When the animals revolted and drove the drunk farmer Mr Jones from the farm, they renamed it "Animal Farm". This metaphorically marks the period native Africans drove away the white man and claimed sovereignty over their land Kenya.
They then adopted Seven Commandments of Animalism, the most important of which being, "All animals are equal." Thus, through independence, we bequeathed upon us equality regardless of race, tribe or creed.
The pigs (freedom heroes) elevated themselves to positions of leadership and set aside special food items, ostensibly for their personal health. Talk of the fete where we bestowed upon our Mashujaa by handing them power, wealth and prestigious positions.
Napoleon and Snowball, the lead pigs, in our case Jomo Kenyatta and Jaramogi Oginga Odinga, began a power-struggle for supremacy.
Napoleon (Jomo) had his mercenaries chased Snowball (Jaramogi) away and subsequently declared himself leader of Animal Farm. This marks the period Jaramogi was hounded from government.
Napoleon enacted changes to the governance structure of the farm, replacing meetings with a committee of pigs who would run the farm. No doubt, tribalism was entrenched in government in the Kenyatta era by installing his henchmen.
The animals worked even harder with the promise of easier lives. This was the promise of Harambee philosophy. The fruits of Uhuru.
Napoleon began to purge the farm with his mercenaries, killing animals he accused of consorting with his old rival. This marks the period of political assassinations of Pio Gama Pinto, Tom Mboya, Kung’u wa Karumba and JM Kariuki among others.
The animals then replaced their anthem to that of glorifying Napoleon, who appeared to be adopting the lifestyle of the man they had chased (Imperialist). This can be depicted through titles such as 'His Excellency', and dancing to them tunes befitting demi-gods.
The animals remained convinced that they were better off than they were under Mr Jones. To us, we heaved and said, "better a black master than a white one."
Years passed, and the pigs started to resemble humans, as they walked upright, carried whips and wore clothes. The Seven Commandments were abridged to a single phrase: "All animals are equal, but some animals are more equal than others".
Napoleon held a dinner party for the pigs and local farmers, with whom he celebrated a new alliance. He abolished the revolutionary tradition. As the animals looked from pigs to humans, they realised they could no longer distinguish between the two. Pigs and men.
George Orwell's book illustrates how Kenya fast turned into a capitalist, man-eat-man society as Mwalimu Nyerere once observed.
Through Anglo Leasing and other such scams, thieves of public coffers continue to fatten their pockets with our taxes, Sh1.4 billion already out, as poor folks wallow in poverty and die of hunger.
We fought and hounded the white man, but in his place, we got pigs. Pigs in the Senate, National Assembly, county assemblies and in the executive.
These pigs live like queens and kings. Their piglets go to private schools while for the rest of us, they hike Higher Education fees, at will. These pigs talk of equality, that all of us are equal, yet they ratify laws that depict themselves more equal than us.
They talk like the imperialist, walk like the imperialist, dress like the imperialist and live like the imperialist. They hide in seclusion. And nothing so honours them more than titles like ‘Mheshimiwa’, ‘Mkubwa’, ‘Boss’ and ‘Your Excellency’.
A true revolution is brewing. From the common people. The hoi polloi. The slaving donkeys in the farms. The hard worked. The tired. The hungry. Those that pull carts and carry bricks.
All ye common folks regarded as beasts of burden, in such an Animal Farm called Kenya, unite. It’s the only way out from poverty and disease and ignorance. As long as tribalism divides us, these pigs will continue to rule, until Kingdom come.
Jeff Kenyatta is a student at Moi University and a progressive human rights activist.
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