Dr. Alfred Mutua must not just Shut Up; he must also Fail…
In the blog that I wrote immediately President Kibaki signed the retrogressive media bill, (YES HE DID is not YES WE CAN: Kibaki Signs Retrogressive Media Bill.), I predicted that we should expect the Government spokesman to come out spinning lies. This was what I wrote…
“Expect Dr. Alfred Mutua, the Government spokesman to come out spinning lies, misinterpreting the whole bill like only he can. He will say the most outrageous things with a straight face, reminiscent of his claims last year that the extra ministries will be of no additional cost to the tax payer. Basic arithmetic told us otherwise, but this “Dr.” thought that dividing a ministry meant dividing the salaries of the ministers, assistant ministers, permanent secretaries… (I could go on) that will be appointed to both. We all know the extra strain on the budget that the additional ministries had. To that, I have the following to say. If common sense was a disease, Dr. Alfred Mutua would be the carrier for the antidote because he does not have any. If bullshit was a town, Dr. Alfred Mutua would be the mayor because he is full of shit. And he does not relent because the lies he spins, like the chases in his program, Cobra Squad, never end.”
I think very little of Dr. Mutua, and the above shows how much, and yet it is not enough.
I would like assume that the prefix Dr. before the Government spokesman’s name means that he is much more learned than the rest of us Kenyans whose names begin with the mere Mr. Miss, or Mrs. But as I came to find out in my years in campus, passing exams, especially in campus in not in any way correlated to superior mental capacity. That explains why a doctor on paper is such an idiot whenever he opens his mouth. I expected him to come out defending the Government’s position on the media bill, but not in the way he did. Earlier this week, he not only proved me right, but went ahead to dig the bottom of the sea so that he can sink to new lows. I have called this Government the most dangerous to date because it has not only broken the lands laws, but has gone ahead to enact illegalities that contravene fundamental, constitutionally entrenched human rights. Just when we think they cannot do any worse, they pull a prank that would make Idi Amin seem like a genius. And every time, they send the Dr. himself to sell the government propaganda to Kenyans. I got to hand it to the journalists who sit there and listen to this guy speak, myself, am not patient with bullshit or its peddlers.
This might seem as a direct vindictive assault on Mutua, which it is, but it is not just that. This man is dangerous, and it is out of the fear of what he might say to the wrong people that I feel it is important to make him shut up, or in the least make him sit down and listen to himself. In order to best understand how people end up being the Mutua’s of this world, I did some research and came about various quotes that best define Mutua and his ilk.
The trouble with the world is that the stupid are cocksure and the intelligent full of doubt.
Beware of the man who works hard to learn something, learns it, and finds himself no wiser than before.
Nothing in the world is more dangerous than sincere ignorance and conscientious stupidity.
Some minds remain open long enough for the truth not only to enter but to pass on through by way of a ready exit without pausing anywhere along the route.
Now, we have all heard the absurd things that this guy has said in defense of his employers. We mostly laugh in wonderment at his explanations, and are times saddened by them. But when at the height of the post election violence, he termed President Kufuor’s mediation efforts as merely “an invitation for tea” with the president, whose legitimacy was in question; he was just careless, callous and dangerous. The position that he holds requires a person who is intelligent in the ways of, and who also understands the politics of the world but more importantly, someone who is not a sycophant. As a government spokesman, it is very unfortunate that he will be quoted internationally as speaking for Kenya, and Kenyans. He insulted Obama when he commented on the obvious corruption that his employers are engaged in, he insults ambassadors whenever they are on the same side as the rest of us Kenyans, he comments on things that he has no even the basic understanding of, and worse still, he does it all with a straight face. The funny thing is, he almost always comes out whenever shady deals by his employers are taking place, or when the Government is under siege for another constitutional illegality, like denying Kenyans the right to assembly, the right to information, and the right to free speech.
After the president signed the controversial media bill, we all expected Mutua to come to the President’s defense. But he did not, not immediately anyway. I honestly thought some brain cells got lost and found their way to his head, and that he was finally thinking. I wish. He delayed because he had gone underground to print propaganda leaflets which he dropped all over Nairobi. This is not a campus election campaign, we are not in Iraq or Zimbabwe, this is not yet a dictatorship, and so, I ask myself, why? Which legitimate government have you heard of that distributes propaganda leaflets to convince the people, in this case, that we need to gag the media. This fool has apparently forgotten that the shitty program he produces is aired on the same media he wants to gag. Or has he been promised, that since the Government under the new law, will determine which content will be aired on TV; his program will be a must? Do not be surprised, this Government is determined to break logical records, and the necessary laws along the way. The question is, are we going to let them, and then give this bastard our ears every time they want to justify it?
