If I were to describe Kenya in one sentence, I would say it is a country that never learns from her past mistakes.
We tend to forget way too fast, yet, interestingly, the forgetfulness is characteristic of selective amnesia.
This phenomenon of deliberate forgetfulness is most pronounced among individuals that wield power – political, economic and intellectual, in that order.
At times, such power is merely perceived and momentary. Sadly, its effect is monstrous and long-lasting.
Of interest is the current faction of political leaders perceived to be rebels within the Jubilee Party.
Not long ago, these individuals were captured revelling at the mistreatment of their supposed opponents when government rounded up rowdy Nasa supporters following the 2017 controversial election.
Drunk with political power, the fellows neither saw nor heard any evil. They trashed the long-standing dictum that injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.
Before long, chickens have come home to roost. One of the victims even swore to have learnt a lesson. Nothing can be far from the truth.
Similarly, some members of Parliament were charged with hate speech sometime back.
Upon their release from police cells, they condemned the inhuman conditions therein and vowed to champion for reforms.
They were not the first; a story is told of a former minister — the late Stanley Oloitiptip — who, until his incarceration, had believed that Kenyan prisons were furnished with comfy beds. Forgetfulness, nay, indifference, is a real tranquilliser.
When Kenya gained internal self-rule, our founding fathers made a case for national unity.
This unity was to revolve around issues of national interest such as patriotism, social justice, brotherhood and economic emancipation. It was adopted from the spirit of African socialism.
Education was to be the chief instrument in fostering all these. Unfortunately, the resolution was quickly forgotten.
Those with political, economic and intellectual power started it all. Tribalism was born. Nepotism thrived.
Intellectual arrogance gained root, coupled with a state of indifference. The centre could not just hold.
Six decades on and we are nowhere close to national unity. Instead, our apparent unity is directed towards impeachable causes.
The furthest we have gone is to tag the term ‘national’ on anything so as to paint a semblance of a united national state.
The purported building of bridges through the BBI is testament to the elusive unity. In any case, unity is a prerequisite to building the bridges.
The initiative is therefore unprofitably restrictive. What a piteous paradox!
Today, the ‘educated’ are the most corrupt, the most divided and the most unpatriotic. They are pennywise and pound-foolish.
United they are, but the unity is mischievous and differentiated. Schooled thieves have united to loot the country.
Tribal chiefs are uniting to wrestle political power from their perceived enemies.
Out of self-interest, they attempt to craft laws that target their opponents, for posterity is not their vocabulary. And they only bark when one of their own is under siege.
We ought to be reminded of the Kantian categorical imperative: act only according to that maxim where you can will that it becomes a universal law.
In other words, do unto others as you would wish be done unto you. This should ring in the minds of everyone, especially those with power.
They have an option of using their current powers to build a nation. Until then, we remain a mere country, a people that roam all over in search of unity; unity that is, ironically, to be found within our heads and hearts.
The writer is a lecturer at Alupe University College, Busia.
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