Colonialism is the practice of acquiring full or partial political control over another country, occupying it with settlers, and exploiting it economically.
The political class in Kenya has actually accomplished this through state capture; the systemic political corruption in which private interests significantly influence a state's decision-making processes to their own advantage.
The common mwananchi has been reduced to a business pawn and a vote validation tool whose interests were long forgotten in the brazen pursuit of selfish goals.
It's not lost on the ever-rising common peasantry that promises made since half a century ago have never been fulfilled. Every five years, the bag of goodies is dangled on their faces to induce them to return the leaders to power.
This phenomenon has led to the now widespread voter apathy that is very pronounced even within perceived strong holds of key politicians.
The biggest worry of the average Kenyan is where to get food, healthcare and other basic necessities to lead an acceptable humane life.
There is a food crisis as we speak. Food security has deteriorated in most parts of Kenya; Laisamis in Marsabit, Tana North in Tana River, and Fafi, Balambala, and Dadaab in Garissa, parts of Kilifi, Taita Taveta, and Kwale due to the poor rains and generally lack of planning on our part.
On healthcare, the ongoing doctors' strike is evidence enough that we have a systematic killing machine in the name of public health.
The doctors have come out strongly and demanded for better working conditions to give 'wanjiku' a surviving chance when hit with common ailments. The public health system is in a shambles while the private one is thriving.
The less I say about this the better since we are all privy to the shenanigans right from the top echelons on this matter. It's simple; your lives do not matter, your vote does.
Other areas where cosmetic moves are made include the quagmire we call transport system. Very good solutions exist in the mould of Michuki rules but these are often discarded in favour of populism at the expense of order and safety.
In this era and time, it beats logic why our public transport system is in the hands of disorganised corrupt cartels that are competing with the public health sector to kill as many Kenyans as possible within the shortest time possible.
The areas of grievances are many and cannot, therefore, be exhausted in one write-up.
Substandard fertilisers, exaggerated educational reforms, tribal cocoons within organisations all form part of the partial or full capture of state by self seekers all packaged in nice mwananchi-friendly language to hide otherwise obvious ill intent.
Our turnaround as a country will not come from the sky or outside the borders; it must come from within and very soon. Kenya must be redeemed; the downward spiral has taken far too long.
Stay informed. Subscribe to our newsletter
Solutions will never come from anywhere else but right here at home. It's a pity that the current crop of leadership is complicit to the common man's plight.
This makes it very hard for the voters to make a choice since the rot cuts across. However, there is need for the emergence of a serious and strong third force to shake things up a bit and reclaim our lost glory.
The turnaround must come from all of us, in our areas of dwelling and influence; we should all resist the urge to go against our better judgement in order to identify with empty and parasitic affiliations such as tribe or class.
The Standard Group Plc is a
multi-media organization with investments in media platforms spanning newspaper
print operations, television, radio broadcasting, digital and online services. The
Standard Group is recognized as a leading multi-media house in Kenya with a key
influence in matters of national and international interest.
join