Where is our sense of shame?

The tragedy at Westgate has been aggravated by the insidious manner in which the events revealed a moral vacuum. [PHOTOS: COURTESY/STANDARD]

By JENNIFER MUCHIRI

Following the recent tragic events at Westgate mall, many of us were momentarily relieved to see the Kenya Defence Forces, Kenya Police Service, General Service Unit and other security agents arrive at the scene.
I say ‘momentarily’ because, while the show of might was reassuring, many people still had loved ones trapped in the building and, therefore, could not relax until the hostages were freed and safe.
The presence of the so-called disciplined forces in any crisis has always been encouraging, as we expect nothing but protection and help from our disciplined forces.
But the tragedy of the attack has been aggravated by the insidious manner in which the events revealed a moral vacuum that underlines a serious state of cultural confusion in Kenya. It is apparent that we do not have a sense of cultural certainty or a concrete cultural identity, which would demand respect, honesty and a certain modicum of integrity.