59TH ANNIVERSARY OF JAMHURI DAY CELEBRATIONS ; DO WE HAVE SOMETHING TO BE PROUD OF?

 On 12th December, 1964 , Kenya became a REPUBLIC with Kenyatta seizing from being a Prime Minister but now the president of the Republic of Kenya and the commander in chief of the armed Forces (KDF). It was a very important day because, the coalition Goverment that was entered at independence between the Queen of England, Elizabeth, who was the head of State and the Governor Malcolm Macdonald was relaxed as the transition and transfer of instruments of power was in top gear. Kenyatta was to be conferred with those instruments with no qualms or hindrances though, the relationship between the African goverment and its former colonial master Britain was not immediately cut because, the former had to rely with the former. The most poignant point was that , Kenya was now a fully fledged republic. Today, we are celebrating the 59th anniversary since Kenya became a REPUBLIC. The question which every Kenyan should be asking himself wherever he/she is , do we have something to be proud of?

As a republic, Kenya under the late President Kenyatta vowed to deal with three major problems that engulfed Kenya by the time it was becoming a republic; they wee ignorance, diseases and hunger. After 59 years down the line , the same chorus is being sang. The subsequent goverments have been trying hard to address this problem. The Kibaki and Uhuru Kenyatta regimes had tried extremely very hard to address them. The previous goverment will go down the annals of Kenya's history for addressing with much energy the issue of putting up an elaborate health policy and infrastructure, education reforms right from elementary, secondary, college/tertiary and university. We cannot pour cold water on the many things the previous two goverment did. On the issue of addressing food security inorder to battle hunger and famine , it has not been addressed in a conclusive manner because, 59 years later, we have million of Kenyans facing severe hunger and famine. The government is still flagging off trucks loaded with relief food. We are still appealing to the United Nation's World Food Programme (WFP) to come to our rescue. How and why should we be relying on rain fed Agriculture when it has been disappointing us to to severe climate change?

Patriotism has been waning among Kenyans. As we speak , the high cost of living has pushed them to the periphery of life. They don't see the need to celebrate the 59 years of independence. They are saying, those leading the celebration aes totally blind. They aren't trading their eyes into the future. They don't know what is best for this Country and its people. KENYANS are saying, they are hungry and with that , what is there to be celebrated. I have heard from many whom I have asked , today, in our history, what are we celebrating? They are blank. In all the Constituencies in Kenya , this celebrations will be taking place and as usual, Kenyans will give this events at their doorsteps a wide berth. Only a handful who will be promised of few coins in return will attend not because they are driven by the love for their Country. The argument is , will the government feed me after attending that event? No!!! So , I need to go for that kibarua ( casual labour). That's why the patriotism of the yesterday years is no more. When I was young , we would attend this celebrations in our locality and wee full of fanfare and pomp. Today, a bribe from the government must be in its cards inorder for the citizenry to attend and save the government from embarrassment of addressing yawning stadia.

This is a day the government and the people must take a stock of where we are coming from , where are we and where we are heading as a nation. Our children must be told why this very day is significant for them. They are the future of this country. It is by inculcating this kind of patriotism in them that we will be making strides and meaningful once as a people. Millennials have no business with yearning to understand that , as a republic, what is their input in developing it both socially, politically and economically. The culture of loving one country and the flag is no more. The only cadre of Kenyans who take this day seriously is only the Kenya Defence Forces. They always celebrate it with passion. As for the rest of kenyans, it is a day just like any other.

The kind of disillusionment that the political elites have put Kenyans is what has made kenyans to lose confidence and trust. The government this day had to use carrots inorder to lure a majority of kenyans to attend the Jamhuri Day celebrations at Nyayo stadium. Were it not for the US intervention, Azimio la Umoja leader Raila Odinga would be addressing a parallel event at jacaranda grounds in Utawala, Embakasi East. Youths participating in this Jamhuri Day in Nyayo stadium were promised to get an IT scholarship from Arizona university. How it will be offered is something to wait and see. Someone chided me this very morning as to whether I want to become an alumni of Arizona university within hours? Hilarious!!! But , is this the way to go about it? It means in future, to ensure the citizens attend this National holiday celebrations, a budget to "bribe" Kenyans inorder for them to attend will always be set aside. This is a bad and heartbreaking precedent. Purchased patriotism is worse for a Country. 

Let's celebrate this day with love and patriotism. What we should remember is , even if the political class isn't living to our expectations and the cost of living and the economy is its lowest point ever , let's remember that we have a Country to love and defend. We have a country to build and revere. The government must rise to the occasion and return the patriotism in Kenyans to where it was before. It doesn't need to use carrots inorder to make them love it. If Kenyans are full and the cost of living is normalized, in future, the government will be finding it hard to control the crowds attending this events even without using a single coin in mobilizing Kenyans not to attend a national holiday celebrations.