'Genius' from Panjab University or Babayao's Tongue Slipped?

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Disclaimer: This article doesn't support construction of structures in the Riparian Zones but a discussion from a contextual point of reference of how Kenyans perceive the idea of River Course Diversion a Moot subject.   

" There is in every mad man a misunderstood genius whose idea, shining in his head, frightened people, and for whom delirium was the only solution to the strangulation that life had prepared for him" ~ Antonin Artaud  

Ferdinand Waititu Babayao and Controversies, One Side!

Controversy stuck on him like glues, he has his way with hitting scandalous and hilarious stance..From confusing the public with University of Punjab and Panjab University to his happy-go-lucky side of politics; he will lose but nature always conspires in his favour, I think he is a text book definition of ; "when one door closes, another opens"- He loses Gubernatorial election for Nairobi in 2013, then the Kabete MP dies, he vies in the by election and wins . Born of luck, he hands-down beats his formidable political rival in incumbent governor of Kiambu William Kabogo and emerges as the only governor whose election was convincing amidst a highly flawed electoral practises since the promulgation of the Kenya's New Constitution of 2010.

Back in February he made a declaration against election of leaders not natives to Kiambu County following election of Cyrus Omondi as the Member of County Assembly of Kahawa Wendani. He changed his identity and formalized it through a deed poll registered with the Registry of Documents henceforth "Ferdinand Ndungu Waititu Babayao, of P.O Box 395, Buru Buru in the Republic of Kenya, formerly known as Ferdinand Ndungu Waititu, formally and absolutely renounced and abandoned the use of his former name Ferdinand Ndung’u Waititu and in lieu thereof assumed and adopted the name Ferdinand Ndungu Waititu Babayao", the announcement decreed.

Well, the dust hasn't settled on his Masters Degree certificate revelation from Mount Kenya University when Babayao (Their Father) hits again. What is it this time?
Well, the government's move to demolish all buildings built in the Riparian Zones of any river (River Beds) has received mixed feelings from the public and Babayao the Governor of Kiambu County is leading a handful group of dissents. He suggests that the rivers should instead be moved at the private developer's cost (later discussed) and now as I am typing his wife, Susan Ndung'u, was arraigned and released on Khs. 80, 000 cash bail after being arrested for constructing a building in Nairobi without necessary approvals. He might have rubbed the "Big Brother" on the "Hill" the wrong way. In audio conversation with another of his ilk, the Nairobi Governor Mike Mbuvi Sonko;  Babayao pleads for an early release of his wife and 15 others...story for another day.

Push it 'Kando Kidogo'!
I am not here to write an autobiography of Babayao but to come in his defense in a time when everyone thinks he is mad. I am sorry to say; but I can bet on my supper that he didn't believe in his own utterances that the "Rivers Should Be Moved Instead of Demolitions" and now he feels more stupid, a degree higher than before he uttered the words. Good news Babayao, you are a genius...an evil genius for that matter but just misunderstood by the same people who misunderstood Miguna Miguna when he promised water way underground canals, bullet trains and cable trains (hahaha) to reduce Nairobi City traffic, "When" elected Nairobi Governor. Yes, Janyando was that confident...alas! He was another mad man. 

Artificial diversion of river courses is a new subject in Kenya today and a moot one for that matter, probably because whoever said it after all has nor right or locus to discuss such complicated matters, "How now, his is just Ferdinand Waititu Babayao!?"
 Artificial Diversion of rivers through canals tunnels, cofferdams and dams is not new to the world. Relevant to this discussion is a familiar name, Punjab. Yes, Waititu's Punjab hosting two rivers Satluj and Baes rivers were diverted (moved) through the famous Indira Gandhi Canal in India to reclaim the desert in the North Western State of Rajasthan bordering Pakistan. The project which costed a whooping 500 million dollars, covered 6500 kilometers with sides channels. It is 50 meters wide across, 7 meters deep and used 2 million bricks and more than a thousand tonnes of cement. Other tunnels used to divert the course of the rivers include Jinsha Tunnel in China and Subansiri Hydel projects.

