Kenya should by now be the one  of the most promising democracies in Africa

April 21st, 2009

Kenya looks set once more to be on political crossroad. This not the first time as the history of the country from pre-colonial times is replete with missed political opportunities and the subsequent social and economic morass. The fact that the two principals Messrs Mwai Kibaki and Raila Odinga look to be warming to  one another once more  after reproach over the running of the coalition government does not mean all is well at all. It remains a temporary ceasefire at best.

 

What is the problem with Kenya? Myriad. You  cannot just list them . They are many. But the bottom-line is that leadership, poverty, bad legacy, tribalism  and lack of great strategic planning and execution with some degree of urgency  just like is in many parts of the African continent captures Kenya’s problems  broadly . But leadership captures all the failure of the African rejuvenation and emancipation from her many ills. In a nutshell Africa despite many opportunities and resources remain backward. If you look at Africa in generally it looks set to remain backward in the long haul, but largely due to leadership ineptitude.

 

Kenya should by now be the one  of the most promising democracies in Africa. But it is not. Indeed her political stability in the medium term is highly questionable. Unless urgent measures are put in place the 2008 post election chaos are just but a symptom of a very sick country. The squabbles being experienced in the current government can only subside but are a symptoms of the underlying political culture embedded in tribal suspicion and exploitation of the masses perfected over time.

 

Which way for Kenya? President Kibaki has had the best opportunity to attempt to redress some of the ills that has handicapped Kenya long enough and to restore a quintessential republic with some degree of political sanity. He is a president who rode to office with plenty of goodwill in 2002 and as far as Kenyans were concerned ‘yote yangewezekana’ (everything good was possible). Today however no reasonable Kenyan is deliriously optimistic . It is no wonder that in opinion poll conducted recently Kenyans have lost confidence in the entire state governance apparatus and with parliament ranked the worst.

 

But even so, Kenyans have to look deeply to find that the problem goes deeper than just the political leadership, police , judiciary and so on. This is a republic where the people themselves have little value for human life and that of animals. Consider the following evil things that happen on Kenya. On daily basis due to careless , stupidity and human errors Kenyans are busy killing  and crippling  one another on the roads due to careless driving.  The matatu culture is becoming uglier by the day and the cartels in it more evil. Kenyans have no regard for traffic rules. The police are too compromised to care or even so there are many un-touchables on the road. The minister in charge for transport cares less nor do the political leaders.

 

Cattle rustling is still a culture in some parts of the country and killing to steal the animals is a perfected culture. Yet this is in a country pretending to have civility. Rape of young girls and women has become like a culture, so evil degrading, dehumanizing and indignifying. Yet on a larger scale the society and the law enforcing agencies seem to care less. The same Kenyans have no remorse denying their women their basic rights and treating them like property. In some areas they are even sold for pricey pride price rather than letting them continue with the important life opportunity of schooling.

 

The same Kenyans are the same ones who elect rogue MP’s. The same Kenyans do believe in manipulating the national examinations through leakage and other irregularities to give their children undue advantage. They are the same people  are busy destroying forests. On the country side land cases and land fights are the order of the day. At any Kenyan court land and property fights fill the registries.  The same Kenyan steal food for the hungry. The same citizens harbour criminals amongst themselves. Corruption is a culture which has been perfected and  growing by the day .The same Kenyans can destroy one another to get ahead and to amass wealth. This is a country whose territorial integrity (read Migingo) can be challenged at will by pretending friends. This is a country whose youth best occupation is in illicit brews, illicit sex, illicit drugs if not watching soccer more so the English Premier. A country whose its strength the youth has a lot of idle capacity. This is the country that does not care of its future hence the many desperate youth and others graduating to youth. The list can go on and on suffice it to say that the kind of leadership from the grassroots to the top is all Kenyan brand. Let’s not make excuses or wash hands over it. It is Kenyan made. Yet it is a country with lofty dreams of prospering!

 

As all this is going on the youth who would build a better Kenya if expectation is anything to bank on, are proving to be worse. They are their worst enemies. The youth leaders in political leadership at the moment do not provide inspiration. Moreover how would one expect some of the youthful leaders to redress the inequity that is Kenya if they themselves are great beneficiaries through inheritance and family lineages of the corruption that has been Kenyan leadership over time. Simply stating Kenya is an opportunity that has been wasted and which at present more hurdles are being planted and opportunities set on fire. The once a country with very optimistic people in 2003 is teetering to abyss

 

Is there hope for Kenya? Unless the youth of Kenya rise up and change the course, Kenya will continue having visions which are  mirages. We could as well start dreaming of Vision 2100. After all so many visions in the past has just coloured the papers and remained just that. The 2030 is likely to be another one at this rate. The youth must be warned that present day youthful leaders are not promising at all. Some could be worse than what they hope to replace.

 

The solution lies with institutionalising leadership and governance. We can no longer solely  rely on the visions  of individuals.It is increasingly disappointing! They are just good at selling their dreams but their actions are sure to disappoint. The way forward is for the youth of Kenya to protect their country by reversing the course of  abysmal prone political  leadership. They should be ready to sacrifice in giving the country the direction and stop being gullible and naive that there are some Moses in the current political leadership. However it requires a concerted effort by all who wish Kenya well. Constitutional reforms is the starting point, and this is very urgent.

 

Meanwhile, is the media awake to the fact that the virus called section 88 of the Kenya Communications (amendment ) Bill 2008 is still outstanding. This is even more ominous in an era when all and sundry and especially the enemies of the media are aware that Kenyans  overwhelmingly trust the media more than any other institution!

 

By Harrison  Mwirigi  Ikunda,

Nairobi.

Kenya.