The Standard, Kenya
April 13 2007
Report Or No Report, Artur Story Won’t Die
It is tempting to get bored with the unending drama swirling around
us in the form of the clowns calling themselves the Artur brothers.It
is possible to dismiss them as a bunch of jokers, legendary for bling
bling, tactlessness, exhibitionist anarchism and big mouth. It is
understandable if we are swallowed by the attention they beckon to
themselves, particularly the younger one. But we should never forget
this is a free movie on which several senior Kenyans starred.
It is tempting, because Langata MP Mr Raila Odinga appears to have
tasked himself a 24-hour shift on the Artur Watchtower, to brush
aside claims they are in the country. That it is one of the things
Raila, and by extension ODM-Kenya, and whatever still pretends to be
the Opposition, are always known for – Government bashing.
It is likely, because we trust bigwigs in Government, to delude
ourselves that the big men and women learnt their lesson, curled the
tails and scampered away to the caves of denial. That because the
powermen were left egg-faced, the doors of Kenya will forever remain
shut against the dangerous criminals who freely walked our roads,
throwing a punch here and there.
It is not surprising if we trust too much on the sound judgment of
those in power that they would not want to wade through the mud again
or even face shame while humming the old spiritual, It is Well with
My Soul! The cover is yet to be blown on the Arturs’ consorts in
Kenya.
But as we have seen, the triumphant spring with which they walked the
soil, and the confidence of the Spanish matador they exuded, their
power sprung, not from heaven, but the powerful among us.
And because there has been no power shift, not even the squeak of
musical chairs in Government boardrooms, it is prudent to assume
there are still some influential but taut strings the Arturs can
still pull. We surely have not heard the last of them!
You discern this from their haughty talk and recent introduction of
blackmail, very much in line with the operations of the underworld
from which some powerful or well-connected personalities went
shopping for foreign partners.
Certain things must be said. First, it is foolish to buy all that the
younger Artur is saying on books and tapes as Gospel truth. As James
Hadley Chase said: "If you believe this, you can as well shoot
yourself in the head."
To believe him undermines our intelligence and demeans the
monstrosity of his actions and those of his cohorts against the
motherland. For they desecrated Kenya, and despite official
protection and eleventh-hour denials, no one except Ms Winnie Wangui
Mwai, together with the others in her circle who have not and will
never speak about their dealings with the so-called Armenians,
believes they are angelic.
or fraudsters, holders of fake passports and carriers of illegal arms
never are! Kenya did not need a Commission of Inquiry to know this.
Those were legalities and technicalities. That is why it is pointless
to withhold the Kiruki Commission Report handed to the President,
under the click of camera and illuminating flashes in the name of
national security.
At least as a nation, we know where the report is and who should, if
the soul is willing and daring, order it released. The monstrosity of
the Artur saga is such that it is national in character and
catastrophic and shameful to the nation in form.
It is a story we may bury, but it will live to be told to our
children, not as fiction, but part memory of President Kibaki’s
legacy, along the lines of Anglo Leasing. The Artur saga is what
Goldenberg is to the Government buried four years ago.
Second, never one to trust the men and women of power, and knowing
that politics is the art of the possible, it is not an impossibility
that the Arturs’ handlers could be with us. That is why they walked
around in flashy cars, lived in an illegal armoury and bandied their
guns around.
If you, a Kenyan son and daughter, walked down Kenyatta Avenue in
Nairobi with a toy gun raised, you will be dead meat. You do not
enjoy their status. George Orwell of the Animal Farm fame put it
thus: "All animals are equal, but some animals are more equal than
others."
Third, there is a hilarious side to the comedy – the snake in the
joke that has gone too far has turned against the charmer. Finally,
however little he may know, and because it took place under his
watch, the President will always attract mud-balls and brickbats,
until D-Day, nay Disclosure Day!
The writer is The Standard Managing Editor, Weekend Editions
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress
