RELIEF FOOD IS NOT DEVELOPMENT

Today being  the last day of the year is an important moment to  look into the past, the actions of the past, the steps made in the past, etc. It is equally important to see into the future. And this calls for planning, correcting the past, adopting new ways, discarding the unfruitful formulas etc. But for this to happen sharp minds are needed, minds that see the future with optimism. Minds that plan. Yes creative minds !

On the same note, it is incumbent to establish those ways that didn't work well. Methinks this is the surest way to progress. For any attempt to ignore this is suicidal and destructive. And so this begs the question - what is this that didn't work? 

Lets call a spade a spade; feeding people is not development. This is an enemy of development. 

Development is all about imparting skills on others to make them independent. It is about activating peoples' minds. It is about making a population self-reliant. Equating development to food rations is missing the point. It is populist. It is a fallacy and a mockery of the peoples' intelligence. It is reminiscent of a slave and a slave master - by assuming the role of provider you reduce the other to a level of a thing. You reduce the masses to a crowd of beggars. You lock their thinking capacity. You let them assume the role of under-dogs. This is not acceptable.

But all is not lost. There is time to rectify. There is time to engage the right gear. And this is the time. But another question pops up - who will realize this dream? Methinks it is you and me. We  are umbilically corded to the aspirations and needs of the masses. A self-reliant population is governable. It is pro-active. It is development conscious. But brains are needed for this dream to become a reality. Brains that see opportunities. Brains that contribute to self-reliance. Brains that engage the masses in designing their destiny. This is what is badly needed!  

The northern-Kenya districts have received food rations for the last fifty-something years. Generations have gone through this cycle. Poverty is now believed to be the other name for northern kenya. And this begs the question - should we continue with this same method even after seeing its failures? Are we bankrupt of ideas? Is the leadership of this part of the world connected with its masses? Methinks it is time to embrace new methods. Instead of food rations, why can't we adopt irrigation? Instead of crying of lack of finances,is it a hard task to pass a law that compels all the Non-Governmental Organizations operating in this segment of the nation to channel a proportion of their funds on projects (say agriculture) that boost peoples' self-reliance? Mr Governor,it is up to you.