Peeling back the mask Review

-->

Review of Peeling back the mask by Miguna Miguna

The book Peeling back the mask by Miguna Miguna the former advisor to Prime Minister of Kenya titled peeling back the mask is a book that paints a picture of the real Kenya we are living in today. According to potions of the Peeling back the mask printed in the print media, since Peeling back the mask has not been officially launched, the author of Peeling back the mask tries to capture the imagination of the reader by painting the picture of the real situation during the night that Kenya as an independent democratic nation nearly succumbed to total annihilation.

As a citizen and a voter who queued for hours during the peaceful December 27 2007 general election the book peeling back the mask gives a colored picture of how political landscape in Kenya shifted from a democratic process to an authoritarian manipulation leadership. It gives an account of two elements in the center for power struggle with one party determined to hold on to power no matter what and the other party trying to weigh and determine the best way to sort the difference.

The 2007 was the worst political scenario Kenya has ever known since she obtained her independence in 1963 from Britain. After independence Kenya was turned to a one party state. In 1992 the Kanu government bowed to pressure from the then opposition and repealed section 2a of the constitution which declared Kenya a one party state.

After Kenya became a multi party state the then government used tribal divisions to pass its agenda. During the run up to 1992 and 1997 general elections, the tribal conflicts were reported in rift valley and coast province. In rift valley the Kalenjin’s were burning and taking farms belonging to people of Gikuyu Descendants. In coast province the Mijikenda militias known as kaya bongo initiated a warlike approach by ambushing and taking over properties belonging to people from up-country. The most affected area was in the south coast where the majority of the up-country tribes were mainly Luos.

The widening of tribal divisions were not first reported during president’s Moi watch in fact the Kenyatta Government had caused a wide rift between Luos and Kikuyus in that it made it hard for these two tribes to come together. In the history of pre-independence Kenya, no conflict was ever reported between these two tribes. When Kenyatta came to power in 1963 his government made the Luos enemy number one of the state. His administration used public offices to fight the Luos both economically and politically.

When Moi came to power after Kenyatta’s death in 1978, Moi followed in the Kenyatta footsteps in the philosophy known as Nyayo ya Mzee. To keep dissidents under control Moi, widened the rift between Luos and Kikuyus while suppressing dissident tunes that were not sung according to the Nyayo Philosophies taking note that the unity of these two tribes were a real threat to his ideals and interests.

Peeling back the mask reveals the regeneration of Nyayo ya mzee philosophy in the Kibaki administration. It builds a picture of conformists who cannot transform themselves into new ways that was brought about by the blood of Men and women whose blood was shed as they fight for a better Kenya. Further more Peeling back the mask explains the characters that have overtaken the key public offices without the blessing of the people of Kenya

I recommend Peeling back the mask by Miguna Miguna and hope you have a great understanding by reading Peeling back the mask.