Lessons on patriotism from Judas and Pilate

Because of massive corruption, our health services are very poor. We need patriotic leadership to streamline our governance systems.

In the quiet of the dusk-to-dawn anti-Covid-19 curfew, we have the sobriety to reflect more critically on the performance of our political leadership as patriotic Kenyans.

A patriot transcends self to serve the country by protecting it from external and internal aggression. It is a person who draws personal fulfillment from responsibly serving fellow citizens. In addition, a patriot is a person who commits to contributing in all ways possible to the happiness of fellow citizens.

A patriot exhibits a strong sense of justice to all countrymen and therefore does everything practically possible to ensure justice and peace prevail. A patriot earns a just wage and makes clean money. A patriot is not a puritan. Rather, a patriot is a citizen who cares about self as much as others in the country.

Nelson Mandela spent 27 years in incarceration. In other words the South African icon spent his most productive years in prison. He had a conviction to liberate his country from apartheid. He is a true patriot by definition and example.

Here, Archbishop Emeritus Raphael Ndingi Mwana a’Nzeki put his life on the line fighting for the rights of victims of tribal clashes in the 1990s. Prof Wangari Maathai  saved Uhuru Park and Karura Forest from the jaws of unscrupulous developers. Bishop Alexander Muge died condemning injustice. These, and a few others, are inspiring examples of citizens who are patriotic to their country even unto death.

County government

The constitution, as well as the hibernating Building Bridges Initiative (BBI), indicate patriotism as a value for each citizen to embrace. In fact, to cultivate the value, the BBI proposes structured volunteer programmes to instil the sense of commitment to citizenship and patriotism.

A patriot who has a chance to lead Kenyans as a county government CEO, CS, legislator or other senior government official should bring Kenya honour and pride by what they do and how they do it. These leaders should begin by volunteering their knowledge and experience in building the nation.

The younger generation, seeing what their parents do for their country, will not be pushed into volunteer programmes but will embrace the spirit willfully. In turn, when time comes, they will happily volunteer their time and resources to the common good, knowing that being patriotic to own country is a good investment. Young people learn by example in matters of ethos, not by decrees.

As this is a Holy Week for Christians, it is appropriate to draw some parallels from scriptural readings to understand patriotism in our own context. Judas Iscariot was actually a good man. He had a lot of “Kenyan tendencies”.

He loved money and when the opportunity arose to make a few more coins, he betrayed Jesus for 30 pieces of silver. Corruption in our country is uncontrollably high. Judas will be busy making money even from the coronavirus fund kit were he to be a Kenyan senior official in government. No wonder we do not have persons called Judas.

Great example

The next of kin to Judas is a learned friend named Pontius Pilate. He was a very sharp lawyer who clearly saw that Jesus was an innocent man. His wife pleaded with him that Jesus was innocent. Pilate was troubled in his heart and sought to release Jesus but the crowd could not hear of it.

The tribal chiefs engaged in propaganda, baying for the blood of Jesus. Pilate, faced with hostility like our MPs on mission to increase their salary, opted to pass responsibility and guilt to the crowd. Justice was pulled down in favour of fear. There are no people named after Pilate. But we have many 'Pilates' in our midst who sacrifice justice for self-preservation.

Then comes Simon Peter, the man who swore he could not deny Jesus, but three times he said he had no clue who “this man Jesus” is. When he came to his senses that he betrayed his master, he wept bitterly. Leaders make painful mistakes at times. The way to make up for such mistakes is to recommit to the cause. Peter recommitted himself and tragically died for what he believed in. However, unlike Judas and Pilate, Peter is a great example of a patriot to the Kingdom of God.

The partial lockdown in Nairobi manifests the gap in our governance for patriotic leadership. Our health systems are so weak that should, God forbid, coronavirus break out in highly populated towns, suburbs, informal settlements and rural areas, we will be wiped out.

Because of massive corruption, our health services are very poor. We need patriotic leadership to streamline our governance systems.