BLACK AFRICA DOESN'T NEED AK47

In the '60s and '70s, military coups were in vogue in newly independent African countries mainly spearheaded by young soldiers who were thirsty for raw power.Whereas these early military coups caused untold suffering and ruined peoples lives and property, there is nothing wrong, per se,  with a thoughtfully coordinated and executed revolution provided it's for the emancipation of the majority and  nationhood. Russia, China and Cuba are today living giants of such revolutions. However, if such a revolution were to take place in black Africa today, the odds are against us because of the overbearing Western influence and interests. Foreigners sold Africans into slavery, colonized us and continue with their present actions so as milk us of the last drops of resources. Slavery and colonialism brought capitalism, foreign religion and culture  which have now become the bane of African development. The foreign grip on us is still so strong particularly through religion and private capital interests such that a Kalashnikov  will not help us in our present predicament. Therefore, whereas the revolutions of 1917, 1949 and 1959 in Russia, China and Cuba respectively were successfully executed through the gun and Marxist theory, the present black Africa, is a different kettle of fish, so to speak. The early military coups in black Africa failed because they were led by young soldiers filled with theoretical Marxist ideologies devoid of commitment to the people and national-hood. In fact, the soldiers painted themselves redeemers and Marxists on the outside while deep inside  they were lecherous capitalists without any moral values. As it is now, black Africa doesn't require the Che Guevara's, the KGB's of this world or even a single consignment of AK47's so as to get out of the rut but home grown solutions. We must realize that our present system of government was charted out by foreigners with evil intentions so that we can remain slaves for ever. Therefore, any attempt to replace one foreign force with another will be counterproductive, futile and defeatist in the end. In order to succeed we need complete freedom of our bodies, mind and soul. We have to exorcise the ghost of slavery and colonialism  first and bury it in the deepest hole we can dig. This, however, will only happen if we go for the hard options whose route is likely to be perilous and tortuous. The starting point is to shake off Western culture, religion and language. The Chinese, Koreans, Indians and Japanese will tell us as much. But is black Africa ready to swallow the bitter pill particularly with almost insurmountable Western interests hanging on us? Our options at the moment are however, limited, we either take the route of cultural revolution against Western interests or we perish as a race.

HOW TO RECHARGE OUR COMMUNITY

We all marvel at the inventions by man in recent history. Don't we? The major reason is because they have changed the way we live and certainly changed our quality of life. The vaccines and antibiotics have helped us conquer diseases that had hitherto caused untold suffering, losses and curtailed quality lifestyles. DDT  one of the 20th Century's great discoveries saved millions of lives, reduced morbidity and increased agricultural production. The Depo Provera  has contributed to the reproductive health of our women and made them more productive in all spheres of life. Thanks to the development of microchips and semiconductors, we can now communicate easily through this blog. However, it's important to remember that, whereas, the saying, need is the mother of invention, could hold true, human minds work best in states of tranquility, serenity and bliss. This is the only way to make lateral and creative thinkers to produce more for our common good. The starting point of  recharging our communities to make them more productive is by putting their minds, hearts and souls in a state of Nirvana. That's why, when you look at Tiania community, Kenya or Black Africa, the thread is similar. Our scientists have recently warned us of the impending effects of  La Nina in the coming months which will impact negatively on our food security. This is double jeopardy for the Tiania community who experience food shortages in the months of October to December nearly every year. So, at the moment, the community is a mere lame duck, so to speak,  waiting for any eventuality. What a shame! After the 2007 general election chaos, many Kenyan families were displaced and went to stay in squalid camps akin to those built by the British during the Mau Mau rebellion. These Kenyans still continue to live in those camps in a state of fear, deprivation and hopelessness. This is not the way to go. Whenever we talk about our country lagging behind, some people particularly government officials and sympathizers are quick to point out that ours is a young nation that requires time to grow. What balderdash! Our peers such as Mauritius, South Korea, Malaysia and Singapore have actually transformed their economies to the levels we dream of in Vision 2030. Pakistan became independent in 1947 and 22 years after, they produced a Nobel Laureate in Physics, which feat, no black African country may ever accomplish in our lifetime. Pakistan is now the seventh nuclear armed nation in the world in the same league with the mighty US. What Tiania, Kenya and Black Africa need in common is a cultural revolution to make us leap to the next level of development. Once you provide us with basics of life, remove our fears, give us hope, we shall become more productive and patriotic. But are ready for a cultural revolution?

VISION 2030 IS FOR DAYDREAMERS!

