My first Anti-Kikuyu “Hawa Watu” moment was in 2002. At that time, it was a foregone conclusion that Uhuru was going to be president, something that really pissed me off. The opposition was in disarray, and it was obvious that neither Musalia, Kalonzo, nor Raila was going to make it.
As I made my way through the streets of Nakuru, a kikuyu tout grabbed my arm trying force me get into his matatu – of course while speaking in Kikuyu. When I protested, he rudely told me that “Uhuru ashakuwa president; ni nini?” At that very moment, I had my “Hawa watu” revelation.
Previously when I was ineligible to vote but was so eager to kick out Moi, I had asked another relative why he would vote for Wamalwa instead of Kibaki when he knew very well that Wamalwa would fail. He told me “Hawa watu huwezi kuwaamini.”
When a senior opposition MP chose to work with Moi during the IPPG and betrayed the hardline stance of the opposition, he explained “Wacha sisi wote tumwage supu, hawa watu sio wa kuamini.”
When our Bukusu-dominated high school shopkeeper came with news that the surrounding center was evicting Kikuyus (It wasn’t an election year,) the loudest shouts of “Waende!” came from my best friend. One of our mutual friends who was a kikuyu was shocked. He asked “Ata wewe unasema hivyo?” My friend was embarrassed and said “ Sio wewe, ni wale wengine.”
So how do these stories relate to a Raila presidency? Simple: There is a huge Anti-kikuyu sentiment in the country. That’s why the 2008 PEV was so deadly. Nobody needed to pre-plan anything at the top. People at the bottom planned and financed the war because they had a reason to: “Hawa watu wametuzoea.” IT WAS spontaneous. It was after supporting Raila in 2007, that I realized that the only way Raila can thrive is through division. The easiest way to divide the country is to use the existing fault lines. Look at his history and you’ll see that a leopard never changes his spots. This year, that has been difficult: and so, he resorted to Christian/Muslim divide.
If God forbid, Raila ever becomes president, The Kikuyu will suffer the most. Raila supporters will remember how Raila was forced to pick Karua. At that moment, Kikuyus will understand the meaning of Junet’s statement “Nyinyi mtakuwa wageni kwa hii serikali.” Unlike UhuRuto supporters, Raila supporters worship Raila as a demigod. He can do no wrong as he’s always right. Current political convenient statements like “You cannot buy a Kikuyu, you can only rent one,” will become deadly rallying cries. Raila’s rabid dogs will attack Karua and Kikuyus just as they attacked Kalonzo. The only difference will be that this time, their hubris will be backed by state power.
I’d rather vote for Uhuru for the third time than vote for Raila. Uhuru will take us in circles, waste our time, and steal from us. But Raila will take us back. He will destroy our concept of statehood and it will take a really long time to come back to our current pathetic state. And that’s why I’d never vote for him, and that’s what some Kikuyus who have never gone beyond Kiambu do not Fully grasp.