NATIONAL COHESION WILL NOT BE ACHIEVED THROUGH INTIMIDATION

                     What is national cohesion? What is unity? What constitutes national cohesion?....These are some of the questions I asked myself when some misguided chaps tried to block the airing of the play 'Shackles of Doom' by Butere Girls in the ongoing National Music Competition. Their reason?...that the play 'undermined national cohesion'. From the face of this argument, it is clear that there is total misunderstanding of the meaning of national cohesion.  Those  opposing the play seem to be telling us that to achieve national cohesion we should not say the truth. We should be silenced.

                    But when will kenyans live in unity if they are disallowed from discussing openly the problems bedeviling them? Methinks unity is a fruit of dialogue. It is a product of fertile talks. Answers are found in talking,talking and talking. Silence is what has sunk Kenya into this pit of hatred. I think these misguided bureaucrats ought to know some facts right. That freedom is the reward for speaking truth. That lasting peace is anchored on a society that speaks openly with itself. That national cohesion can't be forced on the masses. National cohesion is born within the masses,individually and collectively,as a result of talking,talking and talking to one another. That through speaking people get the knowledge to understand one another.

                     It is therefore foolhardy for a nation to aspire to live in unity and still suppress the voices of the masses. To do this is like aspiring to see paradise and yet refuse to die. The two sides are linked. You can't eliminate one and expect the other to exist. It is therefore high time for some thick-headed bureaucrats to understand that kenyans have come of age. Kenyans are now ready to embrace dialogue in the pursuit of a cohesive society. Any move against this is a coup against the masses. It is an insult against the collective conscience of kenyans to try to block those kids from airing out what is already in the public domain.

                      A society that sings its ills and challenges, is not only strong but peace loving. A silent one speaks in actions. It finds it easy to slaughter the other guy across the road 'because that is the only way it can open up its soul'. It is a blessing to see our kids, mothers, fathers, youths, everybody....talk about the ills within us for that is the  surest and safest path to a cohesive and peaceful Kenya. Any move to remove this component will lead to 'actionable talks'. And when it reaches there, don't complain that the people are evil and intolerant. That is the only way they can 'speak' after being silenced. Think,think hard before silencing our kids!

EQUALITY SHOULD GO BEYOND MATERIAL POSSESSIONS

               I am a great fun and supporter of equality and empowerment of women. I love this and will always support any move to realize it. But it should be understood that women empowerment doesn't mean 'fighting' men or thinking in a manner to mean that you are in 'conflict' with the dividing lines that define and separate men and women. To do this,I think, is symptomatic of intellectual poverty. Why? Lets look at what is happening in Norway.

                Here,I'm told, is the cradle of all feminist thinking and practice. This spirit is felt across the populations. It is more  than a mere philosophy. Girls are 'inducted' into men-like thinking at infancy. They are taught to keep looking at what men do. This,they say,will allow them do as they(men) do. For instance,if a brother comes home at 4.00 AM, girls too can do the same 'because that is equality'. This is their interpretation of equality of women. I will call this conflict of thought and practice.

               To equalize men and women is not to equalize them materially. Equality comes from the need to give and allow all humans do what they can do best. It is not an avenue to demolish the fundamentals of life and create a niche that is incoherent and confusing. To equalize humans materially is to mean that since Mr X has this,Miss Y must have it too. Methinks this is foolhardy. Equality goes beyond this material equation. It questions  the ability of Mr X and Miss Y to use that which they all want to possess. 

                For instance, it is understandable to say that if a father gives a cow to his son,he should also give a cow to his daughter for the sake of 'equality'. But the question is how able is the son or daughter to benefit from the cow? It is the answer to this question that guides my understanding of equality. In simple terms,equality should not stop at allocation of materials,physical or otherwise, it should interrogate the ability of each party to utilize it positively. Doing this is beneficial for it will not create a generation that is in conflict with itself. 

WHY AND HOW MR GOVERNOR MUST ACT

                 To be elected governor is not that simplistic. It is an act of courage and scrutiny by the masses. It is a test for the elected. It is an expression of hope and confidence by the electorate. These and many other elements make the office of a governor more unique than other elective positions. The spirit carried by this office is that of "action". It is not a representative office. The man seating there has a defined duty to perform and make true the visions of the masses. This is the formula I think the Governor for Turkana County should adopt:

                    Avoid any miscalculation. Remember this, “an army of sheep led by a lion is better than an army of lions led by a sheep". This saying should keep on knocking in your brains every day you perform your duties. Remember you are the founding governor. I must congratulate you for that. But this puts tonnes of hopes on you. The future of the county rests on every step you take. We the electorates (the army of sheep) believe in every 'order' emanating from your office. It is therefore of great interest to all that those 'orders' be orders of prosperity and victory. This calls for courage and selflessness. It requires progressive thinking. Avoid the urge to create barriers to block the exchange of ideas. Put this close to your heart, "No man is an Island. No man is endowed with everything. Man becomes complete by embracing incompleteness." This incompleteness is the driving force that man needs to learn from others. 

                   Adopt zoning method of growing local economies. Turkana County is unique in all aspects. It is criss-crossed by rivers. It is home to the largest desert lake in the world. It is a cradle of mankind....etc. These are the foundations over which the Turkana economy must be build. Let's not look outside. Everything is here. The needs of the people of Kalokol aren't the same as those of people of Kainuk. This is the basis of my theory. It is about responding to peoples' needs as they are and not as we think. For instance, Kalokol being a fish producing zone must have a fish processing plant(s). This isn't the same as Kainuk. Voila! That is what I mean by zoning method.

                   Cooperatives are the weapons of rural traders and producers. Think of that herder cruising the plains of Lokiriama. Think of that farmer along the river Kerio. These are the heroes you must walk and talk with. They have demonstrated the little they know. All they need is market for their produce. A solution for this? Embrace the spirit of cooperatives. Encourage these heroes to be in groups and form cooperatives or market welfare groups so as to ease marketing of their produce. Doing this will definitely offload the hopelessness of that goat trader who treks miles to the market only to be humiliated by a middle-man. Protect these heroes please.

                   The Lodwar Mikeka traders need a face lift. These traders are thirsty of business skills. They have already passed the first test - they are capable of producing high quality mikeka,vikapu,viondo...etc. The barrier before them is that of a good market. Just like that goat trader, they too face untold suffering in the hands of thieving middle-men. Any idea? Build a special market for these guys. They too must embrace the idea of forming cooperatives. Besides, signal your sheriffs to keep-off these mamas and wazees until that time when their businesses mature. Removing/suspending these taxes and fees from their backs is the needed oxygen to attract traders hence benefiting that mkeka-producer based in Kerio Division. Jump into action Mr. Governor.

                   Finally, link up with some of our local universities to help grow the agricultural sector. Encourage them to decentralize their extension services/research centers to those agriculturally rich zones of Turkana. This way, the average farmer will get the right information at his disposal. I believe those university guys will not turn down your request. They have all the information that our farmers need. Talk to them. 

                    TOGETHER IN THE SERVICE OF THE MASSES.