The electioneering period is fun in most developing countries' calendars. Unfortunately, it is also marked by uncertainty due to the violence accompanying it. For example, In Kenya, since the post-election violence that claimed the lives of about 1000 people and displaced about 100,000, elections come here with mixed feelings of joy and uncertainty.
The electioneering period is particularly joyous in the African continent because people celebrate the wealth of their languages and learn more about their traditions and culture, which currently face erosion due to the rapid adoption of western culture and languages. Mark, you, any person who vies for a post and does not possess the rich vocabularies and sayings of our mother tongue, stand no chance of getting elected to office. Chinua Achebe states, "Proverbs are the palm oil with which words are eaten" in his book, "Things Fall Apart," to elaborate on the importance of language mastery, especially in politics and leadership.
In Kenya, Raila Odinga, the "people's president," is a master of the African languages Dholuo and Kiswahili, which earns him an enormous following across the country. His ability to play and tackle his opponents with words that have deep African and contemporary meanings is incredible. Raila's political opponents fear him for his language prowess, which has earned him the title of jamaa wa vitendawili (the owner of riddles) among his language-deficient opponents in their attempts to water down his political achievements.
One of the famous sayings by Raila Odinga last year was his description of President Uhuru Kenyatta and his failing administration as a headless chicken. He said in Kiswahili, "Uhuru ni kama kuku amekatwa kichwa, anakimbia huku na kule bila kuona mahali anakokwenda" (President Uhuru is like a headless chicken, which runs around without the knowledge of where it is headed). I could not help but laugh my head off.
Such simple yet sophisticated sayings drive the point home. It is easy to understand the message they carry. One merely understands that Raila meant that Kenya was being run by a president who had no goal, objectives, or direction for the country, which is evident in the country's massive corruption, tribalism, and nepotism.
Another example of Mr. Odinga's hilarious sayings was a few years back in response to constant attacks by government MP, who hated the massive support he enjoyed from the people. He compared the MP to a dog. Odinga's response to the MP in Swahili was, "Ukiona mbwa anabweka, usijishughulike na mbwa huyo, tafuta mwenyewe na mwambie amfunge mbwa wake" (When a dog barks at you, ignore it. Find its owner and tell him/her to tie his dog). This simple remark silenced the targeted opponent, who went quiet for some days, proof that he was the dog sent by the owner to try and scare opposition leaders away.
Recently, at a rally in Homabay County to usher his swearing-in ceremony as the people's President, Mr. Odinga gave a touching story that melted the heart of everyone who appreciated his liberation efforts. "A village was struck with perennial drought and famine," he started. "A lot of people died, and many fell sick and feeble. The elders of the community gathered and approached the village's seer to consult their gods on what they could do stop this punishment of drought that their people suffered," he continued. "After hours of deliberation and consultation with the gods, the seer brought a message from the gods that the village could only receive rainfall if they sacrificed a particular girl by feeding her to the crocodiles in the nearby nearly dry river. The girl set out for the river to offer herself the crocodiles without anybody's request, compulsion, or persuasion upon learning her fate. The suffering of her people had immensely touched her such that she did not require any push to save her people. I am that girl." Mr. Odinga ended the speech with a wild round of applause from the crowd that had explicitly gathered to listen to him.
The interpretation of this short story is as follows. The continuing drought and famine-stricken village referred to our beloved poverty-stricken country Kenya marred by corruption and embezzlement of funds. As mentioned earlier, Mr. Odinga is the girl ready to sacrifice his life to save our motherland and its people.
Lastly, another example of mastery of speech occurred last year, where Prof Anyang Nyongo, the Governor of Kisumu County, then a gubernatorial candidate, used a crafty short story to cut short his speech and allow fellow speakers to have an adequate amount of time on the dais in a rally in Kisumu County. Below is part of the statement
“Nitiere mama moro mane ni gi welo e dala ne. To noloso ne gi kongo ma mit sana. Koro kane omiyo welo kongo to gi metho to en ok ometh, welo nopenje ni nango en ok ometh kodgi. To no duok gi ni en weg dala. Weg dala ok ber ka mer e kong gi.”
Translation: "There was a woman who had guests visiting her home. She prepared a sweet local beer, which she served them. As the guest took the beer, they noticed that she was not taking the beer. When they asked her why she was not having her pot of beer, she replied that is not prudent for a host to get drunk in her feast."
In short, the professor meant there was no need to talk much in his backyard (county) lest he utters something that displeases his guests. Therefore, he left the podium for the guest leaders as a symbol of respect and courtesy, which everyone acknowledged that it was the right thing to do.
These examples show that mastery of language is an essential quality of leadership. One's ability to speak a language everyone understands and appreciates is crucial in winning people's support. Most African leaders recognize this fact. Language is a significant component of people's culture: to win people, you must master their language.
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