In April 1909, Theodore Roosevelt, the 26th president of the United States landed in Mombasa at the beginning of a post-presidency safari. Despite his extreme popularity in the US, he had refused to run for re-election the previous year and instead endorsed his close friend William Taft as successor.
President Theodore Roosevelt once said in his characteristic passionate manner that, ‘in any moment of decision, the best thing you can do is the right thing, the next best thing is the wrong thing, and the worst thing you can do is nothing.’
Last week on Monday, President Kenyatta’s shoulders bore a heavy decision. He did the best thing and made the right decision. A lot has been said and written about his decision. In all these analyses, it is easy to lose sight of the fact that at the end of the day, the choice was one man’s burden. It belonged to 52-year-old Uhuru Kenyatta.
He alone had to decide — to go to The Hague or not to go? He also decided to explain his decision to the nation in a speech to a joint session of Parliament. The dust of this decision may have settled but its lessons remain with us, chief among them is the fact that as a nation, we must always strive to do the right thing, however difficult.
Concerning the post-election violence, the right thing is to seek long and hard for justice. Victims of the violence deserve nothing short of true justice. Since justice delayed is justice denied, Parliament must act speedily to enact further laws that will ensure speedy justice for the victims.
President Kenyatta made the right decision. He reminded us that great destiny beckons to Kenya. He dared us to realise that as a nation, if we follow suit and have the courage to make the right decision, however difficult it seems to be, at our personal levels, we too can heed the voice of destiny and scale heights of greatness.
A case in point; the Inspector General of Police, together with the Cabinet Secretary of Transport and Infrastructure, must take the right decision to transform Kenya into a zero-traffic accidents nation. There is no reason why people should continue dying on our roads because of the same reasons.
At a broader level, the Executive, Legislature and Judiciary should take a cue from the President’s decision to dare to make the right decisions that will ensure health, safety, justice, unity and prosperity for Kenyans. The 40 million Kenyans should also make the right decisions in their personal lives. We must become the change we want to see.
In reflecting on change, I have witnessed the evolving state of nature in Kenya, this blessed land, I also witness the systematic devastation of our natural and biological heritage, and the land’s struggle to return to wholeness.
The greatness and future of this country is deeply embedded in its great natural wealth, a beauty that also feeds every Kenyan’s sense of wellbeing, now and in the future. The decisions we make now create the future that we dream.
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