By Arch Dr. D.K Gitau
Every year, Kenyans celebrate independence day on the 12th of December. It marks the day when we attained self-rule from the British, and the same was signified by the lowering of the Union Jack flag and raising of the Kenyan flag at the top of Mt Kenya.
The founding fathers, led by Mzee Jomo Kenyatta, must have chosen Mt Kenya because every Kenyan believed that the God of Kikuyus existed at the Mountain itself. Many feared the Mountain as the sacred home of God, and no one would dare climb the Mountain.
Mr. Munyau was a hero then after hosting the Kenyan flag at the home of the Kikuyu god and returning to his village unscathed.
The self-rule was celebrated by many as it marked the beginning of the Kenyans ruling themselves. Many had high hopes for a promising future but was it the case after the white man exited the scene and left the black people to govern themselves?
The founding fathers vowed to eradicate the most urgent issues: poverty, ignorance, and diseases. It sounded like a simple task but as we celebrate Jamhuri day, ask yourself: Has the same been accomplished?
Is it the Government to be blamed or the people themselves since everyone has access to schools that are not very expensive, and if poor, the Government also subsidizes to make sure that no child is left out?
The problem in Kenya is poor leadership, as every leader that has ruled Kenya leaves the scene after many in Government get involved in many mega scandals that affect the country’s development. Sadly no one gets implicated and punished for the same, and to make the matter worse, the same people get elected back to the same Government offices to continue looting.
When Moi took over, his years were characterized by the demolition of existing profit-making Government institutions, and after placing incompetent people to run them, they were all left broke. The post office, Kenya cooperative creameries, Kenya meat, ICDC, KENATCO, the Kenya industrial estates, and many others suffered financially.
When the late Kibaki, an economist by profession, took over, we noticed some developments but not so significant since we also had scandals like the Anglo leasing, just to name a few. -The country, all the same, somehow showed some significant improvements because he left the economy steady as compared with the time of Moi.
After Kibaki, two youthful leaders, Uhuru Kenyatta and William Ruto took over, with many having high hopes but not for long as many scandals bigger than the time of Kibaki happened, and this time shameful scandals like the Covid 19 and the disappearance of money meant for dams. There were still many other scandals, like the standard gauge railway project that was escalated to such high proportions that defied logic.
All those scandals happened and were done under the hands of the youthful leaders. Kenyans had high hopes for them when they took power but were soon disappointed after they failed to deliver many of their promises.
We now have William Ruto, who has devised a different approach of lifting those at the bottom. Still, the start has dismayed many after the hustler fund was established, for the amount of Ksh 500, which is insignificant to enable a person to start any profitable business.
Many will attend Jamhuri day with high expectations while looking forward to listening to the President’s speech that may contain promises like in all Jamhuri day celebrations. The day, however, will not be any different as the speeches will only mention the founding fathers that sacrificed for the freedom we are enjoying.
This Jamhuri day should not dwell on what the current Government will do but a day of mentioning the gains we have made since independence. Will the poor rejoice at the gains, or will they be left wanting more to be done to ease their financial burdens?
As we celebrate Jamhuri, let us be optimistic and say all is well in Kenya because we at least have had peace for all those years since independence, unlike our neighbors who have suffered more because of major wars that left many dead.
Let us forget our troubles and dedicate this day to all the living and the fallen heroes whose list is long, but we must mention a surviving hero “Mukami Kimathi,” the wife of the hero Dedan Kimathi who lies at Kamiti prison in an unmarked grave.
Happy Jamhuri day.
