[wpsocialite]
The family, long regarded as the foundation of any political entity, is as sacred as it was when Jesus mingled with sinners. No wonder, when, in a meeting with elders, Mary came for her child, and Jesus refused to leave with her, the elders mumbled among themselves, eventually scolding the young godly man. Of course this is not how it is in the gospel books; I am just creating this to suit the import of my rant.
Mike Sonko, the Senator of Nairobi County is a bitter man. After the website Kahawa Tungu posted an expose’ claiming Sonko is a ‘con who neglects his family’, the Nairobi Senator went public with very personal family information to prove he in deed cares for his family.
Much as I do not agree with some of Senator Sonko’s political antics, decency dictates that all men in public service be given some privacy to care for their families. Unknown to many, Senator Mike Mbuvi is a very private person. Recently when the wife was admitted at a Nairobi hospital, it took the ‘gossip’ of nurses who saw a struggling man going an extra mile to console and comfort his ailing companion by spending chilly nights in cold cemented floors to ‘be there’, and offer that social warmth; an act the author of that disdainful propaganda, may not do.
Senator Sonko do not parade his children for the world to see because he is a caring father. Senator Sonko has not been accused for erotic escapades; and lastly his wife has not sued for neglect or mendacity when it comes to providing for his family.
This is what Mike says of his family:
“There’s nothing that I wouldn’t do for my family. I get the strength to do what I do from them. They motivate me when am feeling low, they inspire me when I need a heart and they are always there for me. To my beautiful daughters Saumu, Kaindi, Salma & Sandra; I love you all and I appreciate every single minute that we spend together” What more can we ask of a man?
The Mbuvis are a young family which needs our prayers, constant encouragement and kindness. Senator Sonko is a young leader with a very heavy responsibility. Let us not distract him from his duties. It can happen, like it did when this whole saga was unleashed on him; because he had to take time reassuring his young daughters that all was well.
Blogging in Kenya has had the impact of opening social media as a forum to advocate best practices in our society; however, with the accompanying evils that every good thing come with, certain notorious individuals have taken to stretching the confines of civility by posting unsubstantiated rumours, wild innuendos, and open half-truths which have the potential to devour and weaken the very foundation of families. Mike Sonko is a victim of these vexatious spirits.
Unlike the mean Kenyan politicians, Senator Sonko has proven time and again that his philanthropy, and tenderheartedness is neither PR stunts nor media relations gimmick. He has come out again and again to rescue his constituents from very agonizing situations. To sportsmen and models; just as to the very old and emaciated down to the young and hopeless, Sonko has shown this society that you do not need to wait for things to get better to give your assistance.
Yet for propaganda to sell, propagandists target such people; people like Sonko, and injuriously besmirch their families.
What Sonko is asking Kahawa Tungu, a website associated with notorious blogger Robert Alai; is what all civilised men who care about their families would ask of their adversaries: To give their families the little privacy all of us deserve by virtue of we being human beings. In the wild, jungle rules takes care of these madharau ndogondogo.
In this age, where no one really ‘fully’ own the right to privacy, a fundamental component of the freedom of expression, decency and decorum become a defining pillar of civility. The family of Senator Sonko needs to live to live in an open society knowing that no one is watching what they eat, how they digest it and what sounds come out in the bowels at the far end. Everyone deserves privacy.
Let the world be clear about something. I do not support leaders who abandon their families and let the upbringing be done by neighbours and other opportunistic men. I do not wish to tell bloggers and social media writers what to rant on; but certain rules are universal, like the right for private individuals and children to be let alone.
Even when a person is deemed a public figure, like Caroline Mutoko, still ethics of citizen journalism dictates that we be truthful on the issues we enumerate about them; that is why I am upbeat that the courts will, come July 2nd, set a deterrent precedent to safeguard the rights of individuals against malicious, duplicitous and petty individuals who purport to shepherd how we should live with our families, or live our reduced lives under the sun.