Following the news from home in the past few weeks and months - actually since I can remember, got me thinking a little bit; who is to blame for the state of our country? One could obviously expand this question to the whole of Africa, but I'll stick with Kenya.
Who is to blame for the poor health facilities? The high unemployment? The period of time students have to wait to enter university and the education system in general? The state of the roads? The wrangling among politicians? The number of street kids? The spread of Aids, especially considering the number of orphans who have lost both parents to the disease? This and that...
Personally, I think a lot of the problems facing Kenya can be attributed to corruption. Yeah, I know, it's always easy to say corruption is the root of the problem. A few days ago I was talking to some Swiss people about Kenya and one of them said something like: "You know, corruption is everywhere, even here in Switzerland. It's just that here the ordinary person is still able to get by".
One could say that in Europe and the States, the politcians and business men know how to "be corrupt the right way". They do their thing, but the system still manages to work. In Kenya, the corruption is done so ruthlessly that it totally cripples the country. The people with power are so greedy that they just take - never stopping to consider how the ordinary man with no power will get by. The whole issue of "it's our turn now, the old government had their share" doesn't make matters better.
An example that comes to my mind is that of King Mswati of Swaziland. He recently bought a Maybach for 500'000 US dollars, one of the ten most expensive cars in the world. Two quick facts on Swaziland: two thirds of the population live below the poverty line and the country has the world's highest HIV prevalence rate, of about 39 percent.
So, until our "leaders" stop overfeeding themselves and those close to them, Kenya and other African countries will remain poor. If the people with power don't take the time to stop and consider the not so fortunate, our countries will never move forward and catch up with the rest of the world.
Monday, April 11, 2005
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7 comments:
The difference in corruption that you point out is very true. We are our own enemy in Africa when it comes to this. By the way I was almost knocked down by a Maybach in Nairobi. I wonder which of our ministers was in the back.
lakini that Maybach is timamu....
(blame people who think like me)
Great topic. It's true that corruption happens in Europe also, albeit secretly - they also store most of Africa's corrupt leaders' money (in the infamous "Swiss bank accounts") so they benefit from the interest; they also sell them weapons, which cause more chaos, which is a cycle and we wonder who's causing what. I strongly blame colonialism.
Everyone in the world is corrupt even the real KingPin Bush. The difference between Corruption with our leaders and that of the developed country leaders is the style and not to forget size of the pie in correlation to the size of the economy. The problem with our leaders ( present Kenyan leader included) is they have no shame and the crude manner in which they do so. Just like they were apprehended in Koinage avenue solicitating ... No senator would be seen in twilight district doing so in U.S. A senator would use a discrete private escort for that purpose. No Iain't condoning those vices and especially corruption
Anyway I blame all of us because we continue to vote for the same leaders even when we knew their past misgivings...so maybe with what we have witnessed with the present government, we will be more vigilant next general election and the next government
African 'leaders' are Africa's worst enemy. I look forward to the day when they will be held accountable or their endless empty promises, misuse of public office & chronic corruption...they're nothing but lousy golddiggers stealing from the masses.
This Mswati guy needs to style up. Maybach is the last thing that tiny kingdom needs, I pray the people rise up against him & the 1st thing they auction off is his state-bought limo, should teach him a lesson.
I'm feeling Wambui sana, she has just given my comment word for word. And memoire, I don't blame colonialism or the west, I blame us squarely for voting these people in, not requiring them to be accountable and always deferring to them and calling them Mweshimiwa when they are no better than common thieves.
We are to blame. thanks adrian for letting me blog on your blog.
Adrian, I'm so glad I found you today. Great articles and thoughts.
I visited your country for two months in 1990, and was struck even then by the same things you are commenting on here.
I'm finally getting around to writing about my experience here:
http://www.livejournal.com/users/toadmaster/
If you are interested...
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