- Kenyans must say no to economic injustices by taking to the streets and putting to an end economic sabotage.
- As the people, we must actively resist greedy and selfish politicians
Happy New Year 2020 to all our loyal Star newspaper column readers and Kenyans in general. Without you and the many hits we get online, and those who read the hard copy newspaper, we wouldn’t be here. I have met many in the streets and offices who communicated how they look forward to reading the columns in the Friday papers. We say thank you for your support in 2019. I’m grateful and honoured that I interest and inspire many through what I write. I thank the Star newspaper and all who work with me every week to put my thoughts out in the columns.
Moving forward, we want to make 2020 revolutionary. We want to revolutionise people’s thinking, people’s perceptions and people’s actions. For far too long, Kenyans have been passive in action and loud in talk. They critique and analyse even the minutest of actions. If you follow what is said on social media, for example, you will find some of the best solutions on dealing with what ails Kenya. However, beyond the talk, no one does anything. In 2020, we need to change the talk to action. We must revolutionise Kenyans into doing something to improve their lives.
Looking back at 2019, human rights violations got worse. To begin with, extrajudicial killings went up. According to reports, there were more than 140 cases of suspected extrajudicial killings nationwide, which equates to over 10 a month. Femicide was reported widely in all parts of the country and defilement was at an all time high. Criminal gangs ran amok slashing and maiming innocent citizens all over from Mombasa to Nairobi to Kisumu. While all this was happening, the police were busy changing their uniform and disguising themselves as a new service.
The Coast and Ukambani were declared persona non grata as the entire economic mainstay of the two regions was moved to a different region. Never before in the history of Kenya has the Coast and Ukambani people been so economically desecrated by the State than in 2019. Hundreds of businesses were shut down, hundreds of thousands lost their jobs and poverty levels were drastically raised.
2019 saw the country sink further into the abyss. The country was marred in corruption and maladministration as leaders in office continued to plunder public resources. From national to county governments, looting was openly done at the expense of mwananchi. Politicians were at their usual bickering while they did nothing to protect public coffers from the greed of the corrupt. Empty rhetoric rent the air as those who were meant to defend the interest of the people, wined and dined with the looters.
Economic injustice was at its peak in 2019 as the President put deliberate measures to impoverish a section of the Kenyan population to benefit the region he comes from. The Coast and Ukambani were declared persona non grata as the entire economic mainstay of the two regions was moved to a different region. Never before in the history of Kenya has the Coast and Ukambani people been so economically desecrated by the State than in 2019. Hundreds of businesses were shut down, hundreds of thousands lost their jobs and poverty levels were drastically raised.
As the situation deteriorated throughout the year, more voices were heard and Kenyans continued to lament about the problems bedevilling the nation. No voice was more succinct and captured the true position on the ground than the words and verses of the song Wajinga Nyinyi released towards the end of the year. The song criticised Kenyans for doing nothing as their country was held at ransom by a few politically correct individuals. It reminded Kenyans that their inaction is to blame for the continued deprivation of livelihoods they are experiencing.
The year 2020, therefore, must see revolutionary change from words to action. Kenyans should stand up to be counted. They must say no to corruption by taking action to reclaim the stolen billions from the looters. They must say no to extrajudicial killings by being firm and ensuring rogue police officers are made to account for their transgressions. Kenyans must say no to economic injustices by taking to the streets and putting to an end economic sabotage. As the people, we must actively resist greedy and selfish politicians by recalling them and putting them behind bars.
The Constitution in Article 1 (1) says that “all sovereign power belongs to the people of Kenya…”. This is a clarion call to all Kenyans to exercise their constitutional sovereignty in 2020 and take back the power for themselves.