Why Kenya was still too immature for independence

Kenya: Long enough now, Africans have expressed their condemnation, and genuinely so, about the colonial era that lasted decades. Oppression, depression, sanctions, suffering and many more ills were common norms in that long period. There were nasty evils that the Africans were subjected to, that for sure must be condemned.

Independence came and all were happy to see the whites sail back to their countries. Freedom was given back to the Africans, and as such, joy was expected to be restored through the African leadership. A couple decades down the line now, questions arise on whether this independence came too early. Hardly had the whites flown out than leadership wrangles hit majority of the states. Tribal and political wars became a norm, fast escalating into physical inter-communal confrontations. Coup d’états, both successful and failed were common news features. Africans now fight fellow Africans. Tribes cannot stand one another just as much as blacks could not stand the whites back then.

Should the Europeans have stayed back a little longer?

Kenya, for instance, 51 years after regaining its independence, cannot rid the country of terrorism, tribalism, corruption, crime, poor infrastructure, financial misappropriations and much more. Rather than develop, the country has gradually degraded, making double backward steps for each forward step made. Industries that were put into the management of the Africans after independence have almost gone extinct already. The country is generally plagued by numerous ills that were rather unheard of in the iron fist rule of the whites.

At independence, it is rather obvious that the African leaders in picture then were keener on acquisition and accumulation of personal wealth than the development of the country. The political leadership was more intent on rewarding sycophants than seeking sound management personnel. It is these sycophants that brought down the thriving industries that were already set up by the whites. It is them that bred corruption into the dragon that it is today. No finger could be laid on them as they had the backing of those in power. No accountability was required of them. The development agenda now cannot in any way be compared to that laid out by the colonial government back then.

All these now work to support the argument that Africa, Kenya in particular, was not ready for independence. The whites should have stayed a bit longer than they did, if just to ensure the system was without a loophole. They should have stayed a little longer to see their development agenda realized. They should have stayed on to see to it that the management of the country’s wealth was put into the hands of deserving professionals and not political sycophants.