When Yuri Gagarin, that revered Russian Cosmonaut, became the first person to launch into outer space and orbit the earth in 1961, the Americans were really miffed that the Soviets had been able to accomplish such a feat before them particularly at the peak of the cold war. In response to this, the newly elected American President,  J F Kennedy promised the US that his administration planned to land man on the moon an return him safely to earth before the end of that decade. Whether the three American Astronauts in the Apollo 11 space mission reached the moon in 1969 and that both Neil Armstrong and Edwin Aldrin actually landed on the moon is a matter of conjecture, but, it's indisputable that what the Americans have accomplished in the last 50 years in the fields of science and technology is beyond pedestrian discussions. However, what JFK said as a politician may have been taken with a pinch of salt, so to speak, by the Republicans and  as a mere dream by others. But what shouldn't be lost in our minds is that, here was a young American President, who wanted to reassure and give hope to his people particularly at this heightened period of cold war and nuclear missile crisis in Cuba. JFK knew he had the backing of the mighty US military machine, the charged resolve of the citizenry and the scientific, industrial and technological awe of America. Nobody could derail this mission, not Nikita Khrushchev, not the KGB and certainly not simple mortals! Recently, when William Ruto as Minister for Higher Education alluded to the need to give more funding to Science and Technology as opposed to Arts and Humanities, many people including university dons completely missed the point and instead engaged in sideshows. They pointed out, for instance, that all studies whether in Arts or Sciences required balanced funding for our development. While this is true, I think the question we should have asked ourselves is, whether the new funding arrangement would revolutionize our education system and cultural ethos so as to transform our collective thinking as society and bring in a mental shift to help catapult this country to new levels. Similarly, the Vision 2030 will remain nothing more than a government policy document drawn by bored technocrats, some with ulterior motives, because at the moment, we collectively lack the energy, will, technology, education, resources and even the moral ability to execute it. It's like somebody pointing out to the marvels of good engineering works being done by the Chinese day and night on Nairobi-Thika highway while forgetting that the same Chinese constructed the Kasarani Sports Complex for us to enable us host the All Africa Games in 1987 but we immediately left it into  a state of disrepair until now when they have come back  to repair it. The Chinese are known for their industry and patriotism. They will do their bit here but we lack the political will and collective moral rectitude to continue. What a pity! History teaches us that Germany, Japan, India, Pakistan and Brazil are not the way they are by accident or through empty dreams of politicians but through a culturally charged citizenry with the right attitude of mind so as  to succeed collectively for their  good and that of the country. Therefore, unless we undergo a cultural evolution to give us the moral spirit to continue, it will be impossible to transform this country as envisaged in our many lofty policy documents. The starting point in all communities has always been to give the people basics of life, freedom, hope and not necessarily in that order. Therefore, as it is now, it is safe to say that Vision 2030 is just another government policy document awaiting to gather dust and finally taken to the archives to rest! RIP!

WRITING IN KITIANIA IS A TALL ORDER

Ngugi Wa Thiong'o, that gallant son of Kenya and foremost African novelist, has often challenged us to write in our mother tongues. But is it easy for Africans to write effectively in their local dialects and create the necessary impact in society? To answer this, allow me to give a simple personal account. Whenever I try to chat on facebook with people from Tiania  in Kitiania, in nearly all the cases their reply comes in Ki-imenti or in English. Similarly, when I meet the younger people from Tiania and I start a conversation in Kitiania, they either switch to English or Kiswahili. Phew! However, before we start drawing any inferences, I must confess that I have been a culprit also in countless occasions, where I interpose my Kitiania with generous amounts of English words particularly when they the audience is the educated lot. Perhaps, this is a subconscious reaction to affirm that I have also achieved education through a  choice European language! Therefore, if we were to write in our mother tongues, who will be our consumers looking at the current situation? Put differently, where does the problem lie? I think when you realize that the two most important tools of colonialism were introduction of their languages and Christianity to the conquered, we shouldn't be surprised by the above cited examples. The first time the Europeans came to colonize us, they brought their religion using Bibles written in their languages which were culturally alien to Africans. Eventually after the Africans had assimilated the new religion and learned to read and write, they where weaned into new Bibles written in selected "standard" African dialects that the Europeans were comfortable with. So for the Meru people, the Kimeru Bible was done in Ki-imenti despite there being other dialects spoken by large groups of people such as Ki-iembe and Kitiania. Therefore, because the first book that was at the center of colonialism and cultural transformation in Meru was written in "standard" Kimeru, it means that all new books for the learners were to follow suit. However, despite large numbers of people getting education and converting to Christianity in Tiania over the years, including some of them being involved in Bible research, little effort has been made to produce a Kitiania Bible. Perhaps, this could be associated to subconscious fear that any attempt to follow this route would lead to one being vilified and ostracized by the other Christians for using the language of the heathen. To led credence to this point, you will find that those people from Tiania who call themselves "saved" Christians will invariably attempt to speak in Ki-imenti even when they are in the Tiania heartland. Nothing the matter here except that they may eventually kill their dialect but never graduate fully into "standard" Kimeru. Interestingly, the Tharaka people, also a sub-tribe of the Meru, who may be regarded as more resilient and in some quarters as resolute, have gone ahead to publish books and the Bible in Kitharaka despite their population being only half that of Tiania! Therefore, it would be simplistic to blame the young people in Tiania for not learning to speak in Kitiania because the problem is more complex and deep. Finally, to paraphrase Ngugi Wa Thiong'o, we may need to decolonize our minds first, before we can effectively write in our mother tongues.

