NAIROBI, Kenya- The adage, “It takes a village to raise a child,” evokes images of communal care, shared responsibility, and nurturing environments where every member contributes to the growth and protection of the young.
It speaks of a collective that safeguards its future by investing in its most vulnerable.
In East Africa, however, a dark twist of this proverb has emerged: a “political village” that increasingly unites, not to raise and protect its citizens, but to oppress them when called out, collaborating beyond borders to ensure no dissenting voice finds refuge or freedom.
This East African political village operates with a grim efficiency. Instead of fostering vibrant civic spaces, it constructs a seamless cage.
When journalists dare to expose corruption, when activists demand accountability, or when opposition figures challenge the status quo, the village’s united front snaps into action.
Arbitrary arrests become commonplace, often followed by incommunicado detention.
The more egregious tactics involve the chilling practice of enforced disappearances and kidnappings, where individuals vanish into thin air, only to resurface later, often bearing marks of torture, or worse, never to be seen again.
This isn’t random violence; it’s a calculated strategy to instill fear and silence dissent.
What makes this “village” truly terrifying is its transnational collaboration. The borders that should offer sanctuary become porous membranes for repression. Intelligence agencies share lists of “undesirables” – individuals deemed threats to one regime quickly become targets for another.
We’ve witnessed instances where activists fleeing persecution in one East African nation are apprehended by authorities in a neighboring country and summarily rendered back to the very regimes they escaped, bypassing legal extradition processes and flouting international asylum laws.
This cooperation effectively creates a no-go zone for critics; there is no safe haven within this interconnected web of authoritarian control.
The principle of regional solidarity, meant to foster economic and social integration, is weaponized into a shared platform for suppressing human rights.
So, why is this formidable “political village” so profoundly afraid of its own constituents?
The fear of accountability and exposure from citizens who point fingers often highlights systemic corruption, kleptocracy, and gross mismanagement of public resources.
An informed populace, armed with facts and demanding transparency, directly threatens the illicit gains and power bases of the ruling elite.
When billions disappear from public coffers, the voice asking “Where did it go?” is the most dangerous.
Fragile grip on power by these regimes that maintain power through a combination of patronage, coercive force, and the suppression of genuine democratic processes. They know their legitimacy is often thin.
A vocal opposition or a robust civil society can expose this fragility, mobilizing citizens to demand fundamental changes in governance. The “village elders” are afraid of the collective power of their “children” when they realize their strength.
In some contexts, leaders envision long-term or even dynastic control. Independent voices, by challenging the status quo, disrupt these carefully laid plans for perpetual rule or seamless succession.
Governments often invest heavily in state-controlled media to shape public narratives, portraying themselves as benevolent and indispensable leaders. Independent voices dismantle these narratives by presenting alternative facts and analyses.
The truth, in this context, is the most potent weapon, and the village is terrified of its spread.
Ultimately, it’s a fear of losing control – control over information, over resources, and over the population itself. An educated, aware, and un-intimidated citizenry is the opposite of the obedience that authoritarian regimes demand.
The “political village” of East Africa, tragically, is being exposed. Its constituents’ growth into engaged, critical citizens has stunned it ,and it in turn seeks to stunt, silence, and even disappear them.
The collaborative oppression is a direct betrayal of the principles of human rights and democracy.
It underscores a profound fear: the fear of its people, awakening to their power and demanding the village fulfill its true purpose.
