Our journey, our hope...
Our journey, our hope...
'When right becomes wrong, resistance becomes duty'.
'When right becomes wrong, resistance becomes duty'.
The world possesses a peculiar knack for revisiting history, and the ticking clock ceaselessly advances to the sounds of time. We find ourselves relearning yet returning to our past failures, mourning over issues for which we've already forged alternative paths. As a collective, it appears we grapple with the challenge of learning from our history, leaving subsequent generations adrift without a clear sense of direction or purpose.
One significant factor contributing to these generational gaps is our deficient approach to information sharing. Previously, I attributed this to an African context, mainly due to our education system emphasizing memorization over critical thinking. However, a debate between Ben Shapiro and an Oxford student highlighted the global nature of this issue, exposing gaps in passing down historical knowledge. For instance, the student was unaware of the British bombing of German civilians in Dresden during World War II, a critical event leading to Germany's surrender.
Reflecting on these information-sharing gaps, I observe our country navigating a silent crisis. The unspoken truth is that individuals, businesses, organizations, and companies teeter on the brink of collapse, grappling with severe economic challenges. Amidst this, Safaricom recently announced a remarkable 34 billion Kenyan shillings in profit, yet the skepticism that met the announcement due to economic uncertainties has brought about suspicions about whether they are really doing that well.
Our former president, His Excellency President Mwai Kibaki, left behind a thriving country with substantial bank reserves for major state corporations. However, the landscape shifted with the advent of the new Jubilee government, ushering in a penchant for loans and financial mismanagement. President Uhuru Kenyatta acknowledged a staggering daily loss of about 2 billion Kenyan shillings to corruption during his term. His successor, President William Ruto, has been reported as showing reluctance to address the issue by stating he'd have to dismiss everyone.
Turning our gaze to the global stage, let's revisit post-American Afghanistan. The haunting images of people clinging to plane wheels during the American departure in 2020/2021 highlighted a decision already made. Questioning the haste of the evacuation and the destruction that followed, a historical pattern emerges. Throughout history, those attempting to control Afghanistan faced challenges due to the region's ominous atmosphere, shaped not only by its terrain but also by the entrenched life and culture of the Taliban. From Cyrus the Great to the Americans that left in haste, it points out that theirs is not just a war issue but a cultural issue that may have to be dealt with before anything else can be done for the people of Afghanistan. See the Documentary
As I blame the U.S. for abandoning Afghanistan, we must also look beyond the corruption that plagued the Afghans. Their new political class pilfered the billions provided by the Americans. They also failed to stand on their own, falling into a comfort zone and resisting the integration of urban and non-urban populations, inadvertently fostering the acceptance of the Taliban within communities. A population entrenched in battle-hardened experiences, viewing the world through a singular lens, can only change with exposure to diverse perspectives. (A personal confession: my perspective on public transport changed after a visit to Dubai.)
Returning to our home crisis, are we confronting a similar situation in Kenya? Is our populace inadequately informed, accepting mediocrity and lies from our political class?
The truth is, our country is undergoing severe economic turmoil, with a palpable sense of unease and creeping hopelessness. Companies are shutting down; workers face layoffs, months without pay, and pay cuts. Desperation in the streets reveals alleged deals in golf clubs while a new class of "sheriffs" thrives, leaving Nairobi's upmarket slums struggling with reduced meals.
Much like the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, we find ourselves casualties of political warfare, a blogger superiority complex, and a citizenry reluctant to accept the truth.
What is the truth?
We failed to pass down our history, neglecting to teach the painful lessons of past regimes, leading to lost generations. The country is sinking under the weight of problems created by both past and present regimes. Leaders lack the moral high ground to point fingers, and as we repay loans, we cannot ignore the corruption issues of the present and past regimes. Our first leaders failed to foster nationhood, securing prime projects for themselves and relegating others to bread crumbs.
Afghans, refusing to fight for their nation, have fallen into despair The last part of the documentary serves to teach us how we can all fall back into an ever-ending cycle of suffering. Nobody knows what many of the people will do, but we all know what desperation can do to a population.
As Kenyans, we need to call back our country and move away from our keyboards or podcasts. We have to start integrating an all-inclusive society and curbing corruption at its roots. Do you realize that of late, there have been a number of comments on social media telling those unfriendly bloggers that they need to be careful or they will be found in the Tsavo? Are we slowly sliding back into our hard-fought democratic space?
Sitting with friends and colleagues, a sense of despair permeates, along with a lost sense of patriotism. Many seek migration or dream of life-changing jobs. Corporate ladders witness attempts to bring down rivals, even at the cost of morality. We are in survival mode.
Recognizing that evil thrives when we fail to stand up as a nation, the decline of our country results from accepting shortcuts and corruption.
What can we do?
Our solution requires radical surgery and behavior change.
Define our values, cultural, and political structures promptly. What do we stand for as a nation? as a people? and as individuals? Talking to all our children and their friends and the need to participate in leadership and political discourse is a key pointer to new generational leadership.
Don't leave this to political leaders; hold them accountable and participate in developmental projects. Attend development planning meetings and make the new year about reclaiming our country.
Participate in a political movement beyond social media. If existing outfits don't align with your standards, form your own. We have the freedom to meetup both online and on our different platforms.(Meet in person; it makes all the difference.)
Reboot history in your homes. Share visits to the National Museum and National Archives with your children. These conversations about the state and politics cannot be left solely to teachers.
Where can you start?
Get to know your chief and assistant chief by name and make them aware of who you are.
Attend development planning meetings and actively participate.
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