The Standard Crazy Monday
Date: 26.10.2015
Page 4
Article size: 299 cm2
ColumnCM: 66.44
AVE: 159466.66
Mr President, you're turning
Kenya into a banana republic
My Mashujaa Day gust 1962. The report was aptly titled,
was uneventful. I 'The Kenya We Want.'
missed the pres­
ident's speech THIEVERY CORPORATION
and could not
Kibaki the economist saw the link
between education and the increased
ing dirty pays, cutting corners reaps
benefits and breaking bad has evolved
into the accepted standard of public
service.
In Northern Nigerian, Boko Haram
terrorists became so rampant That the
get anyone in my circle to share an
update the next day. Most people productive capacity of our econo­ populations got desensitised to terror.
had done what ordinary Kenyans my. He would eventually achieve his In market places, bombs would go off
do when a public holiday falls on a goal of universal primary education and right afterward, people would pick
weekday. Have a late night and sleep in pursuit of mass literacy, but the up the pieces and continue as though
in the next day. I asked James the quality and execution has since been nothing happened. It is a story shared
taxi driver, my man on the ground, wanting. Presently, recurrent expen­ by war­ravaged towns and spaces.
if he had listened to the president's diture in education is viewed as mere People get used to it. In the face of an
address. He replied that he does not consumption. The conversation on overwhelming negative force, indiffer­
pay politicians any attention these education died out as soon as teach­ ence becomes bliss. There is no point
days. It does not matter what is said. ers stopped picketing, and it was re­ worrying about something that you
It won't be done.
placed by the legendary Kenyan indif­
There is general apathy in the air
in regards to the country's state of af­
ference.
up to incompetence. Owning up is for
el offenders.
are defenseless against.
indifference and tribalism
This may help answer the nagging
It is evident that the only people mystery of why poor and oppressed
fairs. The overall feeling is one of help­
lessness. The corrupt get away with it. who get the benefit of a public outcry Kenyans still line up to vote on elec­
The rich get richer and the inept run in their defence are political leaders. tion day for candidates who have
the show. Word on the street is that Their individual blunders always take
no track record of fighting for public
the government is broke and no one on national proportions. An attack interest. In Kenya, we cannot see be­
on a person's transgression is seen
is surprised. It is obviously someone's
yond the election. It is all that matters.
fault, but in Kenya, no one in the up­ through the prism of political rivalry. All other facts can always be dealt with
Personal accountability is for low­lev­
per echelons of leadership ever owns
sissies.
Where money talks, the thievery
corporation thrives. Accountability
becomes euphemism. Fighting cor­
KENYA WE WANT
after "we have won."
INDIFFERENCE, TRIBALISM
iiibal identity is still more import­
ant than long­term national policies.
The facts may be staring you in the
And every good lawyer advises ruption means aiding and abetting it.
one not to accept liability. This is the Securing the youths' interests, means face, but our brains are programmed
base rule of pilfering public funds. sabotaging our children's future to sat­ to retreat to false sanctuary of politi­
For young people, it might be difficult isfy personal greed.
cally instigated tribalism, a long estab
to fathom, but Kenya was not always
Eventually, we have gotten ac­
lished divide and­rule tactic.
like this. Sample this statement for ex­ customed to getting held hostage
As activist Boniface Mwangi cries
ample; "In a country like Kenya which by a political elite that continues to out, "Team courage!" He looks around
will go to independence without the use their privileged positions To gain and no one is moving, which means
financial reserves, such as were avail­
wealth and perpetuate total domina­ it is not safe to stand out. Those who
able to India, Ghana or Nigeria upon tion of the rest of society. Constant
the attainment of independence, aus­ over­stimulation of injustices with tried paid the price. Why burst a her­
terity will clearly be the watch word no consequences to the perpetrators nia for your country when your coun­
try does not even acknowledge your
in the management of our national have gradually numbed the citizens' existence. Progressively, a population
reaction. Anyone who gets robbed
finances.".
loses hope of getting what they want
daily will soon be overwhelmed and and the faith in their ability to change
public outcry
This is not an extract from a exhausted by the sheer magnitude of their circumstances.
misfortune around him.
Most tragically, they leave the field
speech delivered by some benevolent
Kenyans have been reduced to open to the overlords to gloat and en­
colonial governor. The words were ut­
tered by former President Mwai Kiba­ bystanders in their own tragedy, par­ joy the impunity of their total domi­
ki, then a member of Central Legisla­ alysed to inaction by their power­ nation. Someone should tell the pres­
tive Assembly, as captured in a report lessness. The message to the youth is ident the country is going to the dogs
of the convention on social and eco­ clear. Doing good and right is a long under his watch.
nomic development in the emerging haul, just not worth the effort. Play­
To read more from this writer, go to
Kenya nation, held in Nairobi in Au­
www.oyungapala.com; Twitter:
@realoyungapala
Ipsos Kenya ­ Acorn House,97 James Gichuru Road ­ Lavington ­ Nairobi ­ Kenya