The art of the matter in Ruto's reformation of our education

By Peter Kimani

Good morning Mr William Samoei arap Ruto. I have not had a chance to send you a little something to congratulate you on your courageous efforts to reform the education sector.

You see, I have peasant instincts and been planting maize before the onset of the short rains commence, since the grains have been in short supply since you left Kilimo House.

As a matter of fact, where I come from, we have a saying that a cow’s pitifully little milk is more appreciated after its death, when obviously there is nothing at all to consume.

So, rather than remember that grainy scam that you said was no scam, when some of your detractors alleged that some honourable MPs were scum for trading in maize, I remember your stint at Kilimo House more positively.

But I digress. The reason for writing is to comment on a little protest staged this week to denounce your good work at the Higher Education Ministry.

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Your submission, purely and simply, is that unemployment in this country is a direct consequence of the “useless” courses offered in our universities. Particularly, you do not think the arts bear any meaningful purpose to our society.

You elaborated this further on TV, and I listened carefully.

“We do not need to be told where we are coming from, because we know that already,” you intoned in that clear, confident voice Kenyans are quite familiar with.

There was something majestic about the voice. It was almost presidential, if you know what I mean, which means you left no room for negotiation.

But, Sir, how many youngsters, for instance, know you were a hungry Kanu youthwinger 18 years ago?

Of course, even a Kanu youth movement would have to be defined to them, so we might need a historian to piece that together, complete with the resultant inflation that followed for decades on, following the Kanu thievery.

I listened to you further, and the summation of your argument, which I found most appealing, explained the demerits of our obsession with the past, instead of arming ourselves with tools for the future.

But what are we to do with courses like philosophy, which really presents arguments of something, over nothing, and concludes in equal style?

Learning experience

And would it be the philosophical argument to defend education as the sum total of what’s left after all that was learned in class is forgotten?

Such arguments over “nothingness” can be tiring, but then I’m reminded about your own learning experience.

From your resumÈ, you studied Chemistry, or related courses, but that did not stop you from becoming a politician.

I would have recommended a course in political science but that lies in the realm of humanities that you consider a waste of time. I am learning.

*****

Why MPs need Ocampo’s protection

Revelation times! Chepalungu MP Isaac Ruto and his Belgut counterpart Charles Keter led a brigade of MPs this week to make some interesting propositions.

They want the International Criminal Court, which is promising to ensure a number of bigwigs spend this year’s Christmas behind bars, to investigate their party ODM’s post-election meetings.

They are convinced that the so-called mass actions organised by the party precipitated the anarchy that blossomed into a full-blown pogrom.

But the sad bit is that the MPs claim they were such small fry in the party they could not add their voices of reason to the debate as only the Pentagon held sway in the affair.

I am saddened that Ruto, Keter & Co. were in such a helpless position, and so must have carried the guilt of watching their countrymen hack each other, fully aware of who had organised it all.

I think there is still hope for Ruto, Keter & Co to enlist as prosecution witnesses and, even in the absence of the Pentagon’s minutes, say what they heard and saw.