By Kenneth Baliach
A few days ago, I was riding with a friend in one of those dangerously driven Nissan matatus in Nairobi when the radio reported that "100 Kenyans have been killed in a gasoline pipeline explosion".
What blew me away, however, was the illogical outburst of the passenger behind me, who shouted: "Why doesn’t the Government protect them?" The "them" in question are the poor Kenyans who always seem to be in the wrong place at the wrong time.
Never mind that the unfortunate victims were scooping gasoline while "sticking it up" to the very government whose protection they now blame for not protecting them.
mass idiocy
One hundred people were instantly killed by a leaky oil pipeline because Nairobi has one of the largest concentration of Kenya’s poorest people, with no access to basic utilities and will risk dear life to get it.
This is what happens when 60 per cent of Kenyans live on less the $1 (Sh97) a day — which is below sustainable capacity. This is what happens when our system of population and economic growth and a jaundiced environmental policy collide. Maybe a cultural, economic and technological revolution — like the industrial revolution in England — can get us out of our unbridled mass idiocy in the areas of environmental degradation, unwise energy policy, and runaway population growth figures.
We must stop and think. In order to chart a safe course for ourselves, we must be dignified, abstemious, and evolving.
Otherwise the dangerous actions of the ignorant destitute, irretrievably gluttonous politicians and pestilence of petty crooks will accelerate the demise of Kenya— the cradle of mankind — because the pressures of evolution do not favour the feeble, or brainless. This is a matter of national self-preservation.
We must create sustainable, alternative sources of energy — like solar power, geothermal energy, wind, and bio-energy — and generate jobs through industries and creative arts.
Deterioration, and exhaustion of natural resources hurts Kenya’s socio-economic development. Kenya is dangerously low on resources and overpopulated. We are using so many resources and generating much junk that pollutes the environment. We are at an explosive point that will "burn" us all.
Kenya needs a good environmental policy, but what is United Nations Environment Program (Unep) doing in Kenya if it can’t showcase its host on the global stage as an environmental masterwork?
Working safari
Or is the headquartering of Unep in Kenya only a clever way for the sun-starved, sun-worshipping expatriate to enjoy an extended working Safari?
Maybe Unep should be moved to Iran, Iraq, Afghanistan, the North Pole, Eritrea or North Korea to wake all those highly glorified diplomats from their slumber. Unep must be more proactive in Kenya’s environmental policies, and must act as the sounding board for sound environmental policy.
We must each do our part as responsible citizens to end the conflict between us and the environment. Our political freedom makes us responsible for this country’s future. We must promote good social values by choosing the right leaders who will be accountable to the people.
Finally, I am actually a Kenya-optimist. As the impact of the events in the Arab world hits us, we must count ourselves lucky not to have vast resources of fossil fuel. Instead we have something better: a good ecosystem. We have no militant extremists in our country, but the democracies of America, France and Britain, the "liberators" of Libya, are our benevolent allies.
In an increasingly difficult world, only they can share resources and ideas with us. After all, as Arab dictatorships collapse, can anyone remember when these despots donated free gasoline to Kenya? Because of our over-reliance on Arab oil, 100 Kenyans have been killed by the oil.
Thus, we must act now and develop sustainable energy sources in Kenya, and strengthen our political and economic ties and cooperation with advanced democracies, as part of our quest for a better nation. Last but not least, we must always strive for dignity, self determination, and respect for our country.
—Writer is the Legal & International Media Consultant at Airpress Communications Ltd.