THE TIANIA ARE PARAGONS OF SOCIAL DEMOCRACY

The famous Njuri Ncheke , the cultural governing council of elders that set the way of life in Meru, has deep roots in Tiania, a sub-tribe of the Meru community. A famous line from this council of elders reads as: "uti mwana o Tiania wi mamira", which simply translated means that discrimination was an anathema in Tiania and people were expected to live a convivial lifestyle. The Tiania were largely pastoralists who grazed their livestock in communal grounds  (the common) and put their animals in shared sheds for the night. The young men assigned to take care of the animals shared milk and food equally regardless of whether their parents had a share in the livestock or not. There was no discrimination whatsoever and this led to good care taken for the animals because they were not regarded as just individual wealth but that of the community as well. In order to help those who didn't have large herds to stock up quickly, a scheme was put in place where one was allowed to keep a cow from his neighbour till it produced a heifer for him after which he returned the cow to the owner without any recompense. The best bull, selected due to its prolificacy, wash given special care and treatment because it was considered an asset for the entire community. Even those who tilled the land shared the labour and the harvests such that in case of poor harvests, nobody starved or resulted to eating dog meat as recently reported about a Turkana family. Therefore, you may ask, how did capitalism take root such that the Tiania are now the most litigious among the Meru particularly in land related cases? Colonialism, brought about two dimensions in the Tiania that has tremendously influenced their lifestyle in the past 60 years or so. Firstly, like in other Kenyan communities, the able young men of Tiania were drafted in the colonial army so as to fight  for the British during the Second World War. As soldiers, they were indoctrinated into new orders, they visited other countries and interacted with many other cultures. Secondly, as good soldiers on His Majesty's Service, they had to convert to Christianity. When these soldiers were demobilized after the war, they were not lucky enough like their British counter parts to be allocated prime land in the White Highlands, but nevertheless, the loyal ones were recruited in the Provincial Administration either as Chiefs, Headmen or in the Tribal Police, the precursor of the administration police. Now, we all know about the powerful Chief's Act which has been used as a tool for harassment, subjugation, discrimination and trampling of peoples' rights. If you recall the recent ruthlessness  of the Administration Police against hapless citizens during the post election clashes, then you will gauge their actions in those early days on the people with the tacit approval of the Chiefs and Headmen. The new administrators used the Chiefs act to discriminate against those who were not Christians, those not related to them and those they generally perceived as enemies. They confiscated other peoples' land, livestock and in some cases even wives! This new breed of administrators planted the initial seeds of corruption, nepotism and capitalism which we continue to harvest to date. However, all is not lost, because with the new constitution coupled with enlightenment and good governance, we are able to scrape the thin veneer of capitalistic tendencies now covering the Tiania to find a new shiny skin of a socially democratic people. Like all good Africans, the Tiania are socially deep rooted spiritual people who intensely love humanity and the environment they live in.

IS THERE ENOUGH WATER IN TIANIA?

Like all politicians do, those from Tiania invariably promise heaven at election time, and this is perhaps why they have time and time again promised the community adequate potable water once elected because they are aware of its scarcity in the larger area in the west and north. The script has always been similar but only the actors do change with the times to suit the circumstances. The promise has always been to tap water either from the neighboring Nyambene Hills or the distant Mount Kenya reservoir. However, whereas the ploy is to enable therm get votes, their statements could also be fallacious for two main reasons. Firstly, the Nyambene water tower is minuscule and can't feed the Tiania community adequately, let alone the Igembe, Tharaka and the wildlife in Meru National Park. You will also find that the two more permanent rivers, Ura and Thanantu only serve a small portion of the land area in Tiania before draining into the National Park and Tharaka respectively. Therefore, trying to tap water from them will instantly attract wrath from the Kenya Wildlife Service and Tharaka community respectively thereby bringing more conflict in the area. Secondly, trying the Mount Kenya source will not only require enormous resources, which at the moment would like working  miracles for a political leadership that is ill at ease to mobilize, but also cause even more conflict from the Imenti community which may not be comfortable with water pipelines bypassing them. However, all is not lost because when you look at the bigger picture, you will find that Tiania has two rainfall seasons every year but lacks in the surface water. The burden could be eased if this rain water was harvested and stored. We may not be sure of the available ground water but with proper hydrological surveys, this could also be explored even though this is also not cheap. What is needed at the moment is to avoid the political route and address water need in a developmental context. That way, you will realize that there could be enough water for people, animals, plants and also the sun!

AFRICANS ARE TRULY SPIRITUAL

I can count among by friends, some "saved" individuals, who can pray from morning till cows come home! I also have on my list, ordained Church Ministers, Pastors, Bishops, Catholic Priests, Opus Dei members, Catholic Nuns, Jehovah's Witnesses, very liberal individuals ( both Christians and Muslims) and Freemasons who follow their craft without minding other peoples businesses. However, I haven't yet met somebody who professes atheism or worse, a devil worshiper! Africans communities have been known through the ages for their strong spiritual beliefs where they worshiped God by way of prayer, meditation and sacrifice in  sacred places such as wetlands, hills and forests. In fact, I don't know of any elderly African who doesn't invoke the name God in daily conversations. Now, due to colonization and influence of  other people, we have generally accepted and converted to Christianity and Islam due to our  deep-rooted spirituality. Evangelicals are also finding wide acceptance  partly due to their chants and pompous style which was common in African cultural rituals. And whereas Christianity has an upper hand in Kenya, the million shilling question is, where do those who claim that 90 % of us are Christians get their data from? Perhaps, this could mistakenly emanate from the fact  that due to our spirituality and the common invocation of the name of God  in our daily lives, others may misconstrue this to mean that we are only thinking of  the "Christian" God. The Western (Christian) God  like the Muslim one is closely interlocked in both cultural and religious ceremonies. That's why it's important to note here that  for the West, Christianity is culture just like Islam is a way of life for Muslims. However, in the case of black Africans who profess Christianity, they still continue with some cultural practices such as marrying  many wives, circumcision ceremonies and widow inheritance which is an anathema to the Western Christian. Therefore, we can safely say that all black Africans are still deeply spiritual but few are true Christians from the Western angle. Due to our prejudices as humans, however, it's likely to see conflicts and disagreements between those who are truly spiritual on one hand and the Christians and Muslims on the other, despite our belief in one supreme God. The higher calling and lesson is for us to find ways to overcome those little prejudices and tolerate one another as we await our last moment here on earth. The Christians, Muslims and those who are deeply spiritual share the belief that there is a reward from the supreme God  when we do whatever is good in our lifetime. Therefore, let's learn to live together in diversity despite our interpretations of where God resides!

