Diligent abroad, Kenyans are mediocre at home

A man jumps to evade sewage along Nairobi’s Tom Mboya lane behind Odeon. [File, Standard]

On a bitterly cold, rainy winter day in London last week, I watched a remarkable scene. A young boy of Somali origin about eight years old stopped his father as they walked by a dustbin. The boy wanted to finish his ice cream and drop the wrapping and stick into the dustbin. To a common Londoner this would have been a common thing, but for me - a Kenyan - this was a spectacle.

Ninety per cent of Kenyans would have dropped the wrapping on the ground and moved on, particularly if it was raining or cold. I stepped out of the car and greeted them: “As-salamu alaikum. Are you Kenyans?” The boy replied in a clipped English: “Yea, my dad’s Kenyan but I am British.” So they were Kenyans. Why do Kenyans abroad behave differently?

Queer behaviour

I have lived abroad for many years and I have come to appreciate that Kenyans undergo a huge cultural change when they live abroad. They often adapt to the culture and strict mannerisms of the country they live in, which I suppose is necessary to blend in. I am not referring to those queer Kenyans who go abroad for a month and come back with an acquired foreign accent. Kenyans will often adopt the culture, work ethics and productivity of the society they live in. So why are Kenyans abroad generally hardworking and more diligent at work than at home?

One, they know that there is no support systems that they can run to should they get sacked for lousy work. There is no cousin, daddy or uncle who will put up with you for long if you are unemployed.

In some countries, if you lose your job, you also lose your residence status and you have to leave. So the motivation and the pressure to perform is higher. One reason for this is that there are systems and procedures that actually work. You step out of line and you go.

Back home, we have become accustomed to bending every rule. Our corruption is not just financial but in many cases, performance as well. We simply don’t respect rules, regulations and procedures.

We will happily bend the rules to get away with anything and accommodate friends, or for a small consideration. “It is okay, just overlook that safety check. I promise you I will fix it next week’’ – then the plane crashes. Our love for shortcuts is undermining our standards in almost every discipline and industry. Sadly, we have come to accept mediocrity as a way of life.

Yet Kenyans rank among the best-educated population in Africa. Despite all our complaints about our education system, we are still amongst the best schooled. In Tanzania and Uganda, Kenyans are not very popular because they are seen as too “aggressive.’’ With apologies to our neighbours, that is another word for more hardworking. The same Kenyans will even outperform in the West and in the Middle East. Indeed, many Kenyans hold very senior positions and are excelling. Where are we going wrong at home?

Blame the environment?

In 1844, German philosopher Karl Marx authored Economic and Philosophic Manuscript in which he talks about the alienation of labour. He wrote that workers often feel totally detached from their work and become indifferent to what they do and how they perform. Is this how the Kenyan worker feels today? Is there something wrong with our environment that makes many of our people mediocre, yet the same people will outperform their peers abroad?

First, many Kenyans think they are underpaid; November’s salary does not meet the December salary and the December salary disappears into some haze. In truth, most workers live hand-to-mouth, have no savings and the system does not reward fairly for work done. Consequently, workers rebel by underperforming.

Picture this; most Kenyans abroad particularly depend on their salaries and wages, but remain serious about their jobs. Why? Respected systems and procedures that do not tolerate mediocrity and the absence of a family support system.

I see another reason too: Many Kenyans do not respect the labour of workers. Many low-level workers feel underpaid and unappreciated; notice how the maid is shouted at when she burns the food but is never praised for the hundreds of times she cooks well; notice how you never thank the waiter yet you will complain when they get your food late?

How often have you gone to your children’s school and patted the teachers on the shoulders for taking good care of your children? Considering the salaries and allowances that teachers get, you ought to visit the school at least every month to thank them.

There is comfort though; many Kenyans are beginning to recognise the need to appreciate their workers and to thank them even if it doesn’t mean an increase in pay. There is a growing appreciation for the proper application of systems and procedures. We are learning.