I do not think any right-minded citizen should always praise her government. Don't get me wrong, please. I do not also expect any right-minded citizen to badmouth her government without providing solid reasons. Two points immediately pop up: One, governments are just but a crowd of hired, elected or appointed citizens bound (by law) to deliver on their mandate. Two, citizens must courageously police this elevated group so as it faithfully sticks to its call of duty. A balance must exist for the two to profit from one another.
One question: Do critics add any value to good governance? There exist two schools of thought to explain this.
There are whispers across Africa about this small matter of image and progress. Quite a significant number of us believe that our downfall - and of course, Africa's zero progress - is as a result of endless condemnations. With this is another silent statement: That we have not progressed because praises haven't been forthcoming - from citizens and the world alike.
Wait, the issue here isn't about praises, per se. The matter is historical. Free speech, fact-based dialogue, emboldened citizenry, straight-to-the-point talk, etc are alien concepts. We just have to accept the truth - and improve. Let me explain.
From Egypt to South Africa, from Senegal's "slave island" of Gorée to Somalia's Mogadishu, history is replete with many useful lessons. Rulers, emperors, pharaohs, kings, queens, chiefs etc dominated all spheres of human life. These leaders were believed to be infallible and their actions - and sometimes, inaction - were beyond question. Praise singing was more than a "moral" obligation. Any deviation attracted severe and perhaps deadly consequences.
Did progress materialize? History is pregnant with answers. Go and read.
Now, there is this voice that finds happiness in reminding those who question government's excesses of their "duty to positively sell their country". While there is some sweetness in this call, I think it is not wholly predicated on objective analysis of where we have come from, where we are and where we are headed to. We have to debunk its fallacies before we proceed.
Today unlike yesterday, information isn't the preserve of governments. Citizens posses and share it as they wish. No amount of government boots can stop this. Any lesson? Governments must strive to do their best so as to have, at least, a good record - and yes, good information - out there. Raw expression of officialdom won't change things.
"Africa Rise" and democracy are one. Democracy opened the gates for public participation which in turn led to exploitation of hitherto under-utilized energies and knowhow. Kenya is a living example. Post-'92 Kenya and pre-'92 Kenya cannot, and will never be the same. Doubting Thomases should just take a walk down history lane.
So, why would someone find solace in hollow praises at this age and time? I think I know why.
Old habits die hard. Remnants of the infallibility-syndrome of yore still roam around. They know time has changed but are determined to put a break to any meaningful change. My people, you only proceed by knowing that they exist and they need a special democratic intervention for them to see light. This is a duty of the conscious.
I know the troika of consciousness, patriotism and objectivity is a hard nut to crack. Can someone be conscious and fail to be patriotic? Can objectivity reign where consciousness finds no room?
Well, I believe conscious citizens will not throw praises all over before subjecting them to objectivity scales. And this is it: Conscious citizens do not praise their governments as a show of disrespect. No, they commend them for performing their duties. Equally, the import of their criticism is to remind governments of their obligations and not to malign the image of the country or its leaders.
Critics are builders. It is time we realized this.
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