Kipchumba Some

In this great moment of reform and national renewal, I would like to suggest that we change our national anthem.

I do not know whether the Committee of Experts received any recommendations on it, but Kenya surely must have one of the least inspiring anthems.

A national anthem is emblematic of a nation’s collective ideals. It embodies a people’s way of life, its history, struggles and triumphs, their vision and hopes.

Our anthem is not reflective of these ideals. With all due respect to those who composed it like Thomas Kalume, Graham Hyslop, Peter Kibukosya, Washington Omondi and George Senoka Zake, our national anthem is a dour, soulless, academic collection of words.

It lacks pomp, colour, style and feeling. We recite it simply because the law and our patriotic duty require us to do so. We do not feel it in the deepest recesses of our hearts.

I once watched the Wales rugby team sing their national anthem in a match against England, and seeing it reduce a team of 15 gigantic fellows to tears, was indeed a sight to behold.

That song, written and composed in 1875 by a father and son, and initially sung in bars, evoked in them a special feeling that is sorely missing in ours, a deep spiritual effect.

A national anthem should make even those with hearts of stone to soften in tears. It should entreat you to wilfully lay down your life for your country and its people.

I have never shed a tear or even come close to my eyes moistening for the more than 20 years I have been reciting our national anthem.

Sang ten times

I have a pretty good hunch that I am not alone.

Just last week, when we hosted the African athletics championship, our anthem was sang the 10 times we won gold. But not once did I feel like anyone got its meaning.

The fact that our anthem mentions God does not make it any more spiritual or inspiring. Sometimes secular words can convey more spirituality. It is what those words mean to us that make it spiritual. Eric Wainaina’s song "Daima (Kenya Only) has been Kenya’s unofficial national anthem since it was released in 1998.

In my opinion, that is the most patriotic song that has ever been composed locally. It embodies the spirit of our people, our struggles. Simply put, it was sung from the heart.

Remember when the country was burning in 2008? It was that song, juxtaposed with our beautiful flag, that rent our airwaves, appealing to our patriotic sentiments to stop slaughtering one another.

I don’t remember a single day when the national anthem was played during that turbulent period when we needed it the most. Of what good, then, is an anthem that cannot inspire patriotism and spirituality in its people?

Before that, after the 1998 terrorist bombing in Nairobi, where more than 200 Kenyans lost their lives, the same song was adopted as the unofficial mourning song.

The first part of the joint South Africa’s anthem, Nkosi Sikelele Afrika (God Bless Africa) was composed by a Methodist school teacher in Johannesburg in 1897.

With different lyrics, the hymn is also the national anthem of Tanzania and Zambia, and formerly to Zimbabwe and Namibia. That is how regarded that solemn hymn is to the people of Africa.

Now, would Southern Sudan, which looks up to us for guidance and inspiration, as it borrowed the colours of our flag, want to borrow our national anthem?

I am not pitching for Wainaina’s song to be made the national anthem, although it is the best I would go for currently.

Kenya needs something more inspiring for a national anthem. If in the end Wainana’s song makes it, that is if the need to have a new national anthem is found, so be it.

I like the colours of our flag and the shield and spears emblems in it. It is authentic enough.

But it is a pity that it has a colourless anthem to accompany it.

The writer is a Standard reporter.