I think the media should give this guy Mutua media blackout. It is not only torture for those journalists who have to sit there and listen to him, but also to the rest of us who want to watch the real news, but have to watch him too. We will not miss him.
To the rest of Kenyans, I hope that Mutua gets to read this. Forward it to him if you know him. Tell him that in this day and age, you can never keep information from the people. And if he thinks the media bill will silence the truth, he should google the word BLOGS. Yes, we are the new frontier, and we cannot be gagged.
And in the words of Gore Vidal, “It is not enough to succeed. Others must fail.” Hence, we must not only succeed in shutting Mutua up, he must also fail in his propaganda agendas.
i sometimes sit an listen keenly on what “Dr” Mutua has to say, but easy time i find myself wondering if he has stepped in any school in the first place.
This talks a lot of crap in defence of the Government of today. You don’t need a learned person to know that every time he blubbers something that he is lying through his teeth. Can’t you for once state the facts as they should be!. Bwana Mutua, if Jesus was to return today, my friend you will burn in hell and on top of that be struck by lightening for the persistent lies you have been and continue to tell. So watch out.!!!!!
kim
January 13, 2009 at 2:09 pm
I think you are thinking like sukrat, but I think you should cover the other side of the topic in the post too…
HesrasousaHag
January 13, 2009 at 6:56 pm
Hey, please calm down with the diatribes! Is it Mutua you don’t like or the government he is defending? Just because Mutua says something against your political preference does not make him a bad person, he is doing what he is paid to do. Without a government spokesman (or woman) who would be giving the government side of the story. Look at the ICT bill for example: the media gave the public a completely one-sided side of the story forcing the government to resort to leaflets. A lot of people had their opinion about it but in the end, the public got to know a few things they had not been told. Just because you don’t like Mutua’s defence of the pathetic Kibaki government shouldn’t make you dismiss his education. For your info, Mutua worked in Australian and Asian universities (hence the PHD) before he was head-hunted for the Government Spokesman job. You probably know that you can only get such a job strictly on merit.
We Kenyans should learn to separate personalities from issues. Otherwise, supposing Raila Odinga had won the presidency and retained Mutua as his spokesman, would your hate for him have turned into love?
nairobichronicle
January 20, 2009 at 7:22 pm
Nairobi Chronicle…
First, Mutua would remain an idiot regardless of who he works for, Kibaki or Raila. Second, you almost accuse me of supporting Odinga and his henchmen, and that right there is the sad thing about Kenya. You always presume that being against Raila is supporting Kibaki and vice versa. I am not that trivial, read more articles on this blog and you will see. Third, no self respecting man even with the benefit of Mutua’s education and “intellect” would reduce himself to Mutua’s level and say what Mutua does, even if it is his job. Fourth, I tend to think that too much politeness is what will doom this country; we do not say it for what it is, or say it in too many words. I call it as for what it is, as I see it. Fifth, I should probably be guilty about the diatribes, but I am not. Mutua pushed me and I am sure many others to the wall. I pushed back. Sixth, do you still live in this country? No Government appointments in this country are by merit. It is either political or tribal, both of which mean the same thing these days, hence the term “tribal politics.”
Please read my post on Taking Responsibility. You will better understand where I am coming from.
Tumbo
Marvin K. Tumbo
January 23, 2009 at 11:44 am
[...] but I assure you I am not. If you read this scathing attack I made on the Government Spokesman, Dr. Alfred Mutua must not just Shut Up…, a few weeks ago, you will understand my worry, especially since the last person this Spokesman [...]
A Time to Kill; or get Killed… « Still Proud to be Kenyan.
March 9, 2009 at 8:13 pm
A few more descriptions of Mutuaism:
1. A fool is wise until he opens his mouth.
2. We can easily forgive a child who is afraid of the dark; the real tragedy of life is when men are afraid of the light.
3. Wise men speak because they have something to say; Fools because they have to say something.
4. “Man…is a tame or civilized animal; never the less, he requires proper instruction and a fortunate nature, and then of all animals he becomes the most divine and most civilized; but if he be insufficiently or ill- educated he is the most savage of earthly creatures.”
K2
March 10, 2009 at 5:34 am
I should have pointed out that Mutua’s ill education is probably his undoing.
