KenyaAt50 preparations are in high gear as we near the big
day. The president has already granted fellas with an 8-5 job the much awaited
extended holiday. It was a much anticipated move. Banners are up high and
monuments have already been refurbished in anticipation of the big day. It’s
important we ask ourselves rally what we are celebrating this week and are
these celebrations justified by the growth of Kenya for the past 50 years. Some
may argue that the president has borrowed a page from the roman emperors where
they held celebrations and feasts for days on end to ensure that the public
momentarily forgot the decadence of living standards (in this case) in Kenya
and in general the quality of life 50 years on from independence and 8 months
from the swearing in of the new government. At this time Kenyans in the north
are suffering from insecurity, perpetual famines, common diseases that could be
adequately managed with good policies through sustainable projects. The budget
of 500 million set aside for these celebrations could be channeled to these areas at
least to reduce the levels of these problems some may argue. On the other hand
proponents of the KenyaAt50 celebrations point to the fact that these
celebrations are warranted by the growth of the country 50 years on after
independence and that it’s a time to stop, look back and ponder on how to move
forward.
I wonder though if these celebrations will really have the effect
on the Wanjiku's that it was planned to have. Are most people aware of why we
are celebrating or are we just glad that we have a few days in which to eat,
make merry and get inebriated. There is no problem without a solution that is
what I choose to believe.
Am glad though that we are having these celebrations for at
least they have made me think of what the Kenyan jubilee means. 50 years is not
something to take for granted?
50 years on, our democracy is still young and has the
ability to grow into some formidable mature political system but at least it’s
a democracy. We just have to look at our neighbors’ who haven’t experienced
even the dysfunctional democracy that we have. It’s been anarchy for decades on
after they gained independence. Ours has the ability to grow and mature and
this is a process and it will take time, remember all good things take time. We
boast of a fairly vibrant democracy which is not a mean feet to acquire. 50
years on we are a multi-party (a fete achieved though by shedding of blood). The
first Kenyan parliament had 184 MPs all of whom were men. First female Mp was
Grace Onyango in 1969, who came in six years after independence. We currently
have women representatives in all counties, women MPs have gone up to numbers w
could not imagine in 1963, in addition there are new 47 women representatives.
Isn't this a step in the right direction?
Kenya’s population was 8,636,263 in 1962 and now we are shy
of hitting the 40 million mark by a few hundreds. This is blessing. Rising
population means that each day the Lord blesses us with new bundles of joy. Our
life expectancy has risen from 45.2 at independence to the ripe old age of
64.2. All this credit goes to our improved healthcare systems. Are we there
yet? No! But we are on the right path comrades. KNH is the biggest referral
hospital in East Africa. That’s not an achievement you take for granted unless
you don’t know the back breaking work that was and is being carried out each
day to ensure it remains so. Yes there are scenes, experiences and poor service
offered at KNH and our government hospitals that make you literally crunch but
hey, this is a process and just because we have not gotten it right the first time does not mean
we will never get it right-It’s a process.. 908 was the number of doctors at
independence and now the doctor count stands at a little over 8000. The doctor
patient ratio is still wanting but this increase is something we should take
note of. We had 177 hospitals at independence and now they are currently over
400. Improved health care..I think we deserve the recognition
Our economy is currently the biggest and most vibrant in
East Africa. This is despite of experiencing moderately high growth rates during the 1960s and 1970s,
Kenya's economic performance during the 1980s and 1990s was far below its
potential. From 1991 to 1993, Kenya had its worst economic performance since
independence. Growth in GDP stagnated, and agricultural production shrank at an
annual rate of 3.9%. Inflation reached a record 100% in August 1993. In the
mid-1990s, the government implemented economic reform measures to stabilize the
economy and restore sustainable growth, including lifting nearly all administrative
controls on producer and retail prices, imports, foreign exchange, and grain
marketing. Nevertheless, the economy grew by an annual average of only 1.5%
between 1997 and 2002, which was below the population growth estimated at 2.5%
per annum, leading to a decline in per capita incomes. Despite of this
economic depression we have still come out stronger under the Kibaki regime and
with the precedence set by the Kibaki administration, the jubilee government
has no option but to work above and beyond their call of duty in setting their
mark with regards to the growth of our economy.
