YVONNE’S TAKE: Saul to Paul, turncoats trail

Tonight, my take is about a city far away from Kenya. I am talking about the city of Damascus. The capital of Syria. In fact, it is referred to as the oldest capital in the world. But going by local politics, I posit that Damascus, may as well be the capital of Kenya.

But first, some context. The Biblical story begins with a man initially named Saul, Saul of Tarsus, referred to by some as the Pharisee of the Pharisees. As it turns out he was on a mission to the city of Damascus, to arrest and imprison the followers of Jesus Christ and return them to Jerusalem to face punishment.

On the road to Damascus, he experiences a supernatural encounter where he meets and recognizes Jesus who asks him, “Why are you persecuting me?” What followed was a dramatic transformation of the man. From persecutor to chief evangelist of Christ’s teachings. Even his name changed from Saul to Paul. Just over 2000 years later, Kenya is awash with perfect, copybook clones of the ‘Road to Damascus.’

A study of Kenya’s myriad ‘road to Damascus’ moments is yet to be done but from a casual eye, politicians discover their Paul the moment their fortunes change on the power ladder. When they are fired, impeached, demoted, transferred or otherwise moved downwards, humility meets them and they suddenly discover their souls and brains. The discovery has at times been so drastic that some sage that lived in Jerusalem years ago could not withhold his amusement.

I don’t know what you make of that, but it sounds to me like wisdom-laden on what to do when you witness another road to Damascus moment from your political leader; treat it with a pinch if not a huge scoop of salt!