By Ochieng Collines(Amelia)
It is hard, it is hard
If not impossible to be the antagonist
And the protagonist in one story
But the youths of this nation
Have found a way to achieve this glory
The glory of being both the antagonist
And the protagonist in one story
I want you to listen keenly to this story
Because it might just be the key
To our nation’s development trajectory.
I could start from three years ago
But I’d need a shot because my story
Would be too long, too long
For these pages of unrest
Arresting our nation’s future
Leaving it in the hands of youths
Who love to rest and detest things
Without taking democratic action
So, I’ll start my story from a year ago.
It has been one year
It has been one year and four months
To be precise
Since the youths took to the streets
To protest against the finance bill
Being the protagonist in their story
They demanded for a change
In this nation’s leadership
Just like our forefathers Jomo Kenyatta
Dedan Kimathi,Tom Mboya,
Achieng Oneko, Oginga Odinga
Marched through bullets and betrayal
So that we could march through ballot lines
And not battle lines, the youths
Marched through water canons
Teargas canisters, live bullets
So that this nation could march through
Financial freedom and not financial oppression.
The youths fought truly
Like the protagonist they are
Much has happened since that time
But just like a movie I’ll pause the past
And play the present, forwarding past
All those events that has taken place
Since last year’s protest, how I wish
How I wish I could play for you
All those events in a systematic order
But just like bible that is how long
And big this piece would be
So, I’ll just select the events I deem
Very crucial to this piece.
It has been three weeks
It has been three weeks and five days
Since IEBC relaunched the continuous
Voter registration exercise
Since then the turnout of those being registered
As new voters can only be described
As pathetic if not very poor
Those targeted by IEBC to register
As new voters are mostly youths
A year ago they stood tall for this nation
And now they are nowhere
To be seen in the polling stations
They have become the antagonist
In their own story, opposing what they
Stood for, though not publically
But by refusing to turn up
To register as voters
Listen, dear youths do not be antagonistic
Protagonist in your own story go and register as voters
For this is the only way you can bring
Real change and development in this nation.
