By Lucy Karume
Kenya: The low level of patriotism especially among the younger lot should be of great concern to all Kenyans. For the record, I am just about the same age as our Independence.
Now, I believe the problem begins in school, where definitions of patriotism nearly never venture beyond the one-line dictionary description of “love of one’s country”.
Yet, patriotism is more than abstract love of a geographical area. Ideally, patriotism is such that it must remain a priority with you even when you find yourself within borders other than and far away from those of the Republic of Kenya.
The nearest most Kenyans get to a well-rounded idea of patriotism, and what to do about it, is when, in adversity, we criticise Government and other official efforts, instead of showing full support, for instance in the face of calamities, natural or manmade.
In these negative modes, we suddenly become most ardent supporters of Fatherland and Motherland Kenya, and then, just as suddenly, we switch off, until the next bout of whining. There are few things worse than a whining patriotism. In fact, it is no patriotism at all.
All too often, our words about our country are negative, even when we are with foreigners some who are full of pride and gratitude for their own countries. You can easily spot the Kenyan in such a mixed group – he or she is the character who is most apologetic for the very existence of their homeland.
Sometimes, I despair at the lack of patriotic fervour among young Kenyans, except sports fans, and even these are only patriotic part-time – if we are winning, if we are jumping up for joy at another goal or gold.
Other times, I wonder how many of today’s young generation who have attained the years of discretion, those born latest 1996, would volunteer to go to the battlefront, if called upon to defend our Great Nation, if they were not already in the Defence Forces.
How many parents teach patriotism to their children? How many young people really know our National Anthem, what the words truly mean to us?
How many have been outside their county and seen their kinsmen in the Diaspora live in these alien nations that are proudly patriotic to the point of jingoism? All our labels for food, medicines, directions, prohibitions… are in English. In Japan, ALL items are translated into Japanese. We should insist on ALL products having dual-language info and make good use of our national language, Kiswahili.
Do you know we have a Brand Kenya logo? How many use it on their advertisement products and services? I see car stickers all over Nairobi claiming a love for everywhere from London to Oshkosh.
When you are patriotic, you are loyal to your country, and you love your country, mightily. This does not mean you do not like other locations in the world, but you hold your country, in your mind and heart, above all others. To be patriotic means you honour and respect your country. It does not mean you’re not allowed to criticise it, or the Government, for things you think are going wrong, but that you still consider it home, even when you are away. Why? Because there’s no place like homeland!
What are the patriotic roles of a citizen? I count five above all others: Self-reliance and maintaining our traditional entrepreneurial way of life; active participation in the political process, holding your elected officials accountable for their actions; turning in all law-breakers and illegal immigrants to the authorities; fighting failed ideologies of leftism, liberalism and multiculturalism, which discourage people from the above patriotism-in-action roles in any manner whatsoever.
Our National Anthem, which is actually an interdenominational, indeed ecumenical, prayer, and a true Hymn of the Republic, is an excellent place to begin inculcating all the patriotic virtues.
Wherever Kenyans happen to be, at home and away, let’s rebrand Kenya with our patriotism at every opportunity.
The writer is Kenya Tourism Federation chairperson
