Prof Makau Mutua and I come from a community with a proverbial saying, mutinda na mukundu ndaema ukunduka, loosely translating to, he who enjoys the company of people with skin epidemics, will also get disease-ridden.

Now you know why the good old professor is about to start itching and scratching his shiny head.

I have had a lot of respect for Prof Mutua for many reasons.

One, because he is my elder brother, and besides that, I looked upon him and the likes of Dr Willy Mutunga as people who walked the straight and non-conformist path in the wilderness of oppression, repression and violations.