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Kenya was on the way to becoming an epitome of human rights in the region during the struggle for second liberation. When the voices of reason armed with dynamic creativity and excitement such as Kivutha Kibwana, James Orengo, Gitobu Imanyara, Njehu Gatabaki, Koigi wa Wamwere, Wangari Maathai, Edward Oyugi, Anyang’ Nyong’o and others defied all odds and kept the then government on its toes, what a splendid and glorious symbol were they! But where are those symbols of the Second Liberation now? Where is their glamour? Where are the defenders of the oppressed consciousness? Can anything good come out of them? Have they, like Nicodemus, been born again – with the image of human rights gone? Have their wombs aborted that they cannot hold a better future for the oppressed? Has the new social contract become obsolete? What about our part? Can we turn everything upside down and move on?
Blaming our leaders for moving away from the main course is a big joke. Instead we must ‘drop our buckets’ where we are and deal with the situations at hand. Why sit down with somebody at the bargaining table when there is nothing to bargain? Why allow politicians to represent us when they are demonstrating their own selfish interests? Can’t we mobilize ourselves and posses the noble allegiance that inspires men, women and children, move the nation ahead and decide on the trend to follow? We should not be compromised to be free or sit down and reason together whether we should have some rights today and full rights tomorrow. Let us walk in the new spirit of rights consciousness and not prejudice. So what can we say about the future? We prayed as a nation and reconciled. But still a lot need to be done. A lot of jabbering has been made on why the country is undergoing through these hard times. Talking too much, as the Holy Writ say, leads to poverty. And talking about one thing for a very long time is unhealthy. It therefore becomes necessary for the majority to come together and say ‘enough is enough; something good can come out of our unity.’ The masses have the power to make this country a proud nation of audacious leadership through the ballot.
In the next few months politicians will be trying to outdo each other – what positive thing one did for the nation; how a scandal was unearthed; who is behind the growing poverty levels. The list is endless.
Unfortunately, a few of us, especially the youth do not have the elector’s card; those who have them do not see any sense in voting. After all, many claim that the same people will be voted in whether or not they vote. If we put away the cosmetic masks and stop pointing fingers for not taking part in the elections, I believe that such an enormous approach into making Kenya return to the main course would be felt.
The general pattern in Kenya is determined by the politicians –what we are to do – and like sheep we believe that it is Gospel truth. However, the truth of the matter rests with the voters. The youth have adapted Pamoja tugutuke, which can loosely be translated as together we move ahead, but this is not itself enough. Taking fully responsibilities to promote the social balance of Kenya cannot be missed in totality. This is because the youth, who comprise of 60% of the entire population, do not take into account that they have a greater voice in the determining the future of this country. It is so unfortunate to learn that the empowerment of the youth has been exclusively referred to as being hot-blooded and naïve. One fails to understand when this future will be a reality. This stereotypical thinking should be done away with.
Since the 1980s we’ve been told that we are the leaders of tomorrow. Some twenty years later, we are still singing to the same ideological tune. This makes one believe that fate has pre- determined that we must elect old and tired leaders over and over instead of having a new and fresh blood to run the affairs of our country well. Celebrated politicians are known the whole world over to turn small crises into irreversible tantrums of hatred, mistrust, tribalism and wars.
With a determined effort, we are likely to make the country grow devoid of vices such as tribalism, grand corruption, mistrust and out-doing each other. Having such mobilized thinking we can erect skyscrapers of economic accomplishment, scale mountains of educational excellence and be free of political lies.
To cap it all, Lao Tsu commented that ‘the good leader is the one that people adore; the wicked; leader is the one that the people despise; the great leader is the one people say “we did it ourselves.” Then I believe there is surely something good which will come out of us – to answer the contemptuous question.
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Writer Profile
Mbũrũ
I am a researcher on educational issues especially in the rural areas, with much emphasis on girls' education.
As a trained journalist, I have a lot of concern with the handling of the education sub-sector in Kenya and take a critical role in viewing the reforms currently being conducted to integrate education structures for the sake of the youth in Kenya.
One major aspect, sadly, is that Kenya has been sovereign for over four decades but has been the only African country besides Somalia not to have made education compulsory, free and basic. For Somalia it can be understood - the country had been in civil strife since 1992- but for Kenya the politics of the day have played a negative role in reducing the promotion of education to a system sheer competition, instead of progressive
Apart from that, I write fictitious literature.
Currently I am working on prose on love and betrayal and a collection of poems.
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Comments
Can anthing good come out of them? Eugenia Bivines | Sep 9th, 2006
Very, very good article. Yes, You - the youth are the leaders of tomorrow. Keep the faith and keep pressing on - A change will come.
PRINCE WILLIS OMONDI | Sep 22nd, 2006
As long as there is no clear vision of leadership,no better fruits can be harvested.The leaders of today cannot produce good results.
Until leaders realize how to leadd with unselfish hearts.Generations will still live such a rotten governance.
What we need is a proper renewal of ourselves before seeking any leadershi.A good leader is one who leads by the people of the people
Good points R Kahendi | Jan 5th, 2007
Very nice piece, Solomon. Something to think about.
The only way to improve our crop of leaders is to improve ourselves as a people. I think our (Kenyan) leaders reflect all that is good and bad within our culture.
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