The blood of innocent Kenyans continues to flow in the river of time. Is it the blood of a collapsing order gasping for breath as it crumbles into a state of anarchy? Or is it the blood of convulsive maternal pangs giving birth to a new and better Kenya? Let the choice be ours!
Those words were articulated in 1997, by academic professor and political writer, Alamin Mazrui, but they could just as well apply nearly 20 years on.
For, as we begin a new year in earnest, shaking off the shadows of 2015, we must approach 2016 with a can-do, positive attitude.
If we want to achieve the grand ambitions we have set ourselves, then it is time to assess the culture that will move us positively in that direction.
We know the continued journey towards middle-income status, for our 42-million-plus population, will be challenging; the flagship projects which grabbed the attention of CNN recently, citing how the nation is on track to accelerate growth through a catalogue of $50 billion megaprojects – the Mombasa Rail Station, the Voi Railway Station and Lamu Port, to name a few – will be huge feats, if achieved.
And there are many, many more transformational projects, rooted in development across our Economic, Social and Political sectors – the pillars of the Vision 2030 project.
But the reality is, we now have just 14 years in which to achieve these aims.
The clock is ticking.
What we must create and build is One Kenya: side-by-side, working together, putting aside political and the litany of tribal differences. Above all, we must work in a spirit of togetherness.
Nothing is achieved without community: building a spirit of collective prosperity, rooted in a sense of shared purpose, is how we will build Kenya – and Africa more widely.
There is no other way.
A country, or people, divided against itself, cannot stand.
And we have historical, inspirational figures, who double as historical and inspirational signposts for our up-and-coming generation of young entrepreneurs and creatives.
Wangari Maathai, environmental and political activist, is one.
Born in Nyeri in 1940, she became the first African woman to receive the Nobel Peace Prize in 2004 for her noble “contribution to sustainable development, democracy and peace”. In fact, she recorded a series of firsts, becoming a trailblazer and earning the lofty prestige of being the first woman in East and Central Africa, to earn a doctorate degree.
She was notable, too, for aphoristic quotes, saying memorably: “It’s the little things citizens do. That’s what will make the difference. My little thing is planting trees.”
And it is the “little things” that each and every one of us do, every day, that amount to big things and, ultimately, positive change.
Julie Gichuru is another. A campaigner for positive change in Africa and a famous female Kenyan personality, she’s a patriot, celebrating our 52-year-old, post-colonial nation at every possible opportunity.
Giving a rousing example of oratory in opening up the Global Entrepreneurship Summit (GES), to His Exellency, Presidents Uhuru Kenyatta and President Barack Obama, last year was once such case in point.
But in #ThisIsMyKenya, a studied portrait which showcases what we think of ourselves, the self-described Afro-optimist, Gichuru, is shown a picture of a hedge trimmer and asked what is the first thing that springs to mind. “War; sadly violence,” she says. Therein lies a challenge even the most optimistic of us face: at the forefront of our mind, when we see images of Kenya, is a negative perception.
It subsequently turns out, so the video reveals, that the hedge cutters belonged to a trio of female harvesters, hard at work in Gathiga, Lower Kabete.
Both female, both Kenyans, both storytellers, past and present, for the emerging, ‘New Kenya’ – they are examples of how we can start to sing and shout about our successes.
And it seems this spirit is slowly starting to gain traction; the air of creating a future Kenya – made in Kenya, by Kenyans – and a future Africa, made in Africa, by Africans, is slowly beginning to catch on.
Just look at this recent Facebook post that was shared with me:
“400M Africans will need #jobs.
“We are the people that will create them. We will write story of #Africa.”
As I have stated before, we all have a story, from the askari to the CEO and up – and back down – but we can now confidently start to assert our own tales: as Kenyans, doing business locally, regionally and internationally; as creatives, in our emerging and bustling arts scene; and as start-ups, looking to scale to national champions.
Others will contribute.
Nairobi now stands as a magnet for international investment: from China, in roads and railways; from the United States, in people and investment in our tech community; and the UK, in our continuing long-standing ties and whose people are so fond of relocating to our beautiful country.
Sure, Nairobi has attracted a cosmopolitan community: Americans and Latinos, Europeans and Asians, all of whom have a role to play in the birth of the new, emerging Kenya.
And they will add value; they will support the growth industries, including the technology and manufacturing sectors and help professionalize our service sectors, amongst others.
But we can now start to craft our own stories, though we must do so together.
Patriots straddle many sectors, of course – they don’t exisit in business alone.
Kenya’s patriots are alive in many different guises: the Kenyan Defense Forces (KDF) were honoured recently and remembered by His Excellency, Uhuru Kenyatta, along with visiting Nigerian President, Muhammadu Buhari.
As that quote I began with continues, “In Kenya many patriots have been born out of struggles for freedom. Many have died in the fight for change. The likes of Dedan Kimathi and maumau soldiers are real examples of patriots.”
Those words are just as apt today, as they were 19 years ago.
Because the screeching you hear on a daily basis; the crashes and bangs and screams and shouts, are the natural sounds of a new beginning. They are those “maternal pangs” that Mazrui cited; they are the sound of a new birth: that is, the emergence of the New Kenya.
Seize this moment to “be the change you want to see in this world”, to quote Ghandi; or, adapted, to be the change you want to see in our nation, my fellow Kenyans, for it may never come around again.
*This article originally appeared in Kenya’s Business Daily newspaper.