A 24- HOUR ECONOMY IS POSSIBLE IN KENYA

Interestingly at the moment, Nairobi, which has been described in some not so flattering terms by foreign diplomats and press corps in the past, and which accounts for over 50% of our GNP, is relatively calm at the moment with few incidents of mugging and carjacking reported. This is an indication of relative political peace and an active police force. During the last General elections some political party leaders put it in their manifestos that once elected as president they intended to make our country a 24-hour economy starting with Mombasa port and the capital Nairobi. However, as is expected of politicians at campaign time, that was quickly put in the back burner the moment they took up political positions and they are now busy crafting new messages to pass to the ever gullible electorate. Whereas, all that could be trashed as political rhetoric, I believe, there is room, with political goodwill and good leadership to revamp our economy and eventually make it a 24-hour one. Before this can be realized, there will be need to address a few salient areas that have to be put in order. Firstly, manufacturing, that could create lots of jobs by working for 24 hours require reliable and cheap power so as to remain competitive not only in the region but also in the world stage. We have untapped sources of energy in wind and solar which requires targeted investment for power generation. With the reliable power available, we could light our homes and streets continuously thereby reducing the activities of those with criminal minds. The second area of concern has been the inability of our law enforcers to cope with their work and do it effectively. Therefore, the number of police officers has to be increased, they will need to be motivated and well equipped to do their work well. We now boast of some of the best salaries for MPs, Judges, Permanent Secretaries, etc which are comparable to the best in the world but not in our police force. Thirdly, the traffic gridlock as witnessed in Nairobi at the present is choking industry and affecting business. There is therefore need to avail good road and rail transport for both commuters and goods in line with a vibrant economy. Finally, our port of Mombasa should have been made a free port like Port Louis in Mauritius and Singapore a long time ago so as not only to serve the region  but also the world. Anyway, Nakumatt has shown through their retail shops that we have the capacity to work for 24 hours, let's borrow from them!

MIRAA AS CASH CROP FOR MERU COUNTY

Now, many people have heard of Miraa and some of you may even know that it's an important cultural and commercial crop particularly for the Igembe and Tiania communities in the Meru County. Traditionally, the Igermbe and Tiania have used Miraa in  betrothal, peace building and in many other cultural practices. However, in the last few decades, Miraa has become a very important commercial commodity in our country and particularly in Meru, thanks due to the industry and worldwide distribution of the Somali community, you can now order your "kilo" of Miraa in any part of the globe. Miraa has brought great wealth to the Somali and Meru communities and created employment for many. With the implementation of the new constitution, counties are expected to become important centers of commerce in production, marketing and revenue generation. However, like all cash crops, Miraa seems to have benefited the middle men (marketers) much more than the growers. The middle men in this case are invariably the Kenyan Somalis, those from Somalia and in the Diaspora. We are well aware of the in instability in the neighboring Somalia and the connection between the militant Al Shabaab and the Al Qaeda which is on the cross-hairs of the western military interests. There is therefore need for our government, the Somali community and the Meru community to work out a formula that will pre-empt  any likely Western interference on this crop due to the Somali connection. Any further procrastination on the part of the County leaders, the involved community and our government is likely to make the growers vulnerable to the mighty western military and commercial machine. By the way, for those who may not know much about the local market for Miraa particularly in Nairobi, the Merus need to up their game because the Mbeere Miraa, which is said to be of inferior quality has now taken a large chunk of the lower end of the market. Whereas it's possible to buy a pack of Mbeere Miraa for only KES 30.00, you need at least KES 150.00 to get a similar serving of the Meru commodity. This should be food for thought for all stakeholders in the Miraa business. Let the death of Ntai Wa Nkuraru, that indefatigable son of Tiania, not be in vain.

Judicial System - The Anglican Connection

Curiously, a recent newspaper report alluded that Justice Paul Kihara Kariuki, A High Court Judge and son of Obadiah Kariuki, a former Bishop of the Anglican Church is likely to be Kenya's next Chief Justice. The report further said he has polished English mannerisms and loves Shakespeare. However, one could easily say, that's neither peculiar nor uncommon within lawyers in this country. The first Attorney General in Independent Kenya, Mr Charles Njonjo, is a staunch member of the Anglican Church and is said to have influenced the election of top leaders in the church over the years. The current Attorney General, Mr Amos Wako, who has served for two decades is also a strong adherent of the Anglican Church. I don't know about the church inclination of Chief Justice Evan Gicheru, but if  he is also an Anglican follower, that wont be surprising. Our parliament also strictly follows the Westminster system of  making laws. The British introduced the justice system in our country during their colonial sojourn here, which was more or less, a copy and paste job of what they had at home. And whereas this was the case in all former British colonies, others unlike Kenya, seem to have changed procedures in law making, courts and even repealed the laws to suit their unique environments. But one wonders why we have been stuck in the same position for over a century. I suppose even the way of prayers and ordination could have changed in the Church of England which the men at the centre of our judicial system are so fond of. If history is anything to go by, therefore,  it would be safe to conclude that we are not about to see the end of the spell of the the Anglican Church in our justice system any time soon. The wigs, procedures, the way of prayer and all seem to mesmerize our "learned friends"! 

