The Inbetweeners

I absolutely hate admitting that I was wrong about something. But turns out I was wrong about men. I underestimated the extent to which patriarchy affects them and the ways in which women ought to respond to patriarchy as a whole.   Remember, in the 2010s women became vocal about the many ways in which men were lacking; from low emotional intelligence to the fact that they benefit from the presumption of competence ab initio  to questioning the very essence of masculinity. And I believe the consequences of the last of these that has been the most destructive. When we attempt to dismantle a system of expectations that have existed since time immemorial, without discussing a system to replace those expectations two things occur.  First, men get the message that everything they do is worthless and, ultimately, should be taken from them. This is not, nor has it ever, been the message of feminism. Feminism is about the equality of the sexes. It operates by working to dismantle...

The Imperial Powers are on a returning spree! In the last two years, Germany, France and Belgium have all agreed to repatriate stolen cultural artefacts. These artefacts include works of cultural import, as well as human remains of liberation heroes (like Patrice Lumumba’s tooth). Yet, there is one country conspicuously absent from this list . The Nation who, despite having a fraction of the world’s population, dominated and oppressed nearly a quarter of the world. The Nation that built an empire in which the sun would never set. I, of course, am talking about the United Kingdom.  As her neighbours recognise and acknowledge the harm they have caused, of course falling short of apologising and accepting moral and financial culpability, Britain has merely offered an expression of regret . This is unsurprising given that, in 2020, the British were more nostalgic about their colonial empire than its neighbours . Perhaps these sentiments are why the British have been reluctant to make g...

Two days ago, the identity of the President-Elect was revealed to the country. As usual, drama ensued.  As our newly elected officials brawled with the Chairperson of Kenya's Electoral Management Body, thus denying him the opportunity to announce the winner, and as four Commissioners rejected the Chairperson's results, the choir sang on. Literally . They sang about God's grace and his bountiful mercies, as politicians tussled, literally and figuratively, with the outcome of the 2022 Presidential Election. And for their commitment and professionalism, they should be recognised. After all, it is not easy to score the sounds of a sinking ship. Just ask the violinists of the Titanic! But as we recognise the choir for enabling a calm atmosphere, we cannot overlook the content of their performance.  As a friend pointed out to me the songs they sang, predominantly, extolled the virtues of the Christian faith. There is nothing wrong with the gospel focus; if it were being performed...

Today, the IEBC will announce who the next President of the Republic of Kenya will be. As the nation prepares itself for its new leader, I am provided with an opportunity to reflect on the nature of elections. And I've come to one conclusion; elections are weird. I know, I know. This is hardly a novel  conclusion or realisation. But this does not overwrite its importance. Elections are WEIRD. Think about it. On a single day of voting, an entire nation is supposed to decide who our next leader will be; making a choice that will define our country for the next five years. After campaigns rife with misinformation, double talk and the implicit acknowledgement by all  involved - including the voters - that politicians lie, we are provided, at most, 9 minutes to exercise our sovereign power as citizens to participate in the governance of our nation; only to have that power suppressed for the next 2.628 million minutes. With the stroke of a pen, we have the power to elevate a de...

Today, I write to kill time.  It is August 9th 2022, and I am currently standing in line to cast my vote. Every step I take, brings me closer to passing judgement on our candidates. And, as a result, I have barely moved an inch. Almost as if the powers that he know they have performed poorly and wish to forestall such judgement. In fact, my line has gotten longer somehow. So I write in an attempt to redirect my frustration and kill time. And today, I will be writing about purpose and voting. But not on the purpose, or necessity, of voting. On Voting : Voting is messy. Not the act of casting a ballot, but everything leading up to it. Procuring the election technology, establishing the guidelines, enduring campaign seasons, waiting in line and hoping to God the register has your details. Consequently, voting is a lot of work. Perhaps even a thankless task. Simply because every voter knows that my vote will not oblige my representative to act a certain way. Nor will it determine the o...

I've cracked the code! I, through the help of a mentor, figured out why I am such a perfectionist, try-hard 26-year-old with imposter syndrome. It turns out, that moving countries at a young age could fundamentally alter your personality and outlook on life. Who knew?!  Sarcasm aside, my mentor helped me realise that moving from Africa to Europe and back explains why I am keen to prove myself in any situation and why I always feel out of place. At 6, I moved from Africa - where I was a dot in a sea of black faces - to Europe - where I was the only  black face for miles. Though I doubt I was cognizant of this fact, it did change the way I interacted with myself and others around me. The racial and cultural differences marked me as an "other" at an age where being part of a community was the most important thing to me (who, of course, can forget how effective the threat "I won't be your friend anymore" was at the age of 6). As a result, I worked extremely hard...