The heat generated by the calls by Azimio to protest against the Kenya Kwanza government may blur us from noticing Kenya's real problems. Mass action excites Kenyans.
However, Kenya's real problems are not the impending mass action by the Azimio. Kenya has a twin problem: joblessness and the high prices of basic commodities. If the Kenya Kwanza government can address these two problems with speed, mass action will be an exercise in futility.
The youths are languishing in poverty owing to the high levels of unemployment. They are just surviving by the mercies of God. They live a day at a time. They are not guaranteed tomorrow. That is a very bad place to be because nothing makes sense to you.
If you have never been unemployed yet you are qualified, you may never understand the cruel pangs of joblessness. Joblessness is indignity of the highest degree.
Having to wake up every day without a meaningful job deprives one of human dignity. It is unfair, inhuman and unacceptable for any graduate to stay for years without a meaningful job. It is a mockery to education. Yet as I write this piece thousands and thousands of youths are just unemployment statistics.
More than 40 percent of qualified youth are unemployed. These are energetic men and women at their prime age of labour production but have no meaningful employment.
Their waking up every single day is meaningless since they are doing so for no purpose. It is even more worrying since they are at their most productive age. They are qualified, ready and willing to work but there isn't any meaningful work for them to do.
Their predicament is compounded by the hard economic times facing the entire universe. Nature and the gods have conspired to condemn them to the indignity of joblessness. My heart melts when I imagine what these youths have to contend with every single day.
The Kenya Kwanza government warmed itself to the hearts of the jobless youths by promising them jobs. Seven months down the line and the situation hasn't changed an inch. If anything, it has moved from bad to worse.
It is the skyrocketing of prices of basic commodities that is breeding an atmosphere of apprehension, despondency and resentment from the masses. These are the emotions the Azimio faction is whipping through the public barazas.
I refuse to accept that Kenya's problem at the moment is Raila Odinga.
There is no doubt that Raila is the enigma of Kenyan politics. He is a very versatile politician who has weathered many political storms to remain relevant for over three decades. While many others are kingmakers, Raila is the indefatigable king himself. He has remained relevant across three regimes
Raila can't be a threat. Neither can he be our problem. If the government thinks Azimio is the problem, we will get frustrated more.
Kenya's real problems are joblessness and the high prices of basic commodities. Let us address them urgently.
Doctorate student at UoN
