Kaana Tenkel

Honourable Mayor Kana Tenqel
Kana in August 2022.
Mayor of Peka
Incumbent
Assumed office 10 June 2022
Preceded by	Office created
Leader of Future Citizens
Incumbent
Assumed office 12 March 2022
Preceded by	Party created
Personal details
Born	Sakana Aotola Tenqel (1977-05-12) 12 May 1977 Weia, Freice
Political party	Future Citizens
Domestic partner(s)	Ama Selaia (2017–present)
Education	Tespana School
Criminal details
Criminal status	Guilty
Criminal charge	Trespassing Misuse of property
Penalty	GR$50,000

This is a Freician name. The last name is patronymic, not a family name; this person is referred to by the given name Sakana

Sakana Aotola "Kana" Tenqel (born 12 May 1977) is a Freician politician, businessman, former teacher, former journalist, and public figure who has served as leader of Future Citizens (formerly Kana's Empowered Citizens) since March 2022 and as Mayor of Peka since 10 June 2022.

Kana came to national and international attention in January 2022, when Radio and Television Freice reported of a man being arrested for "lewd activity" in a concrete mixer. Public interest in the "weird" nature of the case quickly spread across the country. He was brought to trial on 21 January 2022, and eventually found guilty of trespassing and misuse of property. He announced his intention to remain in the public spotlight following his trial, and established his new political party shortly thereafter.

Since entering into Freician politics, he has become a prominent public figure, generating a significant following. He relies heavily on social media, particularly Twatter, to maintain communication with his supporters, and is the most followed Freician on the platform. He is described as a populist, adopting a broad platform that includes economic and social liberalism, civic nationalism, anti-corruption, and political reformism.

Early life and education

Kana was born to a middle-class family in Weia on 12 May 1977 to Tenqel Meipa and Valeia Tara. His father was a successful businessman who had served as an economic advisor to Sema T. Anamia, the first leader of Freice following self-government, whilst his mother was a housewife. His family enjoyed a long-term prominence within the local community, accumulating vast wealth through its fishing and building businesses.

He went to Tespana School, a fee-paying school, from 1978 until 1993, but decided not to go to university despite pressure from his father. Instead, he took work as a journalist and then as a newspaper editor. He became chief editor of the prominent broadside publication Maporgo. He left this position in 2000, taking up work as a journalism teacher and later a photographer. He returned to journalism in 2010, working for Tama Adune oe Faio (later Kaposa Tama), until he was fired following his trial.

Concrete Mixer Man Case

Kana came to public attention when he was arrested on 12 January 2022 after being caught by police officers in a remote part of Kekna with a concrete mixer, a box of poetry books by various Freician and Riamese authors, a tub of glue, and three stoats. He was taken to a nearby police station and booked for lewd activity. He was reported to have willingly surrendered himself and his possessions to the police.

Upon further investigation, it was found that the concrete mixer was stolen from a nearby construction site, with initial reports indicating that the site was Kana's place of work. It had been reported stolen three days earlier. The tub of glue is believed to have been taken from a nearby college, as were the poetry books. However, it is unknown where the stoats came from. Some news outlets have speculated that Kana owns the stoats himself, with others speculating that they too were stolen.

On 11 February 2022, the Court of Appeal ruled that the man's name could be disclosed.

Kana was brought to trial on 21 February 2022, with details of the charges revealed publicly. Charges of endangering wildlife related to the close proximity of the stoats to the concrete mixer, whilst charges of indecent exposure were made due to Kana's thin cloak, under which he wore nothing. The charges of trespassing and the misuse of property followed the theft of property from a local school, which dropped charges of theft following the return of the property.

On 25 February, protestors belonging to the Freedom for Kana organisation protested outside the court, calling for Kana's release.

Response

Domestic response

The Freician government's response has largely been to support the legal process. Counsel General Taqame Natpiau said in a written statement to the Island Meeting that the government will "keep up to date" with the case where necessary, and ensure that the "the law has been followed in determining whether it has been breached."

National broadcaster Radio and Television Freice has created a separate link on its website dedicated to the case, which is reported to have upwards of 50,000 hits a week.

International response

A Gran Rugidoense politician Francisco Javier Vaquero, when asked about the case, humorously declared that a movie should be made about the unusual criminal. He later added that any movie should win awards for its storyline.

On a Hoterallian TV show, a comedy skit entitled "My Girlfriend Is A Concrete Mixer???" has gained a cult following.

When president Aniara Neileka visited Gran Rugido for talks with the Rugidoan president, pranksters greeted her dressed as stoats and possessing concrete mixers.

Orajioe Daily reported that one Hoterallian man, Konoda Hajimoto, announced that he had "declare[d] war" on the justice system in Freice, due to what he perceived as a "violation of human rights". This was also reported in Freice.

Kana with Kono Takaida in Orajioe, June 2022

Copycats

The international coverage of the case has led to a number of copycat cases being reported. In Kentalis, broadcaster NRSK reported of two teenages being arrested for stealing a concrete mixer.

Political career

On 10 March 2022, Kono Takaida, leader of Taihago, Twatted that he had spoken with Kana, describing him as "intriguing on so many levels" and "one of the greatest men I have ever met."

On 12 March 2022, Kana formally registered a new political party called Kana's Empowered Citizens, the first political party to be established since the Court of Appeal ruled that a ban on parties was unconstitutional. He announced on Twatter the founding of the party as a "mass movement" supporting "real social, economic, political, and constitutional change."

Speaking on Radio and Television Freice's radio show Tara Pona Faio (Good Day, Freice), Kana rejected claims that his party was a joke or political satire, arguing that the mass movement organised to support him in his trial convincted him of the need to "use this popular energy for good."

Kana led his party to victory in the June 2022 elections, with the party winning a plurality of the vote in the Kivunna election, winning three mayoralties, and leading three district authority administrations.

Mayor of Peka

In the 2022 Peka mayoral election, Kana was elected Mayor of the district with 55.1% of the vote.

As Mayor, he has promoted sustainable development across all areas of policy-making. He has overseen the protection of the Peka Highlands (the parts of the Sete Hills in Peka), the establishment of new rules regarding urban development, and has emphasised happiness and access to basic resources as key indicators over GDP. He has also petitioned the national government for greater powers to deal with poverty, and has sought to bloc plans for fracking in the district.

Political views

Kana's political views, which have been labeled Kananism by the press, are generally characterised as libertarian, although Kana has himself defined his views as "practical libertarianism with a conscious". He supports strong civil liberties, including same-sex marriage, abortion rights, drug legalisation, free movement, and the decriminalisation of sex work. He combines individualism with a "practical" role for the state, including in the protection of the land (of which the people are stewards) and providing assistance to those who cannot help themselves.

Because of the policies he has promoted as Mayor, including an active role for the district authority in combating pollution and poverty, political opponents have described Kana's political philosophy as "ill-defined" and "fluid".

See also

• Future Citizens
• Aniara Neileka
• Kiso Toma
• Politics of Freice