OUR DRESS CODE IS A COLONIAL RELIC

Sometimes back, there was heightened publicity in the media by a soap making company which claimed that it was sponsoring a countrywide search for a Kenyan dress design and development. This also reminds us of the current sponsorship by a beer company that is similarly claiming a regional search and development of music by tapping on the youthful talent. We shouldn't be surprised, either,  if a tobacco company comes up with a bizarre promotion frenzy of lung cancer clinics across the country! There is, however, absolutely nothing in the matter in all the above because that is marketing gimmick which is acceptable. Anyway, over the years, dress has been used as a cultural, class, gender and age identity. Thus the Queen of England has her regalia, the Pope his robes, the military their epaulets and our little girls their floral dresses. Some Kenyan communities like the Turkana, Masai and Giriama still retain their traditional dresses that are culturally distinctive.On the other hand the astronauts and mechanics are easily identified from their mode of dress that is both protective and suitable. But one wonders what our Chief Justice and the Speaker of the National Assembly want to portray, after so many years of independence, with their characteristic English wigs and gowns which are not only uncomfortable but misplaced. Now, if these high offices occupied by some of the best brains in the country can't chart the way of dress, by shedding the vestiges of colonialism, then I wonder who will? It would then be utterly futile to blame our teenagers for dressings the way they do after watching a few Hollywood film clips if our creme de le creme are the top culprits. I think, it's now time we deliberately came to our true senses as Africans and developed a dress that is comfortable, suitable and relevant culturally. But please, not the Kaunda and the Gaddafi type, which are not original!  Mandela, may be!

GIVE THOSE WITH SPECIAL NEEDS A MINISTRY

It's nice to be sensitive to other peoples plight but the current euphemisms used on people with special needs such as "mentally challenged", "visually impaired", "physically challenged", etc are mere tokenism terms that most probably may have been coined by some people with ulterior motives  for  taking undue advantage of those afflicted. The best way, in my opinion, to give these citizens due respect and recognition is to create a fully fledged government ministry to cater for them. The former President Daniel Moi was known for his erratic rhetoric such as his claim to love women, children and those with special needs. Fine, he did his bit here and there but there is very little to show after all those years. For instance, he did set up a  fund for those with special needs which he staffed with his cronies leading to lethargy and inactivity. The present government helped pass an Act of Parliament that was meant to cater for those with special needs but this has not gone beyond the statute books. When you look closely at our public buildings, roads, and transport systems, you will notice that there is nothing to point to a concerted effort by a concerned government for the welfare of  this class of citizens. Perhaps, it's now time this large constituency (5-10% of the population) used their collective bargaining power to demand their rights. But unfortunately, over the years, they have been so marginalized through exclusion from education, health care, employment, government and politics such that they are  mere destitutes. As we embark on the implementation of the new constitution, it is imperative that a new ministry be created specifically to serve those among us with special needs. It will be important that it  be staffed only with those with special needs to make it respectful, purposeful and responsive. In fact I find it shameful that our  mothers who have given birth to these people are at the forefront in the fight for affirmative action for their selfish needs at the expense of these far more deserving citizens. Let's hope that voices of reason will prevail as we continue with our discrete meetings of apportioning political seats in the Counties, Senate and the National Assembly. There is need to think beyond our comfort zones and reach out for people with special needs who are by no means second class citizens or children of a lesser God.

Acquire Wealth and Power but Have a Life

Perhaps the biggest challenge in life is to strike a balance between having power and wealth while at the same time enjoying uninterrupted inner peace. Presently, some of the richest people and the most famous politicians in our country may be spending sleepless nights for fear of being indicted and possibly shipped out of the country to the ICC in the Hague for prosecution in having planned and financed the post election violence that led to the death of more than 1300 people and displacement of thousands of others from their homes. Despite their immense wealth and power they seem to be leading lives of cornered animals! Across the seas, our prominent and famous "son" at the White House may not be very comfortable at the moment due to the incessant assault by the Republicans who are threatening to end his tenancy at the 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue in 2012. The Pope and his handlers are constantly worried about his security wherever he may be and this explains the big security arrangement for him when he visited the UK recently. Whenever you turn to the obituary pages in our local newspapers you are likely to see full page colour portraits of prominent people which may cost as much as KES 600,000.00 but strangely, there is absolutely nothing that their families can do to bring them back to life. In a bizarre recent report, a church in Nakuru that lost their pastors in a road traffic accident kept prayer vigil with the vain hope of bringing them back to life.In all probability, even the two richest men in the world, Carlos Slim Helu and Bill Gates, may from time to time suffer the anxiety of losing their vast empires in their life time. Perhaps the biggest question we need to ask ourselves is why do we spend so much time in the vain quest for power and wealth when we know that they will never give us permanent satisfaction? Most probably, the answer  lies  in the mystery and paradox of life that makes it all the more worth living! However, I think, we could derive greater pleasure in life by working hard so that we don't become burdens to others but remember to share with others what is beyond our immediate needs. But I suppose that craving for power and wealth per se is a selfish basis of capitalism which is evil.  

