By Eric Wamanji
Kenyans were recently disenchanted by government figures on economic growth and job-creation. “Where is the wealth? Where are the jobs?” Appeared to be the main question that rang in folks’ minds.
Almost in the same period again, the country was treated to a comic from Kiambu County’s budget proposal. There were such budget lines for foreign relations ( an absolute preserve of the central government). But that was not enough, Nyeri County too appeared to have a budgets for railway!
These two examples tell us something: that our counties are generally filled by a bunch of lazy, morally incompetent, unpatriotic, unqualified idiots who do not deserve their space anywhere near public offices.
Indeed, the absolute danger to jobs and opportunities in Kenya is a product of a warped if not amoral culture and system that rewards mediocrity and entertains favoritism at the expense of merit, excellence and hard work.
SHORT CHANGED
Consequently, millions of deserving Kenyans have been shortchanged, in business and employment, their only sin being lack of the right connection, the right name, or the right gender.
Sadly, the children of privilege, most of them undeserving, unashamedly hog all the plum opportunities but miserably flop in the stewardship and the enterprise to enlarge the wealth sphere. If anything, the little entrusted on them always shrink if not vanish under their watch. Yet we seem to lack the grit and the spirit to slay those golden calves and destroy the system they have constructed.
These cabal of elites, led by the political class, which we happily and ignorantly elect, have conspired to propagate this perverted and economically asphyxiating messianic ideology – that to access opportunities you need their blessings- conveniently packaged and peddled as a tolerable custom.
BAD EXPERIMENT
Indeed, we have come to accept the curse, as a nation, that lineage and corruption, not merit, is the path to Canaan. Such an experiment, folks, we have toyed with since independence, has gone awry. If you doubt, take stock of the collapsed or wobbly public institutions occasioned by inept and depraved leadership. Thus, we should fret, good people, that mediocrity in our society, and love for shortcuts have dangerously crossed thresholds and in its wake denying this great society the oxygen and space to blossom and flourish.
It is the same clique that has opened floodgates of imports thus auctioning birthrights of many Kenyans. We are importing every basic commodity that our very soil, the prime heritage bequeathed on us, could produce. When we import sugar, rice, maize, or wheat we are simply denying our people jobs and a chance to a decent life. Our homes and offices are unashamedly stuffed with imported furniture when we could easily source from the nearest carpenter. As if that is not idiocy enough, we are happily exporting unprocessed raw produce. This is hooliganism against our own people.
Are we operating at an optimal as a society? Are we engaging the most hardworking, competent, disciplined and well-meaning citizens as the generators of ideas and custodians of our sovereign wealth?
If the scalpel were to fall, for instance, on the public service, how many will pass muster? And does our public service encourage a culture of merit, hard work, high performance, innovation and excellence?
Talking of excellence, and the lack of it in our collective national psyche, is it a wonder that recently, someone toyed with the insane idea of enrolling D+ students as teachers? I can wager to the last of my dime, that should that insanity be entertained, Kenya will be a factory of dunderheads and never ever shall we rise to tackle the complex and nuanced challenges that the new world order keep producing.
MERITORIOUS SYSTEM
What we need is an overhaul of ideals and frameworks that must entrench a meritorious system. Such is a system, where creativity, hard work and intellectual rigor are tangled to produce blockbuster innovation, efficiency, and therefore prosperity. Such is the way to create wealth of the nation.
Indeed, it is not for nothing that Confucius ordained for a merit-based culture in China, nor was Plato insane when he vouched for philosopher kings. It is this crisp appreciation of capabilities and discipline that spawned great industrial societies to the enviable citadels of dazzling greatness they are today.
Thus, the government in particular should start by scrubbing off the layers of charlatans from its employee and supplier portfolios. Such masqueraders are no different from illegal immigrants who are being accused of displacing Kenyans from eking a living.
It is outlandish even naive for a society to romanticize a future of stellar success when the very people entrusted with the complex journey, that demand fidelity to intellect, unimpeachable work ethic, and innovation are mediocre.
A society that cannot entrench in its collective spirit the practices of merit, hard work and excellence is unwittingly authoring its own disgrace.