Last Tuesday I had the not-so-g fortune of watching a video entitled: ‘business Strategies in Africa.’ The video was quite nice and though provoking but one statement left a lasting [bitter] taste in my mouth, so to speak.
“…..While the rest of us are trying to get out of the rat race, these guys are striving to get in!” Stupid European, I thought. He is all the way in God-knows-where and has the audacity to make such statements about people that he knows nothing about!
Yesterday, I had the good fortune to visit Buru, which I have always liked for its beautiful girls, or should I say beautifully clad girls? Either way, I find Buru chicks hot! But, doesn’t everyone? So anyway, I had gone to see a good pal of mine and I found it odd that there were so many people, youth, just sitting about, chatting, having a good time as if without a care in the world. Indeed my pal was seated on the pavement among a group of 10.
When I think about my own esto (and others), I have to admit that its like Nairobi was hit by a wave of ‘culture ya pavement’. Its true. Visit any estate any day of the week and you’ll find idlers, youth, all over the place. I should know because I have helped wear out many a pavement in my time. Probably, you have too or, if you’re female, you remember the time you almost tripped over from all those staring eyes………
But why don’t we, the leaders of kesho, have stuff to do? School? Work? College? Uni?
Kenya being Kenya, I have to say that there is nothing to do. ALL of my pavement friends have finished high school and been to college for, at least, a higher diploma. Their stories are all the same: once you’re through with colle there’s no job, nowhere to go-you’re stuck! Indeed Ben, now immortal on the net (that’ll be 50 bob!), had this to add, “inabidi tu ujipe mogoks, utulie, usahau, ungoje ucheki ka vitu zitajipanga!”
I admit, Ben’s view may not be the way to go but take it from me, there’s nothing much you can do-things just don’t work out.
At this point, the negative views of one of my teachers comes to mind: “In Kenya, we don’t make the ends meet, we just bring them together and hope something happens!” Of course the words of the foul-mouthed-guy-from-the-video you read about earlier also jump into the lets-lose-all-hope bandwagon!
But does it have to be this way?
I remember my teacher…….Ok! I’m, lying, I don’t really remember. I was going through my stuff the other day and stumbled across my class 3 exercise book in ‘writing practice’ where I was astonished to discover the roots of my poor handwriting. Apparently, the teacher had instructed me to write one sentence repeatedly for 3 whole pages!
I already know of my poor handwriting so that isn’t what surp[rised me. The thing that did was that ‘my’ sentence was: we need a hero. I don’t know why that particular teacher chose that particular sentence. Did she need a hero? Her family? Friends? Did she want a husband? I don’t know. But it makes me ask myself, does Kenya need a hero?
Now that’s a thought! Many say that Kenya needs a hero – a special person to lead Kenya out of the doldrums, out of all her problems. I agree, it would be dandy (LOL) but I have to say that it might be a while before we get a hero. I can see no hero in sight, no knight in shining armor riding bravely over the hill to come save us.
I suppose the question should be, can we wait for a hero to come forth? I say no, we cant. It may take us longer than we anticipate.
But there is a light at the end of the tunnel. Though dim, it is a light still. The storm could be over!
We need a hero but there is none in sight. We have to settle for the next best thing: US. Yes, us; me and you. After all, if Kenya is to be saved then why shouldn’t we, Kenyans, save Kenya?
Many think that our fat, milk-fed, cats in government have failed us. Whether you agree or not, its time we stop pointing at others, lets take matters into our own hands: unity is strength.
Don’t take any crap from anyone. If you don’t like it, get rid of it! If someone isn’t doing his/her job then by all means give someone else an opportunity to do a better job. Cjukua control of your life and strive to make it better. If we all work hard to sow seeds of a better tomorrow, we will all harvest bountifully. If we all act as heroes in our own lives then our lives will be better, Kenya will be better.
If Kenya needs a hero, let that hero be you. Make a difference, however small/large.
If we fail to be the heroes and heroines of our country then, in the words of Sunny Bindra, “May the last one to leave the country switch off the lights.”
—————
Notes
1. mogoks=mogoka
2. If you do not understand sheng/swahili used in nthis post I’ll be happy to translate just ask via a comment.
3. Mr. Sunny Bindra is a writer for the Sunday Nation.
4. You can, rightly, attack me in any way that you see fit for not outlining the ’10 steps to salvation’ like many do. This is because I have no idea how we, as heroes or not, are supposed to save Kenya. All I’m saying is that we need stop laying all blame at Kibaki and Co.-we put him there for Pete’s sake! If you want change, be a hero. Do something, however small, that contributes to your preconceived idea of what your proposed hero would need to change so as to save Kenya.
5. If you have any suggestions of how to ‘save’ Kenya then by any and all means, tell us about them!
Disclaimer
My thoughts, values and beleifs are my own. It is my constitutional right to have them. However, the thoughts, values and beleifs depicted here have nothing against and do not intend to discriminate against lesbians, bisexuals, transgenders, or even ‘straight’ people. Not even goverment types!
