In the Tv series House of Cards, Frank spends his whole life trying to become the president. Every move he makes in his life is geared towards the Whitehouse. However, when he finally succeeds, he is underwhelmed. He notes that even with the title ‘president’, there are people more powerful than him and he can’t arm twist most of them. He meets new wealthy people and notes the amount of influence they have on the world and pushes his wife to become president as he tries to move into the private sector with the oligarchs.
I understand that Kenyan politicians have to protect their ill-gotten wealth through politics but that is also a gamble. For example, Rigathi would have lost his frozen money had they lost the elections. I don't understand why someone would struggle and spend all that money campaigning when they could be in Monaco tomorrow for the Grand Prix. What's the use of being called Mp/Governor if you will be quickly forgotten if you lose the elections?
Na naongelelea hasa wale majambas wako na millions of dollars possibly hundreds in their name but wanang’ang’ana huku kuwa MP etc
A lot of these old school guys can never fit in anywhere outside Kenya. Their way of life is totally incongruent to how people elsewhere live.
In fact, the only immigrants that fit in elsewhere are the ones who moved when they were either very young or in their young adulthood (early-mid twenties). Anyone older than that can’t fit in elsewhere by design.
As a result, the only option Kenyan billionaires have is to try and protect their wealth within the borders of Kenya.
The allure of power. In Kenya, politics is the pinnacle of life. So anybody and everybody strives for such. Otherwise rich people suffer from FOMO ( failure of missing out).
When a villager steals mali ya uma and begins flashing money around thats when the circus starts.
Wewe umetosha, becomes the new mantra kijijini.
In Kenya when you are loaded you are expected kusimama. To become a muheshimiwa.
As someone has mentioned, the allure of power will trap some insecure souls into joining politics so as to join the african Club of big men.
Kwa ukweli, villagers know how to use and milk such individuals. Drankards upata pombe ya bure from such guys kila wakati.
They become rich through ukora that can only work in kenya, but in countries that respect the rule of law they would be languishing in jail. So it’s a gamble for them. They can easily pay off police and judges in kenya but that wouldn’t fly elsewhere…
Anti money laundering laws can also work against them out there… you have to pay tax and provide proof of how you earned your money
Power is what they want or simply put Babu Owino can shoot a human infront of cameras and never spend a day in police cells or Obado can impale, disembowel a woman and eat the foetus and still roam free ten years down the line and get appointed into govt by Nabii . thats power Kenyan style .
Nietzsche called it ‘Slave Morality’, what is good for others must be good for me.Since our godforsaken heros are waheshimiwas,you find your self itching to join the ranks.
When I make it,I would rather own a yacht and sail around the world than deal with plebs.
Forget about Maslow’s Laws… In Kenya, it is because they need more protection for their wealth (which they acquired illegally or were not compliant with the Laws of the land) and also to steal more from the public coffers… example Kideeeero!
