Let’s harness our experiences if we’re to live Kenyan dream

For a positive thinker, the hyperactive — sometimes not so positive — mood that we continue to witness is an indication that we have indeed come a long way.

Does anyone remember the oath taking of 1969? How about the Chepkube coffee episode of the mid seventies? Then Moi took over power and, just four years into his presidency, there was that infamous coup.

This formed the basis for the sense of legitimacy on the part of the ruling class to strengthen the second and more intense dictatorship in our nation. The mid 1980s saw the Mwakenya intrigues culminating in the anti-Kanu activities of the late 1980s and early 1990s.

The repeal of section 2A of the old constitution opened the door to a multi-party democracy that started with the 1992 elections.

The first 10 years of this phase of our political evolution were difficult years because the Kanu culture reigned supreme in spite of the newfound multiparty spirit. Non-Kanu politicians were paid to defect while everything that went wrong was blamed on the opposition and the economy and infrastructure were going to ruin.

The 2002 elections brought new breath for they sanctioned the weakening of Kanu but the effects of its long domination and style of politics remained and are with us to this day.

BLAME GAME

Now we are in the days of a new constitutional dispensation and, contrary to what many would have hoped, the blame game and noise of long ago is louder than ever before. I wonder if this is an essential component of the process of growing a democracy. May be it is.

Be that as it may we, as a national community, must take great care not to waste the gains we have made so far. We have experienced difficult moments and some very good ones as well. Every experience is a learning one and we must put all our experiences into the effort of making this a better Kenya for all.

The distribution of revenue is now the talking point. One would not have expected any less with devolution being central to the current administrative arrangement.

An interesting idea that comes to my mind when I hear governors agitating is the concept I learnt some time ago. It went something like this: Justice is only complete when we put together both distributive and contributive justice.

One who expects to be distributed to must demonstrate what contribution they make no matter how little and at the same time demonstrate accountability and transparency in spending what they have received.

Unfortunately a culture was developed in this country which has built the perception that government resources are a cake that must be eaten in the here and now.

Father Wamugunda is Dean of Students at the University of Nairobi: [email protected]