shell shocked if people in the foreseeable future resort to walking all naked and showing their you-know-what because we’re a society so much preoccupied with matters erotology!

But there is still room for retribution and redemption. Let’s just reverse our social system back to where it ought to be. Let’s create more jobs than scandals and empower our young men who idle about bus stops preying on curvy women whose only crime is being successful and sophisticated. It’s time we put this negative energy into some good use.

Al-Shabaab Has Stretched its Luck Too Far Now

A past bus attack in Nairobi blamed on Al-Shabaab. Six people died. Image courtesy NationalPost.

A few hours ago, militiamen whose strike eerily mirrors Al-Shabaab’s signature attacks, gunned down 28 innocent travelers on a Nairobi bound bus from Mandera town in North Eastern Kenya. In what is bound to spark tearful memories of the Westgate Mall attack, it is reported that those who died were unable to recite some Qur’an verses as demanded by the attackers. 

In a country where freedom of worship is enshrined in the constitution, this Al-Shabaab joke has now gone too far and must be stopped. It absolutely flies in the face of reason to kill another person just because they don’t subscribe to your school of thought. What’s even more insulting is the fact that these were innocent Kenyans who have not offended the Somali group in any known way.

Al-Shabaab is a terrorist organization that uses religion as a façade to quench its demonic thirst for human blood. Who told you there is a heavenly reward for murderers? With an inexplicable agenda that indiscriminately targets innocent civilians, Al-Shabaab has ultimately proved itself a cowardly organization that is desperate for cheap attention. 

The Kenyan government must now move and act. Corrupt government officials who make our borders porous to these criminals must face the sack and be jailed. Tribalism within the echelon of Kenyan intelligence service must be arrested with immediate effect. Police reforms must be instituted and actualized or tomorrow might never come for some of us as Al-Shabaab holds the country at ransom.

As we mourn and soul-search, I hope that someone gets arrested, charged and convicted; at least this once. As for the Interior Ministry’s CS, kindly spare us your rigmarole this time around—Mr. President, we need to see real heads rolling.