Mother Tongue as A Cultural and Development Tool

Without any doubt, it has been shown over the years that mother tongue is as important for cultural identity and development for any nation. One of the reasons is that it makes people comfortable, secure, innovative and easily adapt to new theories and knowledge. It makes learning easy and enjoyable as people seek new knowledge in all spheres of life. Perhaps this is the main reason countries such as Japan, China, Korea, Brazil, Israel and India have shown remarkable development in the last few decades. But what happened to Africa? The colonialist knew from the very beginning that the only way to make people subservient was to denigrate their language, culture and religion. They ensured that we had to learn their cultures so as to serve them well and to learn their languages to ensure we lose our capacity to communicate among ourselves without their eavesdropping. It's astonishing how even the greatest patriots and thinkers in Africa became victims of this colonial trickery. The former president of Tanzania, Mwalimu Julius Nyerere, in the name of uniting his country introduced Kiswahili as a compulsory language but forgot that the people were only comfortable in their mother tongues within the confines of their homes but only used Kiswahili so as not to break the law. This can't be sustainable because Kiswahili to the majority of Tanzanians is a second language just as English is to Kenyans and Ghanaians. Some of us think it's cool to speak "Queens" English even in the confines of our homes. What balderdash! The Russians and Chinese who may not have any working knowledge of a foreign language have constructed vessels that have taken them to outer space. That's why we need to ask ourselves the hard questions. Kenyans, started badly with the Lancaster House conference constitution that didn't give a hoot about our culture but thanks to the new constitution crafted and written for us by fellow Kenyans, we can now flaunt our culture without any apologies. For instance, it will soon be possible to challenge the government in courts of law if the current school syllabus that contains Christian and Islamic Religious Education is not amended. The new constitution encourages the development of our culture and this is perhaps the starting point for Kenyan's cultural renaissance and development. It's in order to learn a second and may be a third language but it is suicidal to lose ones first language. Even those of us in mixed marriages should strive to teach our children both first languages before letting them lose. I think that's the best legacy we can pass to our children to set them free from the current cultural slavery that has impended our development.

Religion is Boom to the World but Bane for Africa

The Europeans (read Christians) and the Arabs (read Muslims) came to Africa to trade in black Africans as slaves, exploit our natural resources, forcefully convert the inhabitants to their religions and subsequently damn us to eternal life of misery and poverty. Religion as a cultural tool in colonization has been used very effectively, particularly, by the west to build and accumulate wealth at the expense of the conquered people. In fact, this wealth is so huge and diversified such that nobody can say, for certain, when it will ever be exhausted to allow the western citizens and their religious organizations to collect their last dividend cheques. May be never! From the ancient times to the present, armies have invaded foreign lands in the name of bringing heathens closer to God, when in fact their sole mission is to control and exploit them for wealth creation and accumulation. The euphemism nowadays is working smart! This clearly came to the fore during the 1884-85 Berlin conference when European leaders ordered invasion, indoctrination and exploitation of our continent in the the partition and scramble for Africa. Even the recent invasion of Iraq and Afghanistan is nothing more than the work of the stronger Christian West to conquer and exploit the mineral resources of the weaker Muslim East. However, this has given the black Africans an opportunity to watch gleefully as in a case where the chickens have finally come to roost. Or may be this is a case of Arabs tasting a dose of their own medicine after having ruthlessly castrated so many Black Africans who ended up in their courtyards during the slave trade. Coming back to the West, Europe and America have been largely built from the resources exploited, confiscated and stolen from Africa. The large mining companies, Banks and many other industries that today thrive in the west owe their seed and re-investment capital to black Africa. Consequently, the Christian Church has thrived and prospered due to its close association with the rulers in those countries due to their close alliance. The Evangelical church is so strong in the US because of its close association with the government. The current proliferation of churches in Africa is due to the funding from the Evangelicals who are in government, banking, insurance, manufacturing , entertainment and media industries. The paradox of all this is that Africa continues to remain poor while it boasts some of the most grandiose religious edifices in the world. The Basilica of lady of Peace, the 3rd largest church in the world was completed in 1989 in Yamoussoukro in Ivory Coast. Coincidentally, the same year the tallest religious building in the world, Hassan II Mosque was completed in Casablanca, Morocco. All these religious monuments are representatives of foreign religions from the rich world built in a continent that remains poor due to their continued exploitation. The ubiquitous flashy presence of televangelists on our TV screens even as the Turkana feed on dogs to avoid starvation tells us that we can't bank on foreign religions to give us the daily bread. What we need in black Africa is redemption from ignorance so that we can fed for ourselves and not foreign religious bigotry.

