Uhuru 'bluffs' on Twitter.

The social media scene is a fairly new phenomenon to Africa especially where politics is concerned. It is interesting to find leaders like Museveni, Kagame, Uhuru, Martha Karua et al on twitter. However, leaders need to be very careful about what they say on the social media scene lest they be haunted by it in the future.

America’s Folksy Mama and presidential hopeful Sarah Palin recently referred to the STATUE of Liberty as the STATUtE of Liberty on twitter. This prompted questions on her knowledge of the American history. ( http://www.politicususa.com/en/sarah-palin-statue-of-liberty ) In the same vein, our very own Uhuru Kenyatta retweeted a tweet by one of his followers where it was stated that the national anthem reads

‘Natukae na undugu / Pamoja na Uhuru’ and not

‘Natukae na undugu/ Amani na Uhuru.’

This was a bluff that could be simply avoided by a keen eye. Dont just retweet everything that is said in your favour.

With the elections around the corner, politicians (or whoever manages the social media accounts for them) should be very careful. After all, the social media is just Media and media can make you or break you!

Ode to a Fallen Friend

Death;

Doesnt it matter to you
That he never smoked
That he jogged every morning
That he lived a heathy life?

Short illness-
What an open disguise!

Didnt it occur to you
That I envied his resilient grip to these words
When I could barely hold on
When my hands were slipping
When I was almost falling?

And now that am on a cigarette quitting programme
Do the push-ups I do every morning matter
Does this food I try to select count
If you'll keep on appearing un-announced?

(RIP Kimathi Chabari Mucee)

©2009 Otiato Opali

The Be-attitudes

Mathew 5:39 But I say to you, do not resist the evildoer. But whoever strikes you on the right cheek, turn the other to him as well.

We walk naked
Because when they want our shirts
We give them our coats
Trousers
And dresses too -
So that his word be done.
Let it Be!
Blessed are we, the meek.

They eat at the Hilton
Bathe in the sea
Dine abroad and make love in the air
Just because we are taught to sleep hungry
In order to fill their plates.

Our legs are sore
Our joints cant hold
Our breath cant last,
Because as they ride in limos
We run beside them for miles on end
Instead of the one mile they call for,
A mile they dont deserve from the onset -
Just so that his word be done.
Let it Be!
Blessed are we who mourn.

But before we turn our other cheek
Before we are twice as naked as we are spent
Before we let it be,
Let us rethink doing words.

For verily verily I repeat unto you
of all the commodities the world has on offer
the cheapest will always remain talk.

John 18: 22-23 When Jesus had said this, one of the high priest's officers who stood nearby struck him on the face and said, "Is that the way you answer the high priest?" Jesus Replied, "If I have said something wrong, confirm what is wrong. But if I spoke correctly, why slap me?"

Otiato Opali