The memory of a fly and the people who took Kenya to The Hague

By Barrack Muluka

There is an old man in our village, who can go on and on about what he calls the memory of the fly. He says that the fly has no memory. No sooner do you attempt to smash it than it returns to its regular mischief.

There is the common fly and there are other flies, too. Once long ago, in Chavakali High School, Teacher Maube of Ebutongoi used to talk of the musca domestica. He said that this is the little troublesome thing at home. The housefly. Then there is the blue bottle fly, or the calliphora vomitoria, as Maube used to say. We thought that the vomitoria was so-called because it causes you to vomit. We did not understand what the musica had to do with music. We concluded it must be the heavy sonorous buzzing it makes when an army is assembled on rot.

The calliphora vomitoria is the giant blue fly. It is also called the blowfly. Now the blowflies fly in packs. And they make such a din! Maube said they fly in packs in search of prey. If one should detect food, it sends a signal to the rest, "There is food here!" The best meal is garbage, decaying meat and sundry fecal material. In the process, this animal does not remember anything else. It only lives in a fleeting present. It does not even remember what happened a few seconds ago, except the odoriferous smell that it thrives on. It follows this smell everywhere it goes, says the wise old man of Emanyulia. He sounds harsh, he sounds cruel. This is especially when he says that human beings also remember after the fashion of the calliphora vomitoria and the musica domestica. He says Kenyans are especially "vomitoric."

I recently challenged him to justify his harsh words. "Dreamer of Dreams," he said, "You are aware that I went to Makerere many years ago, are you not?" This is another thing he never tires talking about. His days in Makerere in the 1950s. As he says this, he brings out a sheaf of paper. "Read this," he thrusts it at me.

I can see that it is a sheaf of copies from Parliamentary Reports, otherwise known as Hansard Reports, from the Kenya National Assembly. They are for diverse dates, between January and December 2009. They make for very interesting reading. The Mzee of Makerere, or Prof Makerere as we call him in Emanyulia, has underscored several places in these reports. At page 4,633 of February 3, he has underlined part of contribution by the Minister for Nairobi Metropolitan Development, Mr M Kilonzo. It reads, "In fact there is a phrase going on which is called ‘Don’t be vague; go for Hague."

I flip through and come to page 4,636. There is Mr Cyrus Jirongo saying, "Those who perpetrated violence are in Government . . . If we are genuine and we want these people to be punished, we should allow them to go to The Hague." Over page, Mr Jirongo goes on, ". . . I urge the Minister for Justice, National Cohesion to let those people go to The Hague, if her conscience pricks her correctly."

As I move on, I see page 4,638 where Ms Rachel Shebesh says, "I see no reason why, if people were genuine, you would tell me that going to The Hague can bring peace to this country . . . I see no way in which you can be sincere." I am now looking at February 4, 2009, at page 4,723. There is Mr Lewis Nguyai. He says, "I also say there is need to end the culture of impunity . . . I would propose that we should not be vague. We want the key perpetrators of this particular atrocities (sic) to go to The Hague." I recall Mr Nguiyai was recently Kenyatta’s witness at The Hague. I begin to get it, I think.

I begin to agree that there could be something about this memory of a fly. But I don’t want Prof Makerere to know. February 5 is telling. People are in their element. Here is some of what they say: Ms Elizabeth Ongoro, "Through setting up a local tribunal, we will be telling our citizens that we are brothers, we have what it takes to solve our problems." Mr Lucas Chepkitony, "Let us try the ICC." Ms Cecily Mbarire, "We have spent too much time on tribunals and commissions. I oppose the Bill (to set up a local tribunal). Thomas Mwadeghu, "Ni lazima hao watu waende Hague. Wacha waende wahukumiwe huko (These people must go to The Hague." Mr Johnstone Muthama, "Jaji atakuwa Mkamba, Mkikuyu . . . Ni vyema tugeuze mbinu. Ndege zitakuja, watapelekwa kule na kuiacha nchi yetu na amani (The judge will be Kamba or Kikuyu . . . we must change tact. Aeroplanes will come; they will go and leave us a peaceful country)."

Finally, I look at the voting. Among those who voted against a local tribunal are listed as the following: Chepchumba, Cheruiyot, Ethuro, Gaichuchie, Gitau, Jirongo, Kaino, Kaloki, Kamau JI, Kamau J M, Kambi, Kapondi, Kariuki, Kathuri, Kigen, Kiilu, Kilonzo J K, Kilonzo J M, Kiuna, Kivuti, Koech, Konchela, Dr Kones, Mrs Kones, Kuttuny, Lagat, Langat, Lessonet, Letimalo, Linturi, Litole, M’Mithiaru, Machage, Magerer, Mbau, Mbugwa, Mututho, Mung’aro, Munyaka, Muoki I.M, Muoki D M, Mureithi, Murgor, Musyimi, Mwangi, Mwathi, Mwiru, Nguiyai, Njuguna, Onyancha, Ottichilo, Ruto, Sambu, Sirma, Waibara, Waititu, Wambugu, Washiali, Were, Yakub.

I recall the night President Kibaki, Premier Raila and Martha Karua pleaded with MPs for a local tribunal for PEV to no avail. Prof Makerere looks at me with a superior smile. "You see? These are the people who took Kenya to The Hague. Tell me, Dreamer, what is wrong about saying that yours is the memory of a fly? Who took who to The Hague? And yet you are gallivanting everywhere like blowflies, mouthing things like, ‘framed up; conspired with foreigners; you want easy victory.’ Come on, Dreamer! We are not as daft as you think we are."

　

　

The writer is a publishing editor and media consultant