Let’s take time to rediscover the true meaning of Christmas

Christmas is an important day in the Christian calendar and has become a holiday that gives all of humankind a chance to spread the cheer by sharing what they have with the less fortunate and reflecting on how they can better display love.

A few other days in the year elicit the kind of generosity today does, despite the realities of an economy that has consistently performed below expectations and bad politics that continue to widen rifts among neighbours.

Yet, we remain a resilient nation. We have endured tough times and emerged stronger. And there is no better time than today to birth better versions of ourselves.

There is no doubt that while some Kenyans gorge themselves, others will go hungry today – go beyond sparing a thought for them and do something to help those in need. Thousands of parents and children will have an uneasy Christmas because of the worries they harbour about January when the reality of paying school fees confronts them. They must raise the money but have severely limited opportunities to do so.

This year was marked by an approximate 20,000 Kenyans losing their sources of livelihood following the closure or relocation of a number of businesses. It will be a Christmas full of uncertainty for these Kenyans – and several others who are reading the signs of the times and do not know how much longer they can lay claim to being employed.

Today, let us reflect on the true meaning of the season and rediscover the template of salvation, humility and love.

The sad reality is that political rifts continue to widen despite last year’s much-acclaimed March 9 handshake between erstwhile opponents President Uhuru Kenyatta and Opposition leader Raila Odinga. On the heels of that famous handshake rode the hopes of healing a deeply divided nation that gave birth to the Building Bridges Initiative. But, more than one year later, its recommendations are yet to be actualised. But the change we want to see starts with the (wo)man in the mirror.

There are also thousands of families who lost their loved ones or were rendered homeless by mudslides and torrential rains these past months – find ways to impact their lives.

To forge ahead as a cohesive nation, we need to fix our politics. The mere existence of the belligerent Tangatanga and Kieleweke factions within the ruling party Jubilee is affecting the country’s focus. A vehicle in which the driver, co-driver and conductor are distracted by futile fights won’t go anywhere.

The biggest roadblock on our way to prosperity has been and still is, massive corruption. There needs to be a deliberate effort to rein in this vice, and not just in public office, but right from ourselves. Don’t speed and you won’t have to bribe your way to freedom.

Already, there are indicators that progress, no matter how little, is being made. The arrest and arraignment of high-ranking government officials in the fight against corruption attests to this. This is just a beginning because more is expected. Corruption costs us an estimated 250,000 jobs a year. If we eradicated this vice, so many more Kenyans would have reason to celebrate the season without the burden of reality blurring the holiday.

We applaud the joint efforts of the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission, the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions, the Directorate of Criminal Investigations and the Judiciary for their valiant work in giving those inclined towards corruption something to worry about.

And even if politics puts a damper on our aspirations, our valiant sportsmen continue to give us reason to thank our lucky stars that we were born Kenyan. Eliud Kipchoge’s super-human marathon run in October showed us the truth of the mantra that no human is limited. We have everything we need to shine both at home and on a global stage – and so many of our compatriots have shown us that the right mix of hard work, faith and determination will light our way to victory.

So today, make merry but do so in moderation because so much more lies ahead of us. This country still needs our input in birthing a nation we can all be proud to leave to future generations. Don’t overindulge and turn a day of joy into sorrow. Be peaceful and let love guide you. Merry Christmas.