Discrepancies between promises and reality robbing us our identity

President William Ruto addresses a meeting during his recent tour of Nyanza region in Siaya County. [File, Standard]

Kenyans are getting dizzy—there are no patterns to things. What is predictable is contradiction, and with it, discrimination.

When you say “I’m Kenyan,” do any core identity traits come to mind? Hardly! When one says “I’m Kenyan,” they are largely referring to geographical placement, not cultural identity.

But when I say “I’m Maasai,” lifestyle images begin to emerge. Kenya is culturally recognized through its ethnic communities, not its corporate identity. “Kenyan” is culturally amorphous. Such a hollow culture gifts nothing to its people.

Some countries gift their people with a sense of order, opportunity, integrity, work ethic, liberty, and other heritages. Kenya, however, gifts its people with fear, limitations, poverty – even death.

More and more people are seeking to relocate to countries that “gift” their populace with better opportunities. Countries with great cultures are proud of what they stand for, and their leaders proudly promote and embody their values.

The absence of good cultural elements forces the state machinery to create a friendly perception, often falling into the temptation of deception and exaggeration, which yields sorry contradictions. Here are some of Kenya’s contemporary contradictions:

A Christian government—with corruption as its hallmark.

What are we supposed to make of this? Is corruption more than Christianity can handle? Kenyans often conclude that even pastors, who should be moral beacons, become beneficiaries of corruption, which they euphemistically term as "blessings."

However, a closer look reveals that pastors close to State House enjoy elevated lifestyles. Because they do not want to lose these benefits or appear ungrateful, they remain silent on the issue of corruption.

How can they speak out? Their lips are stained with blood! The Christian government, once hoped to bring integrity, has instead trampled it. Clearly, in Kenya, Christianity and corruption have become disturbingly compatible.

Caring for youth – yet killing them when they speak.

Government officers and politicians often speak of how they are planning for the youth. The narrative they prefer positions young people as government dependents. But young people want to speak out and hold the government accountable for its wrongs. If the government truly cared, it would listen. Yet, when young people gather in the streets to voice their concerns, they are met with violence – shot at, scattered, maimed, and even killed.

The streets are a valid venue for expression, not just closed-door meetings in lofty hotels. You cannot celebrate young athletes and then demonize young activists.

Both groups exhibit patriotism – one on the track, the other in the street. They are both striving to restore their country's glory.

To hail the track stars while jailing the street stars is sinful. The force used against young people portrays them as enemies of the State.

There's a Kenyan saying: "A herd without calves will soon die." Well, the "Kenyan herd" is dying, not because it has no "calves," but because Kenya is smashing (and shooting) its calves to death. Killing is not caring!

Education receives the highest budget – yet faces the highest conflict.

Primary and secondary school teachers, as well as university lecturers, are unhappy—their salaries are a shame. Despite the billions allocated to education, the funds never seem to reach the under-the-tree schools with volunteer teachers. Too many pockets to fill along the way.

The government boldly claims that the banding system is working, yet all evidence points to the contrary. As the President often says, "I’m not a mad man," the students similarly declare, "We are not mad minds."

Those who attended university during the era of "boom" and HELB loans that covered everything are now insensitively creating barriers for students who have worked tirelessly, only to be turned away at the university gate—literally.

Why? Because they cannot prove their poverty graphically enough! If the government understood education as a matter of minds first, they would work harder on the money. Minds are the true wealth of the nation.

Dissolve the cabinet for a new formation—and in come old faces with a new poise!

This move was a masterstroke, catching a waiting world by surprise. Many still wonder about the reasoning behind recycling the old while incorporating the same faces. At the height of the Gen Z demonstrations, the public was hoping for fresh blood with clean hands. But the selection was deflating – an insult to the young people who had paid the highest price to give their country a new lease on life. The promise of newness has been put on hold as the largely old guard in this broad-based government resorts to the same old methods, perhaps with an adjustment to accommodate a broader base of greed.

“I love the poor too much,"  so let’s tax them some more!

Recently, in one of his town halls, the president claimed, "I'm accused (by the rich) of loving the poor too much." Unbelievable! Clearly, we live in different worlds. In the world of most Kenyans, both the president and his rich "accusers" belong in the same category: exploiters of the poor. “Poor” doesn’t merely refer to an economic class living in disadvantaged neighbourhoods. Even affluent neighbourhoods face challenges. "Poor" captures a general sense of stagnation and retrogression – even among the wealthy.

Kenyans are struggling to put food on the table and to pay basic utilities. When the government raises fees on services and taxes on incomes, it mocks and laughs at its citizens.

We have political leaders who speak a pro-people language yet consistently act against the people's interests. What do you call this condition? It’s advanced hypocrisy, a condition that, when it infects leaders, delays the arrival of any good news – especially when you’re the world's biggest exporters of arrogance!

The best-trained labour force in Africa – yet we import and export labor!

One of the qualifications required to be elected as a parliamentarian in Kenya is a university degree. However, this qualification has been tainted by scandals involving accusations of purchased certificates – with no classmates to vouch for authenticity!

The honorable members did something dishonorable right from the start. The quality of debates and decisions should reflect the minds of tertiary-educated individuals – but it doesn’t.

Every year, many young people graduate from universities and colleges, and we take pride in having one of the best-trained human capital markets. Yet, this brainy country enacts policies that scare away investors and hurt entrepreneurs.

We even invite foreign companies to run public utilities like airports, at the expense of our local labor force! So, this "best labor force" – according to whom? Kenya Airways isn't the pride of Africa unless it’s run by Kenyans.