The number of universities in Kenya was zero in 1963
compared to the current 32. Although University of Nairobi existed as a
college, it was upgraded to an autonomous university and renamed as University
of Nairobi in 1970 with Kenyatta University as its constituent college. The
number of secondary schools was 151 at the dawn of independence compared to the
current 7,308. This is credited to the Harambee spirit and the introduction of
programmes like the Constituency Development Fund (CDF). The number of primary schools
across the country by 2010 was 27489, which is more than three times the 6,058
that were operational when Kenya became a republic in 1964.There was just a
meager 445 students at The University of Nairobi at independence in comparison
to the 50,000 that are currently enrolled. These are some but few of the
milestone achievements that Kenya has achieved over the years in the education
sector. We may have suffered a through a bout of severe brain drain but that
has been on the decline due to the improved quality of life and employment
opportunities currently on offer.
These are some but few milestone growth indicators that we
as a country have made over the 50 years that have spurred on. Yet there have
been some big failures that have taken place over the years and are in dire
need of improvement. Insecurity has been on the rise especially in the northern
part. The failure of our previous and current policy makers to make and enforce
policies that would help curb insecurity for once and for all seems to be a
daunting task for our policy makers. Corruption has grown in our institutions over
the years and a culture of impunity is what our government prides itself in
nowadays and this is because it wasn't nipped in the bud when this culture was
born. Regardless we are glad with the efforts to streamline our agencies.
Famine too is also a constant reminder of our failure to increase and optimize
agricultural production and source for new farming methods. Tribalism has been
on the rise and the country is always on the brink of ethnic clashes every time
there is an election or land issues arise. Suffice it to say if one was too
only look at the problems and difficulties facing us, we would be described as
a failed state. All our Kenyan problems cannot fit in one paragraph and this
paragraph is not representative all of our Kenyan problems but they are an
acknowledgement that yes, we are celebrating our achievements for the last 50
years but at the same time know that we have perennial problems that hinder our
explosive and massive growth in the coming years.
Should we not celebrate because we still have perennial
basic problems? We should know that there will never be a time when we shall
not be faced with problems as a nation. A brother is always going hungry
somewhere, a child falls sick each day, armed raiders are always raiding
villages somewhere. Its sad, I know but it is the way of the world. But it is a
time to stop and quantify our growth, take a pause from the humdrum of everyday
life and know what not to do again for the mistakes of yesteryear s are etched
in our everyday lives.KenyaAt50 celebrations are a time for us to celebrate yes,
but more importantly it’s a time for us to look at what we have achieved over
the last few years, learn from our past failures and inadequacies and most
importantly forge a new plan and that encompasses Kenya's dreams and
aspirations. More importantly we should also reflect on the qualitative aspects
too. Take heritage in our traditional cultures and look if our culture is in
danger of assimilation by western practices. Take a hard look at our culture of
impunity and corruption and set measures of how to curb these behavioral and
moral inadequacies once and for all. Sensitize
our countrymen on the values we stand for and ensure that everyone wears them
like a badge of honor
It’s a time for us to look back at why we fought and shed so
much blood for independence. Did we do it so that we could cultivate a culture
of impunity and corruption? Nepotism would be rampant in employing people to government
positions? Insecurity would be a challenge and Kenyans in northern Kenya would
time and again be at the mercy of bandits? More than half of the Kenyan
population would still be living below a dollar a day? Perennial famines are
still the norm 50 years on? Recognition and allegiance to our tribe than
country? Health services would still be a luxury to many rather than a basic
need? And most saddening that our democracy is more about tyranny of numbers
than the values and track record on which political aspirants stand on! (This
is not an endorsement of any political party).
And so if this is not the Kenya we envisioned and want then
this is the best time for us to pause and map a path to the Kenya we want!
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