Kenyans are good people, treat them well please

An elderly woman hugs Nominated Senator Essy Okenyuri at Kenyenya in Bomachoge Borabu,Kisii County. [File, Standard] Kenya has been a magnet for foreigners for over 1000 years. That is why Arabs, Indians, Chinese, Europeans, among others, have made Kenya their home. One attraction beyond the weather is the good people. An average Kenyan is humble, welcoming and friendly. That is my experience interacting with ordinary Kenyans - from high school to the workplace and abroad. And I have visited several counties, from Homa Bay to Kilifi, from Kajiado to Isiolo. Want evidence? Data from our Prison Service shows that the total prison population is about 54,000. Only 28,000 are actually in jail; the rest are awaiting sentencing. Do your maths. Out of 55 million Kenyans, only 0.05 per cent of the population has been to jail. The remaining 99.95 per cent are law-abiding Kenyans, eking an honest living. Most visitors to Kenya are disarmed by our genuine smiles and hospitality. And our genuine happiness in adversity. Kenya is one country where it's very easy to feel at home. That "feel" at home attracts both good and bad people. How did Al Capone's bodyguard end up living in Kenya's infamous Happy Valley? Why else do some ambassadors stay on? Kenya is peculiar. We are more at home with foreigners than fellow Kenyans. Racism is rare, but tribalism is rife. How did we end up this peculiar? Maybe it was part of the British long game. Maybe, Britons knew they would one day eventually leave the country, but still needed it. Solution? Leave us divided along tribal lines. The inheritors of the British system seem to have done better than them. Did you see a bold attempt to tribalise Gen Z protests? Conflict-prone How then do we feel more at home with former colonial masters than our fellow Kenyans? Fact: there is less hatred for mzungu, read Britons, than for fellow tribes. Most conflicts in Kenya are among indigenous Kenyans. The conflict is both physical and emotional. By taking an upper position as good people through religion and benevolence, the westerners (not sure of easterners) leave us the bad people, portrayed as corrupt, conflict-prone, lazy and other adjectives. Have our leaders taken the cue? Why else is so much violence meted out against ordinary Kenyans? It's not just police but employers and anyone with authority over another. And when there is no physical violence, there is emotional violence. Many can attest to this. Could this attitude towards ordinary Kenyans be making us violent, a self-fulfilling prophecy? Being hard on Kenya might cow and make them comply. They will just bottle up anger, and when it boils over, we might not handle it. My biggest worry is that being hard on Kenyans will make creativity, with its cousin innovations, flee the land. We are known for creativity, dynamism and innovation. We should not take that for granted. From my experience, Kenyans deserve better treatment, which will allow them to exploit their full potential built on limitless exuberance and optimism. Our leaders should also stop taking our resilience for granted.

Kenyans are good people, treat them well please

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