Opinion: Dont Be Fooled by Movies These Police Are The Same Everywhere

By Jay Muganda

One of the most annoying and depressing realities of being a Kenyan citizen is the fact that justice is up for sale.

As you leave highschool one deeply believes in an ideal world where a police officer, politician, lawyer is a representative of justice.

” Haki iwe ngao na mlinzi, ” I got goosebumps singing that verse. Standing erect at the school assembly erupting with deep feelings of patriotism.

I genuinely felt proud being Kenyan then. I had dreams, for myself of course but I also had dreams for my country. How I could contribute to its greatness?

But Alas, ghafla bin vuu , kufumba kufumbua. You’re rudely awakened to the reality on the ground.

Where justice belongs to the highest bidder. Mostly cash and then its watered down by the “you should know people” rhetoric. You’re slapped several times by reality till you resign yourself to fate. You either conform or face the consequences.

The police you read about in books and the ones you encounter in reality are two different entities, plagued with illiteracy and hunger. Kinda like the hyenas in Lion King.

Then you’re enticed into believing that the international scene is different. The United Nations charged with ensuring justice and human rights for all.

The great United Nations. Adorned in splendour and integrity. With its white armored vehicles and educated personnel. Independent as is claimed.

Untill you realize that some human rights are more important than others. The lives of women and children in one part of the world are more important than others. Freedom of a certain people is more important and worth more resources as compared to others.

Its okay to bomb and invade certain countries and not others. “War crimes” rhetoric is only valid when it involves a certain type of people, while others are termed collateral damage.

I would actually love to see the facial expressions of citizens of yemen and palestinians in Gaza reacting to the sudden wave of concern over war crimes, unity of the world in defending sovereignity of independent people as well as pooling of resources to defend the defenceless.

The sudden interest in helping refugees and making them feel welcome, as well as the need of coming together to stop the supposed aggressors.

Hapo ndio unarealize that it rains everywhere and these justice machinery serve those who oil and service them. Bark when told to, sit when told to.

Or rather a German shepherd in all its glamour and reputation is still as much a dog as that mutina at dandora dumpsite. The difference would just be the genetic grooming, diet and the training.

In essence we may not actually be that badly off as a country. Or maybe the whole of humanity is just one big mess.