In Kenya, as they say, there is no dull moment. Even in the calmest of times someone emerges from the blues with some form of activism or claim that disrupts the prevailing social order. In some cases, some Kenyans have risen to prominence courtesy of engaging in perpetual activism. In fact, the current Senator for Busia, Andrew Okoiti Omtatah rose to fame out of his career in activism and incessant litigiousness on matters of public interest.
Senator Omtatah has over the years inspired a coven of latter-day activists who, I believe, hope to make their way to greatness. The most visible of the fame-by-decibel emerging stars in Kenya just now are the likes of Hussein Khalid, Maverick Aoko, Boniface Mwangi, Rev. Carolyn Kiarie and Morara Kebaso among several others. Within months, one of their own, Kasmuel Mcoure, touted as Kenya’s modern Tom Mboya at the height of his short-lived avatar stardom earned his prize to become an overnight big gun in a prominent political party. Anyway, to each their own!
By the way, make no mistake. I do not by any means want to cast blanket aspersions on all activists. A handful of them are honourable pursuers of society’s greater good. However, the majority of them are mere marionettes in a puppet show controlled by hooded crooks—with big bank balances—posing as leaders.
If you look carefully at most criticisms leveled against the present establishment you will notice a tinge of poisonous spin deliberately infused into narratives crafted to foment social dissent. The activists’ venom is usually couched in half-truths, calumny and sometimes garnished with outright lies. The current high priest of this caustic evangelism is none other than Hussein Khalid, the itinerant demagogue whose paymaster is well known.
Hussein is the modern-day soapbox orator dispatched to exhale fire and brimstone as a way of preparing the political seedbed for a recently dethroned high-ranking political irritant who is on a mudslinging mission against his former boss.
As Hussein and company continue to disgorge magma from their mouths many hapless Kenyans are duped to believe that these are god-sent saints out to save the world! The truth is that these are guns for hire masquerading as martyrs released from heaven to preach good news to a forsaken lot. Make no mistake; “Saint Hussein” of Hashish is neither the first wolf in sheep’s skin nor the last.
History is replete with examples of similar serpents that have caused considerable grief to humanity and who should be taken, not with a pinch but a generous serving of salt.
The metaphor of a “wolf in sheep’s clothing” has endured for centuries as a cautionary symbol of deception. It describes individuals who cloak malice beneath a veneer of benevolence.
History abounds with such figures. They present themselves as altruistic individuals whose public personas, in reality, mask darker intentions. Their stories serve as stark reminders of the duality of human nature and the perils of misplaced trust.
Let me remind you of three such individuals as I invite you to think about our very own Hussein Khalids and his shadowy paymaster.
- Bernard Madoff:
Bernard “Bernie” Madoff, a Wall Street titan who epitomised financial respectability ran a Ponzi scheme, disguised as a legitimate investment strategy, promised consistent returns but functioned by robbing Peter to pay Paul. By the time his dirty scheme collapsed in 2008, Madoff had siphoned $65 billion exposing retirees, nonprofits, and families to financial misery.
- Jimmy Savile:
In the U.K., Sir Jimmy Savile was a beloved television personality and philanthropist, renowned for his charity work and eccentric charm. Hosting children’s shows and fundraising millions for hospitals, he became a national treasure. Yet, behind this altruistic facade, Savile was a serial sexual predator, abusing hundreds of minors and vulnerable adults over six decades. Savile’s shenanigans reveal how societal admiration for charitable figures can allow predators to operate in plain sight.
- Jim Jones:
Remember Jim Jones, the founder of the Peoples Temple? He initially presented himself as a progressive activist advocating racial equality and social justice. In the 1970s, he attracted thousands of followers, including marginalised communities seeking refuge from societal prejudice. However, Jones’s was a tyrannical cult that led to a whooping 900 mass suicide cases.
I urge vigilance—not cynicism—but remind Kenyans not to let charisma eclipse critical thought. Khalid, come slowly…
Cindy Kiruit is an upcoming music scholar, human rights activist and a commentator on social affairs