 The idea behind this article is not to support Babayao's proposal to "Songesha kidogo" the rivers before constructing one's structure(s), no. The substratum underlain herein is that it is not an alien idea to move rivers from their natural courses, it has happened and it is happening and will happen,if not in Kenya, somewhere else. 

 Northern Collector Tunnel Project in Murang’a County;
We all know or heard of this project Raila Amollo Odinga raised a red flag years after commissioning its kickoff. He monikered  it as 'Tunnels of Death".
The sole aim of the project was to solve the problem of water shortage in Nairobi County by tapping water from other sources apart from the Ndakaini dam. The tunnels, which critics termed as “tunnels of death”, were set to collect water from rivers Maragua, Irati and Gikigie but were later extended to tap water from rivers South Mathioya, Hembe, Githugi and North Mathioya which are tributaries of the Tana River. This is a not so classic example of moving a natural course of a river. However not convincing enough an example, will do for us who don't believe in "kusongesha kidogo" (moving a little) the river. 

Memes or Bigotry?

This bigotry (for lack of a better word or to sound noble), is so dire that its all over in the memes
 a cartoon journalist asks a "Babayao" whether we should move structures in the Island of Migingo or move the water. The Kenyans On Tweeter (KOT) have no chills for this  man. They twist it a little bit, this time Babayao believes that the only lands whose owners are culpable and merit demolition are not in Kiambu but in Liberia (Riparian). A belief, which a majority (I tended to be among them) still hold that this man, Babayao didn't or doesn't know the meaning of Riparian Zones. 

Phobia for new ideas? 
Crispin Odhiambo Mbai.
I don't have an answer to this but Kenyan's tend to see beyond the ideas one has.She/He (I will go for She for convenience)  speaks, we look at her resume/cv and number of degrees before we buy the ideas. When she has lots of academic qualifications, we look at her popularity. When she fails the test, she is out. Back in the millennium a little know Doctor Crispin Odhiambo Mbai, the brainchild, founding father of the Kenya's second devolution's idea was rejected and later in 2003 assassinated. 

Dr Mbai was the principal architect of devolution in Kenya's vocabulary. He made the most significant single contribution in explaining this concept to politicians, intellectuals and ordinary citizens alike.He was responsible, almost single-handedly, for ensuring that Bomas delegates fully understood and appreciated how significant devolution would be for their future collective success and development as a united people (Miguna Miguna, The Star, 2010).
Miguna Miguna.
This will cause ripples. Not everyone borrows from his page because he is abrasive and daredevil to a fault. He is no boot licker, he literally bites the tits that he suckles if the mammary glands are not consistent to his demands, ask Raila. He was literally rejected by his running-mate who decamped 24 hours to elections citing harassment and lack of respect from him. 
He ran his campaigns on integrity, transformation of Nairobi's infrastructure, health care, proper housing etc. He came out like no other politician Kenya has ever seen; promising, knows his trade and confident. Even with 9, 891 votes against Sonko's 832, 750 votes he refused to concede defeat citing incompetence of Sonko and termed him as an "illiterate convicted drug dealer". Well, we rejected him just to be appointed by Sonko as the Deputy Governor when everything was going to the dogs in Nairobi. Sonko described Miguna as the only person capable of bringing back integrity to Nairobi.  Rejected again.
 At the moment all we are left with is to wonder how much the Miguna Miguna's garbage truck would have cleansed the corridors of City Hall.

 Ferdinand Waititu Babayao:
I honestly didn't line him up with Miguna Miguna. I owe Miguna Miguna an apology. Okay, unconsciously a mad man may say one or two wise words or have his moments of genius. After all even a mad man has a lucid moments when he acknowledges that "I am mad". It is purely used metaphorically and not used to refer to Babayao as mad. In this case he reminded Kenyans that they are able to make rivers move artificially, though he has recanted his testimony. Now he is facing the wrath of Kenyans.


Okay, down descending my Ivory tower of morality and nobility I love what Kenyans have done with the situation to make a comedy in these times when our MPs are busy being bribed my rent, Ksh. 10, 000 to keep feeding us mercury, lead and copper in sugar, our lands being grabbed by those who go ahead and displace our people, our water towers destroyed and later hard stances taken on riparian lands. 

I am a Kenyan, I am gifted at survival and humor.






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