BLACK AFRICA IS INDEED A DESERT

Everybody wants to be associated with success, isn't it? We all shed tears of joy when a family member, a friend, a countryman and sometimes when a member from our continent wins a medal at world stage. During the 1990 world cup in Italy, I was happy to get a few thumbs-up from bar patrons in an English pub in central London as we enjoyed our drinks during those memorable exploits by the Cameroonian football team. Recently, when Irene Jelagat who had earlier tripped but managed to compose herself and win the Commonwealth marathon Gold medal at the conlusion of the Delhi Games we all celebrated her triumph. But unfortunately that is where the rosy picture ends. The Nobel season has just ended but unfortunately no African managed a win. There are six categories where prizes are awarded in Medicine (Physiology), Physics, Chemistry, Literature, Peace and Economics. Whereas Africans and indeed a Kenyan has managed to win these prestigious prizes before, we may as well plan to kiss goodbye to all future Nobel Prize awards. So far, Africa has only won prizes in Literature and Peace but not in the other four categories for obvious reasons. Unless there is deliberate investment in education, science and technology, it's unlikely that any black African will ever win any prize in those categories, save for those who have migrated to the West. Our country for instance is littered with "academies" and in some cases high cost schools using the British curriculum of education. This, on the surface may look fine but deep inside, you will find an education system that lacks the necessary investment and support from the government for sustainable future development. Students, depending on their abilities and economic resource of their parents may join local and even in some cases, some of the best universities in the west but when they complete their studies, they find that there are no facilities to help them exploit their newly acquired knowledge further for their own good and that of the country. The problem is not just confined to science and technology but this extends even to literature. After the Ngugis, Ekwensis and Achebes of this world pass on, we should forget the Literature prize because there will be nobody to tell the African story. Our traditions, religions, culture, customs, etc have been assaulted, demonized and obliterated so much so that Africa as we know it today will soon become extinct. Any future novelists will have no base their creativity, at best, on the regurgitated material from Hollywood or on stories from the tired hoarse ranting from televangelists which will certainly never make the cut for nomination. In conclusion, therefore, Africa has been ruined by colonialism, corruption, mismanagement and poor political leadership. This has led to increased poverty, environmental degradation and lack of investment in education, science and technology particularly in black Africa. In other words, we are now starring at Africa which is a desert in every respect. The future is bleak and gloomy. That's black Africa for you!

IT'S FINE TO DINE WITH THE DEVIL

Our recent political history from the 1950s to the present is replete with bloodshed, shattered dreams, political intolerance, police brutality and chicanery. We shed blood in our effort to get the colonialist from of our backs, people died due to high handiness and political interference by Moi and Kenyatta regimes. Detentions without trial almost turned this country into a Gestapo state when any political dissent was met with harassment and brutality. There were shattered hopes and dreams when Mzee Jomo Kenyatta neglected the freedom fighters and instead worked with those who collaborated with the colonialists. The country that had very high expectations in 1963 almost went to the dogs after the 2007 general elections when many people either died or became internal refugees due to competing political interests of our leaders. That's all water under the bridge now as we look forward to celebrating the first Mashujaa Day (formerly Kenyatta Day) next Wednesday on 20th October which has come about due to the new constitution. The Prime Minister, Raila Odinga and some of our current leaders have a lot to share particularly in regard to political incarceration that they suffered due to their political beliefs and love for political freedom of the majority. However, it's nice to see them now sitting in the same cabinet with their tormentors for the sake of our country. I believe we all suffer from sins of omission and commission which sometimes may contribute to the suffering of others. This is the reason why none of us can be brave enough to cast the biblical first stone in this life. Therefore, as we prepare to celebrate the first Mashujaa Day, let's embrace one another and look for the higher calling of forgiveness. Let's prepare to share a meal with our archenemies on that day! It pays to dine even with the devil, after all!

INSPIRED COMMUNITY CHANGE

The Tiania people are known for their sincerity, loyalty and fearlessness. Of course like all other Merus, their temperament is anything but subdued particularly when provoked. And like all other Kenyan people they don't believe in "homes" in towns and therefore have to do social functions like marriages and burials in the village close to their ancestors. This is good because a large proportion of our population still live in the villages which means any development plan cannot ignore this critical mass. However, due to hunger, poverty and insecurity in Tiania, you will notice that all the gleaming limousines that brought people to whatever social function, will troop back to Meru town for the night stop-over before going back to the towns where the owners reside and earn a living. You could say that nothing is the matter here. But I think that if these people who reside in far away towns had more time, perhaps say, spend an evening around the fire place, there is the likelihood that they could share some experiences which are likely to inspire these rural folks to come up with ideas that may make them get out of the trap of poverty. Hon Kiraitu Murungi, the South Imenti MP, has a unique way of managing the affairs of his constituency by regularly meeting community leaders and intellectuals at Kaguru Agricultural Center where problems are discussed and solutions suggested. This to me is the inspired leadership that is lacking particularly in Tiania and we should not be ashamed to borrow a leaf from our cousins in South Imenti instead of totally re-inventing the wheel. This is why I feel we have a duty to inspire change in our communities so as to reduce poverty and insecurity if we plan for regular forums in the villages where we came from.

