Everything. Including the very endearing persona he has smoothly moulded, decorated and presented to the public over the years. That too has been lost by this confrontational guy whose job description now reads: basking in the sun, watching Prof Sam Ongeri make money by doing his job at Elimu House and self- chaining before going home at 5 O’clock in the evening.
It’s a noble job for him and everyone, except those he’s watching, has been happy with his job. However, opinions might start drifting against him now.
The public from yesterday will really doubt the soberness of this self-promoting activist who, as it is now clear, doesn’t have respect for anyone, not even the most respected rooms as court-rooms. These rooms are set to be feared.They are supposed to be treated with utmost decorum. However, Okiya and company seem to think that they have the usufruct to use such rooms especially in advancing their bitterness towards a particular individual.
Squealing the national anthem and shouting at an innocent magistrate, whose only duty was to oversee a dispute, and even going ahead to insinuate some sexual activity, was entirely unnecessary and contemptuous. That could only be seen as childish and acts similar to tantrums.
It’s African to respect offices, individuals of power and more importantly accord them the very least of disrespect and belittlement. Courts could rightly be compared with the ancient council of elders-the traditional grouping charged with solving disputes in the fairest manner possible and ensuring harmony reigned within. They, like the old systems, deserve unequivocal respect.
What Okiya led others to do within that esteemed premise and in front of a shocked magistrate is unacceptable, foreign and not canonical. Some quick brains might even understand their behaviour as influenced by some foreign objects in their bodies-like hard drugs or something alike. By the way, their actions are not so different from what those misguided Mps did, in the name of comradeship, in front of the International Criminal Court. Political analysts, in high numbers, castigated their actions saying it was shameful and coated with arrogance. What Okiya did is similar to the Mps’ behaviour and therefore he alongside those others deserves such descriptions if not stronger.
Some of his supporters might now begin to think if what this well-built man is doing is out of personal conviction or he’s just being pushed by an external donor whose knowledge of African traditions is scanty.
Moral Lesson: Respect is a two-way traffic. Respect others and you’ll be respected too. Okiya and co will not get much back if they don’t lower their egos and respect others.
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