The Republic of Kenya is home to some of the world's most mesmerizing natural wonders. It possesses a wealth of cultural and bio diversity. Kenya is a culturally rich country, with a beautiful blend of several different cultures and ethnic groups. Today there are 44 ethnic groups living in Kenya, each with its own unique values, skills, language and cultural practices.
Mother Kenya is also blessed with abundance of natural resources such as wildlife, limestone, soda ash, salt, gemstones, hydropower, etc. In terms of education, Kenya has one of the best literacy rates on the African continent which is close to 87%. Despite the abundance of natural resources and high literacy rate, like most other developing countries in Africa, Kenya is crippled with so many problems today; security, tribalism, corruption and unemployment are major reasons why she still wallows in poverty. These show the enormous barriers to progress that we as Kenyans are facing.
Over the last 50 years, Africa has received a lot of aid from the international community. Between 1960 & 2003, our continent received 600 billion dollars of aid, and we are still told that there is a lot of poverty in Africa. Where has all the aid gone?
"The Western view of Africa's economic dilemma is framed wrongly. The wrong framing is a product of thinking that Africa is a place of despair. What should we do with it?"
We should give medicines to the poor, food to the hungry, and send peacekeepers for those who are facing civil war. And in the process, none of these are productive because we are treating the symptoms, and not the causes of Africa's fundamental problems. Giving food and medicines does not create wealth for them. In this process, the Africans have been stripped of self-initiative.
Mother Kenya provides many opportunities and boasts a large potential but it is also important to recognize that she has some weaknesses. The time is now to reframe the challenge that is facing Kenya; from a challenge of despair, to a challenge of hope. There’s an African proverb that says,
“We have not inherited this land from our forebears, we have borrowed it from our children”
Now is the time for us to do the hard work and live up to that inheritance; of building a Kenya where the inherent dignity of every person is respected and protected, and there’s no limit to what one can achieve.
"It is important to note that nation building does not just mean building infrastructure, it means building people. If we as a nation have to rise, the foremost thing will be to empower the people."
Therefore, there is an urgent need to develop self-less and proud Kenyans, who will contribute for the welfare of all Kenyans. This can only happen if we organize ourselves by bringing a sense of discipline and focus to build a stronger value system of patriotism.
Having said this, it becomes the responsibility of each & every citizen of Kenya to build our Nation. Let us stand up and make it happen; as we pledge in our National Anthem:
“Tuungane Mikono,
Pamoja Kazini,
Tujenge Taifa Letu”
Meaning: Let us join our hands together, Let us put efforts together, To build our Nation.