LAST WORD
It is perhaps a good time to consider making voting imperative for any citizen over the age of eighteen as a civic duty to ensure that the minority do not get a chance to rule over the silent majority just because they can marshal a political wave which is a temporary cult . and were therefore willing to actively seek the intervention of the elder .
LAST WORD
On Cultic Misadventures
Ochieng remembers well that August holiday way back in the seventies because that was one of the few times that he can recall ever seeing his father agitated and speaking with a raised voice while gesturing angrily and animatedly .
Ochieng ’ s father was the epitome of calm and was thus the village pacifier and intermediary and was the unelected de facto spokesman of the village and Ochieng ’ s home always had visitors who had come to seek wisdom from the impartial elder .
So respected was Ochieng ’ s father in the village that many issues that needed resolution were referred to him to adjudicate and such was the measure of respect accorded to him that matters brought to his attention rarely left unresolved .
This voluntary conflict resolution mechanism in an accommodating family setting meant that negative issues rarely went out of hand as the villagers trusted
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It is perhaps a good time to consider making voting imperative for any citizen over the age of eighteen as a civic duty to ensure that the minority do not get a chance to rule over the silent majority just because they can marshal a political wave which is a temporary cult . and were therefore willing to actively seek the intervention of the elder .
What made the tirade of that particular August even more bizarre was that it was aimed at Ochieng ’ s uncle , Ochieng ’ s fathers ’ younger brother who had come visiting the previous night accompanied with his wife , both arrived dressed in unusual white flowing apparel .
Early in the morning Ochieng was surprised to see his uncle and aunt at a far corner of the compound and appeared to be in prayer as they were kneeling together and facing the house . At about midday they went into the living room to talk with Ochieng ’ s father .
That was when the drama broke loose including the uncharacteristic raising of voices and Ochieng ’ s mother abandoned what she was doing and went to join the other three and he could hear her trying to calm her husband .
96 MAL54 / 23 ISSUE