In sociolinguistics, just the same way we believe in synonyms, we also trust in one word meaning different things in different social environments. Defining politics is like thinking about God in hell and Satan in heaven. It is simply an issue of joking with simple ” i” and ” e” vowels in English.
In bid, ‘I’ read [e], in bed, “e” reads [a] and in bird, “i” reads [ae]. The difference between “day” and “die” is even more complicated.
In today’s politics, one needs to understand the implications of his or her tongue twisting to be sure of where the real point is, to know when a reads e and when the later reads I.
Indeed, when God goes to hell he is chasing the devil and never mind as omnipotent he will still Come out holy, but if Satan tries to go to heaven he will be thrown away as evil doer.
In my last workshop if not meeting or seminar with the East African Community Kiswahili Commission (EAKC), one intervention made me bitter, when someone challenged why Rwanda Basic Education Board is abbreviated as simply “REB” not “RBEB”.
With my usual Smile, I wondered why he never challenged his boss and dare ask him why East African Community Kiswahili Commission enjoys being “EAKC” and not EACKC! In life as an elderly man or Senior citizen as others prefer calling me, say, let us learn that what we call bitter language in politics of today may be better message, it all depends on your age and location.
What matters is how to accommodate each other, knowing that all in all the end justifies the means. The more we learn to be tolerant and considerate our bitterness becomes betterment.
Of late, some people have been arguing about the rational of British government to send illegal immigrants living in England to Rwanda, others insinuating the capacity to receive them yet there are so many Rwandans living outside.
As ignorance has no logic neither does it have a colour, a simple answer remains that immigrants have no choice staying where they are unwanted, Rwanda would arguably portray an image of good samaritan and sure country in the midst of many complaints about violations of human rights and international law but who respects them anyway?
Don’t we know , politicians are the best artists of smartness and hypocrisy ! Whereas in positive law , justice will focus on legality not morality, people simply wonder as they wander in this unfair world of men . In this age the young politicians would enjoy fooling their elders just because the throne belongs to them . Moreover, if by definition good leaders are supposed to minimise pains and maximise pleasure of their subjects.
A Swahili proverb would simply sum it all “Tenda wema nenda zako usingoje. Shukrani!” to mean, do what is good and keep going never mind what you receive in turn, after all people will talk anyway.
In these dramas of life, the only conqueror is that who puts his/ her efforts to serving and helping the poor beyond the arrogance of the rich, generously and willing to share, hence laying up treasures for the coming age and taking hold of the true life.
Prof Pacifique Malonga, is a benevolent promoter of African Languages, particularly Kiswahili & Ikinyarwanda and a Writer of educational books and Journalist. becos1@yahoo.fr
