Serial Misser

When it comes to never missing an opportunity to miss an opportunity, Mwai Kibaki is impossible to top. This man makes deliberate efforts to miss opportunities whenever once arises.

I left Uganda on Friday afternoon, and the entire morning was in a meeting, so I never got to watch Pope John Paul IIs funeral. However I watched the odd clips once I got home, and my amazement grew by the scene.

George Bush and his wife were there. Bill Clinton was there. Tony Blair and his wife were there. Prince Charles was there.

But no Mwai Kibaki.

Jacques Chirac and his wife were there. Koffi Anan was there.

But no Mwai Kibaki.

Olesegun Obasanjo was there. Robert Mugabe was there.

But no Mwai Kibaki.

The President of Israel was there. The President of Syria was there.

But no Mwai Kibaki.

The Orthodox Church was represented. The Protestant Church was represented. The Muslims were represented.

Kings, queens, princes, princesses, heads of state, prime ministers, all the way down to the ordinary man and woman were there.

But no Mwai Kibaki.

I asked around. Perhaps he got there late and was steated on a fence at the back? No cigar. Mwai Kibaki remained in Kenya.

What for? I asked. Some crisis? Illness in the family? Crucial meeting?

Nope. He just stuck around.

All right, then who did we send? Moody Awori?

Actually no, Moody stuck around too.

At this point I was flabbergasted. Then who, cried I, did we send?

Ali Mwakwere and Musikari Kombo, I was told.

I didnt know whether to laugh or cry as I tried to marshal my thoughts.

Mwai Kibaki had every reason to attend that funeral
- He is a Catholic
- Kenya has a sizable Catholic community
- The Pope contributed enormously to the wellbeing and development of the world
- The Pope was also a head of state
- It was an opportunity to show Kenyas solidarity with the mourning Catholics around the world
- It would cost him nothing and benefit him greatly
-There was nothing of substance to keep him behind

But he did not. Neither did he send his Vice President.

So every leader there who had the misfortune to meet Ali Mwakere came away with the impression that we are a most unfortunate country governed by a rather lazy leadership who'd rather sleep in than show solidarity with a grieving community of billions.

Like I said, I did not watch the funeral but I know for a fact that the last thing I want to see is Ali Mwakwere's goofy face smiling his goofy smile at the camera, purportedly representing me. It just says this government simply does not take itself or its foreign affairs policies seriously. Sending a man who freed hosteges on the strength of a SMS from a 0722 number, and his latest coup of declaring a band of jungle warriors 'innocent boys' speaks volumes of the sending authority.

Mwai Kibaki has yet again statched defeat from the jaws of victory.

Ushindwe wewe!!

Nas - Get Down