@ naironi chronicle, Mutua is not the only one with a PhD, some of us are also candidates – and that does not make us any of a genius just like it doesn’t drive stupidity and irresponsibility out of Mutua. A PhD for Mutua should be liberating, both to himself and his countrymen, yet to Mutua, it has chained his conscience. I pity his ignorance and can’t admire his complacency. I thought his education should have allowed him to stand his ground on an academic debate, and therefore be able to well educate his employer or quit if his advice is repeatedly ignored. But to stand there like a village errand boy spitting nonsense say and night to the detriment of Kenyans is neither wise nor prestigious – it is in fact immoral. I too believe Mutua is a classical idiot – the kind that went to school to be a certified fool – a sell out, a boot liker and tail wager.
In 2006, i wrote about this in the Standard newspaper, today, he has perfected his stupidity. I stand by my words and will condemn Mutua till he repents.
K2
March 10, 2009 at 5:47 am
Thank You K2…
First for the additional quotes. They are a delightful read. Secondly, for the second comment you make. People throw at me that old argument of Mutua having a Phd. and I could could not have written a better argument on his education being counterproductive.
Regards
Marvin K. Tumbo
March 10, 2009 at 10:23 am
Dr. Alfred Mutua is fit for the job of Government Spokesman.
It’s not every day that I get to stumble upon an article that reeks of nothing but malice. But these particular ones are, to say the least, works of biased thinkers, and could at best be described as lacking in any objective analysis.
Both writers, in their freedom of expression, which the law of this land and the Kenyan government upholds chose to do a mudslinging at the character of the Government Spokesman of Kenya, Dr. Alfred Mutua, a man who earned his title of doctorate vide hard work and academic excellence.
I believe the role of the Government Spokesman in any country is collecting information about what is happening inside the Administration and around the country, and getting that information to the media and the public in a timely and accurate fashion. I also believe Dr. Mutua has lived to that expectation and obligation.
The argument by one blog writer that the job should have been given to a lawyer, a political scientist, or someone with a background on international relations is foolhardy. Naturally this position has to be filled by an individual from news media background.
Any intelligent person will know that the job is purely Journalistic. The current holder of the office, Dr. Alfred Mutua is therefore in my conviction best suited for the job he does. The description of Dr. Mutua as an “idiot,” is pure personal and the writers on both blogs are waging a personal war when from the word go, they portray themselves as championing a public interest course.
The writers, I may be wrong, but I fear I am right, exhibited a high degree of idiocy on their part. And they admit even in their blogs that Dr. Mutua is “much more learned than the rest of Kenyans whose names begin with mere Mr. Miss, or Mrs.” The inference that Dr. Mutua should “shut up” is therefore in my observation, mediocre.
How could anyone contemplate a situation where a person whose job description is to speak, to shut up! as these advocates of doom would like us to believe? The position being held by Dr. Mutua requires a person who is intelligent in the ways and understands the politics of the country and the world, these qualifications, Dr. Mutua meets and even beyond.
From the expressions by both bloggers, I see a duo whose understanding of the works of media is shallow, and I also see a pack of persons with skewed thought, with aim and intention of spoiling the good name of Dr. Mutua and the government he serves.
I see persons who are intent on pampering their selfish egos. Of course as a patriotic Kenyan I believe that Dr. Mutua is working in the best interest of this nation and that he is working for me. That’s why I am bothered as a Kenyan when I read such egocentric, malicious correspondences from persons I would naturally think are knowledgeable.
Dr. Mutua’s role requires him –as an obligation- to make sure that Kenyan people are getting an accurate account of what is going on in the country. That means the spokesman must essentially not be misleading to the citizenry. One forum through which he executes this mandate is the weekly press briefings usually held at Kenyatta International Conference Centre, where his office is located. In these briefings he usually responds to questions from reporters. The responses emerging therefrom are disseminated to the public vide various news outlets. I will repeat it here that Dr. Mutua has exceeded on this role; I faithfully believe he executes his mandate in a professional manner. But of course I also believe that in life you can’t please everyone. Even Jesus Christ himself couldn’t.
NAFTALI
Naftali
December 10, 2009 at 2:37 pm
You made my day Naftali
First, you write very well. I enjoyed reading that piece especially for its grammar.
That was quite the response and I will reply to it in totality some other time. But for now, I will just say one thing…
For a person who accuses me of having a skewed view of the government spokesman, you clearly failed to see the log in your eye.
Your blog is basically about Mutua which I find disturbing on several levels. You are in no position to point fingers on skewness of assessments because you are in bed with the enemy.
Just to jot your mind, most dictators had better education than Mutua himslef and that did not stop them from their dictatorial tendencies. Mutua may be the most qualified person for the job but that has not prevented him from acting like an idiot.
I will be back for more…
M
Marvin K. Tumbo
December 10, 2009 at 8:53 pm