I am a Kenyan

Have you noticed how when someone gives you their business card you look at their title and mentally make several assumptions about them?   This happens regardless of how long you have known that person. Think about it, what would be going through the mind of Obama’s mother (God bless her soul)  if she read his business card today? As a mother I can try and answer that …pride, joy and excitement that I taught him well. Probably fear and concern that the job may be too demanding for your little boy. Worry over his wellbeing. Is he spending enough time with his family? Will that power go to his head? Is he making the right decisions?  May be even anger that had he listened to you and eaten his carrots, there would be no possibility of ever having to wear glasses when reading the state of the union address.   And of course, oh gosh, I really did ask him to stop with the cigarettes and now he is in trouble with Michelle on the same….

Whilst I have never been president (at least not when am awake), there have been titles that I have heard that I keep wondering if the bearer is sure he knows what that means.  I never cease to be amused about how superfluous some titles really are. I once met a guy who introduced himself as a Social Media Communication, Engagement and Negotiation Analyst and Strategist aka Facebook Addict.

However, there are titles that I have that were bestowed upon me by the blood of others. Yes, I will go there, I am a Kenyan and I am a Christian. For both to be blood was shed at a certain point. One happened with no input on my part and the other, I willingly chose to be.  But guess what, since being a Christian is a choice overnight I could decide to be a Muslim or a Hindu or an Atheist … an anythingist or even an everythingist as it were. Gotta love this freedom of choice thing!  I would not need to sign anything or even consult anyone. I could simply change and move on.  It would be between me and my God or whoever I perceive him (or her?) to be.

Not so on being Kenyan. You could argue that I could change citizenship but like I have stated, that is not something that would change overnight.

From my observation, when something one has “automatically” received something, it is easy to disregard, disrespect and dismiss the value of it. And there are times I think that we as Kenyans do exactly that. We have taken being Kenyan for granted. We have taken having peace for granted. We take freedom for granted. Do we not learn from what our neighbors have gone through? Is Rwanda completely lost on us? Is the 2008 post election violence forgotten? You want to know how good we have it, just talk to someone who has widely travelled this continent, with the exception of may be South Africa and Egypt we are way ahead of many African nations. Do not get me wrong, we still have things to improve but I like what the desiderata say, do not compare yourself with others but compare yourself with yourself and with time.

It therefore baffles me that for a country head and shoulders above its peers in many fronts, elections and campaigns for electoral office are equivalent to a national root canal.

There must be a way we can have a different opinion and express that respectfully. Elections really should never have to be a life and death affair.  I am glad that this time around, there were stringent standards laid out for advertising and the quality of messages that candidates have released are refreshing.  Clearly, some thought has gone into these and that is a good thing. I believe that insults and violence are an indicator of a scarcity of ideas and are a shortsighted approach to our future as a nation.

Gladly, sanity is returning to us a nation and many are speaking out. I read something profound from a dear friend the other day. The gist of her message was if the only reason you are voting for your candidate (for presidential, gubernatorial, senatorial and all electoral positions) is so that you can scoff at the supporters of the other candidates, to prove them wrong, to let them have it etc, then you have do not love Kenya. We should all ask ourselves why we have settled on a certain candidate.

We should focus on getting in good candidates and not voting out so and so.

As we go into elections in a few days, many Kenyans have worked hard in different initiatives to try and ensure that we remain united and in peace before, during and after elections. Many are working to ensure that the elections will be free and fair. Our institutions have been strengthened. Our citizens are being informed.  One observation I have made is how many of us have realized the depth of our national anthem. It is indeed a profound prayer. It has been sung in offices, in schools, in sporting events, at the movies, in places of worship and I am sure that is not in vain.  And that is why I find the idea of 1 people gathering in different places a 1 o’clock on 28^th February to sing the national anthem as 1 amazing. There must be something deep and committed about a people united regardless of age, sex, color or creed and forgetting the differences that so easily divide us.

Remind yourself of the lyrics and really think about how profound they are. http://28feb.co.ke/national-anthem-of-kenya/

It am reminds me of a story I heard about when Columbus discovered Africa (forget the argument that Africa was always there for a minute), there were people so interested in understanding the experience and so they frantically sought his diary chronicling his travails. Well, they were disappointed as there were days his entry was simply “We sailed and sailed and sailed.”  Of course had there been women keeping that diary, we would have more details but I digress.

One day, our children’s children will read history and they will be wondering why so many believe in singing the national anthem? Why did this evolve into a movement? What was the point? Would it not have been easier to give up and move away to another country?

I am sure someone will be writing history. I am sure someone will read.  I am sure some will say we gathered and sang. Some will say it was fun. Others will capture the intense feelings of nationhood that brought. Others will praise the initiative. Still others will participate proudly.

28^th February. At 1pm. Stop. Sing the national anthem as 1.

I know what my diary entry will be.

“We prayed and prayed and prayed.”

Do not vote popular, vote Wise!

God bless you all. God bless Kenya.