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!