Thursday, December 11, 2008

Jamhuri Day in Kenya

Jamhuri day refers to the day Kenya became a 'self-governing' 'free' republic, December 12 1964. The country had just attained 'independence' the previous year on the same date after more than a decade of armed struggle mostly in Nairobi, Mount Kenya Region and parts of the Rift Valley.
Every year we pretend to celebrate the 'independence', before packing our travelling bags and making a beeline for Paris, London, New York and Washington DC with our begging bowls in place and our hats in our hands...
Independence indeed! We are unable to feed our population and are now labouring under two prices for the maize meal staple, one for the 'rich' and one for the 'poor'. The government has finally accepted poverty as an ineradicable reality in this country and has moved to institutionalise it.
Soon we should start seeing schools for the rich and poor, segregation in hospitals, public offices, electoral booths, roads and even churches. For there are only two tribes in this country, as the cliche goes: the haves, and the have-nots.
This is just too tiring to think about! And to imagine that 'we' aspire to be a 'middle income' (sort of ) industrialised country by 2030, I have no breath left in me after the bout of laughter....
This is Kenya.

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