Good roads, well equipped and well-staffed hospitals, jobs for people, improved housing standards for the people especially the slum dwellers, zero corruption, security and a good economy. The ideals of a perfect country.
But that has remained a mirage since Kenya attained independence. The only development that can be witnessed a half a century later is corruption, tribalism, strikes everywhere…and so on.
Why are we in this present situations, where registering as voters is more important health, more important than famine ravaging the country? What sin did we commit that God has sent us the most uncaring leaders the world over? Why Kenya?
First and foremost let nobody lie to you that this misfortune was brought about by external forces. No, it originates right within our social fabric. We do not attract what we want but what our hearts secretly desire.
As matter of fact, our leaders are a reflection of our innermost values, a manifestation of unspoken ideas. To prove this, how many times have you inflated the price of something in order to pocket the extra cash given out? Uncountable. That’s what our politicians do with your money.
Secondly, if this country was developed, or seem to be progressing from the third world mentality, what would the politicians promise every five years?
Maybe they’d promise a nocturnal space expedition to the center of the solar system and us, being the sycophants that we applaud, mesmerized by the prospect of space exploration. Simply put, these politicians need basic things to promise every five years, things that directly touch our lives.
Thirdly, they want to tell us that the projects they started, albeit two months to elections, are incomplete and that we should give them time to complete them.
They blatantly lie to our faces, and being the sycophants that we are, head to the ballot and elect the same leader who again disappears for the next four years. At this time we may get a little wise and elect another one, with same results and the cycle of our hopelessness continues for another period, say a decade.
Fourth, the leaders want us desperate and needy. Imagine if everyone had a job, who would throng to Uhuru Park, in the middle of the week to hear a speech from the political despot?
Who would massage their ego, through those thunderous applauses? For that matter these leaders want you to be available on the shortest notice.
Fifth, a large number of Kenyans don’t know the meaning of paying taxes. They are casuals, who are paid cash. I think they should be taxed so that they can feel the pain of having to work for the government that doesn’t work for them.
The government should make sure that everyone pays taxes from whatever business they undertake, even the hawkers and mama mbogas. This way Kenyans will demand accountability of their tax money.
Lastly, the divide and rule method is rife and well in Kenya. Each region has a king pin who has massive influence among his community. Each election year, based on the number of registered voters, one can make a sure bet on who is going to be the winner.
Leaders and indeed every Kenyan has been taught about the threat posed by the other community should they get power. As such, they’ll vote the idea that we are safe if ‘mtu wetu’ is in power, at the expense of policies. Even when they are corrupt, you’ll hear them say ‘wacha mtu wetu akule.’