The world is coming to Kenya, but sleepy host town continues to snore

I am the voice of the one crying out from the beaten streets of Nyeri town: prepare the way for the beatification of Sister Irene Stefani — the saintly sister of charity who embraced death in her determination to preserve lives.

And I speak not only for “Nyaatha”. I speak for the Church too. Not the Catholic, Deliverance or Redeemed or Full Gospel churches.

I am not in spiritual sackcloth advancing the cause of the Church of Yahweh, much as these folks need a voice of reason to make straight their doctrine of the second coming. Today I speak for the Church of Christ. I am advancing the cause of true religion founded on sound doctrine and faith.

If you visited Nyeri town, the seat of power of the Governor of the County of Government of Nyeri, on Tuesday evening; if you dined in one of the choice hotels in the sleepy town; if you boarded in yet another choice facility in a dimly-lit town suburb; and you woke up to the not-so-clean narrow streets and drove through bad imitations of roundabouts, you would perhaps join the saints in saying a prayer for the beautiful people and the gallant leadership of Nyeri.

But even if you don’t find time and reason to join the saints in prayer, the town of Governor Nderitu Gachagua, Senator Mutahi Kagwe, Women Representative Priscillah Nyokabi, Member of Parliament Esther Murugi and MCA Simon Kiragu has found favour in the eyes of God.

Between May 22 and May 24, Nyeri town will be hosting the largest gathering of Christians ever witnessed in Kenya. The town will be hosting an event never witnessed on African soil. More than 300,000 Catholic faithful from all over the world will be in Nyeri to witness the beatification of Sister Irene Stefani “Nyaatha” on her journey to sainthood.

This is a Papal function and delegates from all over the world have confirmed attendance. But when I drove out of Nyeri on Wednesday afternoon I was still struggling to find a sign in the streets, hotels, buildings and even among the public that an event of such magnitude was only a month away.

At the local parish, I got information that a secretariat was drawing a programme for adoption in Vatican, trying to coordinate transport logistics, trying to liaise with state and private security agencies to ensure safety of visitors, trying to raise funds for a ballooning budget to cater for essential requirements and clearly hard pressed to stay afloat and focused in the midst of a mind-boggling logistical nightmare.

Perhaps if she was alive, Nyaatha would declare, “All for Christ, nothing for me”. Perhaps she would restrain people from toiling for the success of an event in her honour. Perhaps she would insist on toiling for the redemption of the lives and souls of the people of Nyeri. It is what she died doing anyway.

This event is beyond the Catholic Church, it is beyond the Christian faith. It is an international event in which the Ministry of Foreign Affairs should get involved to help in travel and reception facilitation. God has given the Ministry of Tourism an opportunity to showcase Kenya as a preferred tourist destination.

The Ministry of Interior must be at the centre of this event to ensure safety of visitors. The Ministry of Devolution should get involved and ensure our gallant youths from NYS are at hand to serve when and where needed.

Back to the County Government of Nyeri, the local chamber of commerce and industry, neighbourhood associations and the Catholic fraternity — time is not on your side. But you have in your hands an art paper, pencil and crayons. Draw and paint the image of the Nyeri you want. The world is watching. You may never, ever have such an opportunity.