THE DEVIL IS IN THE DETAIL

That indefatigable and patriotic son of Africa, President Julius Nyerere, is said to have admonished his countrymen by telling them not to waste their time visiting western centres of capitalism when they could do with a complete replica in Nairobi. I know not everybody agreed with the late Mwalimu's acerbic sense of humour but in a strange analogy, South Imenti in Meru, in my opinion, is a model political constituency which may rival some of the best in the west. Therefore, I would like to urge both President Kibaki and Premier Raila not to waste any more taxpayers money by sending out government officials to familiarize themselves on how implement the new constitution when a bus ride to Nkubu would do the trick. A bit of history will help us understand this constituency better. In the first independence elections, the people of South Imenti traveled 35 kilometers to Chogoria to ask Hon Bernard Mati, that maverick MP who could have easily become our president in a different era, to represent them in the Legislative Council (LEGICO). It's important to know that Hon Mati is from a different clan than those found in South Imenti and thus the people that time ignored our present pastime of clanilism/tribalism and instead went for the ideal so as to satisfy their common good. Thereafter, Hon mati was replaced by renowned politicians like Hon Kamunde, he who encouraged people to plant coffee, that thereafter helped in educating the present crop of leaders and intellectuals from the area and thus laid a solid rock for future development. Hon Kabeere M'Mbijjiwe helped establish the Mitunguu Irrigation Scheme which today forms the agricultural pillar of development in the constituency. Today, South Imenti is a leading banana producer in the country and every family is involved in one commercial agricultural activity or another. Although the area has only 20% of the Meru population, 50% of every student joining university from Meru is from South Imenti. Every family has access to potable drinking water, every person under 40 years has had secondary education and 95% of children join secondary school. I dare say that even before the UN mooted the Millennium Development Goals, South Imenti had fulfilled all the seven! The tragedy, however, is that this unique model of development hasn't rubbed-off to infect the five most backward constituencies in Meru. Perhaps this could be explained by the fact that the five MPs representing them may be suffering from denial, because when they regularly buy bananas at Ntharene for their families, most likely they are never candid enough to disclose that they "pinched" them from another man's shamba! Although the current MP of South Imenti is a towering political figure in Meru, it would be foolhardy to attribute the development in the area to him alone while forgetting the pioneers who against conventional wisdom brought in a "foreigner" who planted the seed of political goodwill which the people continue to enjoy today. In July 2009, when I told a senior provincial administrator in Tiania that I had helped found Tiania Trust to fight hunger and poverty in Tiania, he wondered loudly whether I could bank on any political goodwill from the local leaders. He said that with the current political leadership in Tiania, the area is likely to remain backward for a long time to come by likening the planting of the 1st banana plant in Tiania with the 1000th in South Imenti. How prophetic! Perhaps it's prudent for the people of Tiania to start planning how to import a "foreigner" in 2012 who is likely to accord them political goodwill to enable them realize that elusive development which is being enjoyed by their cousins only 25 Kilometers away!

HOW TO DISENFRANCHISE KENYANS

The partition of Africa started in earnest at the Berlin Conference of 1884-85 convened by the German Chancellor, Otto Von Bismarck for a few European leaders on how best to share the spoils in Africa without causing unnecessary conflict among the Europeans. Even with the misery that this scramble for portions of Africa brought to people, new African leaders and the elite don't seem to care how imposition of leaders to citizens affect their lives. The new constitution in our country seems to have given impetus to a new scramble for political seats that have been created in counties and the senate. Political schemers under the guise of "professionals" seem to have borrowed a leaf from the Berlin Conference and are now meeting in posh hotel rooms away from the glare of citizens so as to plan how to share "elective" seats among themselves in 2012. If this is not another way of disenfranchising Kenyans by imposing leaders just like they did at the Berlin Conference, then I wonder what is. Kenyans agitated and shed blood over the years in search of this constitution but it's likely that they will only get the shorter end of the stick after the 2012 elections unless there is a drastic change in the way political affairs are managed. I suppose one way out is to fortify governance structures to protect the gullible majority from the few shrewd political manipulators. There is need also to come in with massive civic education to help the majority make informed choices of leaders regardless of their corrupt shenanigans. That is one good way of ensuring that we reap from the new constitution and lock out the selfish schemers. The civil society has its cloth cut out for this and they should act now!

TIANIA - THE SICKMAN OF MERU

The Tiania people still remain the most backward among the Meru Sub-tribes due to natural and man-made (either by omission or commission) factors. The area lacks surface water (in rivers and dams) save for a few swamps which are now threatened by human encroachment. The poor rainfall patterns with regular droughts have continued to cause poor harvests and resultant famine every year with little intervention from either the government or local political leaders. Due to the common food shortages, school drop-out rates for children is high with few completing their education and therefore rendering them ineligible for formal employment which could take them out of the cycle of poverty. Lack of formal education has left people out of formal employment resulting in many idlers while others opt for menial domestic jobs in the neighboring districts. Due to grinding poverty the neighboring cousins, only see the Tiania in the light of misery, making them the butt of the crudest of jokes.The biggest tragedy however is the failure of local political leadership and the elite who seem to have conspired to perpetuate the suffering of the poor. Otherwise, how else do you explain the nonchalant behavior and lack of intervention by them over the years? The new constitution has now put the Merus in one large county which may disenfranchise these poor people in Tiania even further unless there is a deliberate intervention to allow them to catch up with their cousins. However, even if the Tiania were allowed their own county it would still take a concerted effort from a new leadership which would need to craft a totally new approach from what has eluded the past 9 MPs in the area since independence. With the kind of elitist political system in our country the people of Tiania will be very lucky to elect new leadership to get them out of the current state. Tiania Trust, in my opinion, is so far the best solution to our problems because it's people centered and oriented.