The ongoing events in Kenya remind me of Proverbs 29:2. Sunday’s interview reminds me of 1 Kings 12. In it, the Israelites approached the son of King Solomon, Rehoboam, after the latter’s death, and asked him to make his father’s yoke lighter.
The new young king rejected the elders’ counsel to speak kindly to the people and went with his age-mates’ advice to threaten to inflict even more misery on them.
Consequently, the kingdom was divided and Rehoboam was left to rule only two tribes out of 12. Even then, the Lord left him the two because of the promise he made to Rehoboam’s grandfather, David—a man after God’s own heart.
Kenyans are groaning. Their burden is becoming heavier by the day. Yes, President Uhuru Kenyatta’s government overborrowed.
But I seem to remember most, if not all the people supporting the punitive taxes now from the previous Parliament would vote to increase the debt ceiling, despite warnings from many quarters.
Back then they told us borrowing was necessary to build roads, connect poor people’s houses to electricity, etc, in preparation for economic takeoff.
Now we’re being told punitive taxation is necessary to deal with roads. Can’t we use the roads we already have for economic takeoff and then build some more once we have more money from industries, etc?
I wonder if ours will be like Israel’s situation in 1 Kings 12. If David Ndii’s tweets are anything to go by, then they are an indication of the kind of advisers surrounding the President.
But you would think coming from a poor background, campaigning on that platform, and making a lot out of it during his inauguration, that he would know better and be more sympathetic. But, that’s human nature.
As for Kenyans taking a drastic step on matters of their own destiny like those courageous Israelites of old, I’m not holding my breath. Identity politics will be the ruin of us, I fear.
But I take solace in Proverbs 21:1 since as a people we can’t seem to do anything to free ourselves from the heavy load. Even Ndii tweeted, “What does not accepting when you have no choice in the matter add up to?”
