10 reasons independence has both been a blessing and a curse

1. Nairobi

For those born before independence, Nairobi was just another small town with colonial architecture and dusty roads populated by what we now consider vintage cars and horse-drawn carriages.

But the transformation has been phenomenal in the last 50 years. The dusty pathways have turned into a complicated maze of streets, avenues and alleyways that are a tough navigational task for any stranger, while the previously clear skyline is now scarred with skyscrapers.

2. The Kenyan woman

The pre-independent Kenyan woman was a docile, miniskirt-donning ‘domestic animal’ whose duty was to jump as high as her man demanded. Fifty years of advocacy for the girl child have seen the ‘tamed’ Kenyan female morph into a fierce Miss Independent, who believes men are an unnecessary evil. This has led to the rise of single mother households, especially among urban and educated women.

3. The politician

The pre-independence politician was a genuine leader whose entry into politics was inspired by a sincere desire to uplift the welfare of Kenyans.

This was demonstrated by a humble salary and the modest life they led, spending time in Eastlands bars and taking their kids to ordinary schools like Jamhuri and Dagoretti high schools. But after 50 years of scheming and designing ways of robbing the taxpayer, the Kenyan politician has become the most thieving creature this side of the Sahara.

4. Communication

In the days of yore, the main method of communication was letters sent through the almost-defunct post office, which took ages to reach the intended.

Telephone communication was also through archaic land lines, with a telephone operator ready to make a reverse call for those who didn’t have coins to make the call. Today, to remain relevant, the post office is where you go to renew your driving licence, as mobile phones and emails have made ‘call boxes’ obsolete.

5. Dowry

In the olden days, dowry was as simple as taking live goats and cows to the bride’s parents and everything being kept simple and easy. However, over time, opportunism and entrepreneurship have hijacked this important cultural ritual, so much such that paying dowry is the new euphemism for extortion. Young men are left broke by crazy demands that threaten to kill the marriage institution.

6. Education

In the 1960s, the education system had seven years of primary school and six at the secondary level.

University of Nairobi was the only institution of higher learning, and students were being paid - ‘boom’ - to study in an environment where they regularly rioted when there were no meat balls in the menu.

Today, student hostels have been transformed into kitchens, where the whiff of burnt ugali substitutes that of cologne. Secondary school results for all students were published in newspapers. Modern primary school children might be forced to carry books in wheelbarrows; such is the overload in the curriculum.

7. Population

During independence, the entire country had barely 15 million people, which explains with enough amenities for everyone, since very few people lived in cities. Then came the 1980s and 1990s, when huge numbers of Kenyans poured into the city in search of work and better life. Today, at slightly over 40 million Kenyans have stretched the amenities to the limit. No wonder, even Lang’ata Cemetery is full.

8. Raising kids

In newly independent Kenya, raising and disciplining kids was a communal affair. Touch a neighbour’s kid today and you might be staring at a lengthy jail time. Caning in schools has been outlawed. It is not surprising that our children are obese and ill-mannered.

9. Police

Wahome Mutahi of Whispers fame once wrote that the khaki shorts worn by policemen - yes policemen wore shorts - were so starched that they could be placed on a table and not fold over. Policemen would then step into them and pull them up! Then, unlike today, policemen probably didn’t know what the word corruption meant.

10. Shopping

During independence, many shops in Nairobi’s Central Business District and many other towns across the country were dominated by Indian dukawalas. Over the years, have been replaced by supermarkets. And yes, you can order cooked ugali and mrenda in a duka, ah, supermarket.

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