To fight rot in our society, fix the parenting

Recently, a University of Nairobi professor described for yours truly the Kenyan politician. Greedy, ambitious, and amoral are the adjectives he used. In the aftermath of what has come to be called “The Shame of Rio”, I find the description apt — but not just for politicians.

The don’s words depict the country’s socio-cultural rot, with corruption strangling the nation. The recent madness in boarding schools that saw more than 100 schools torched is just one symptom of the decadence that defines Kenya today, where parents’ investment in their children’s education is rewarded by indolence. The learners will not work; they would rather cheat for grades.

And their teachers? Rather than do what they are hired to do, that is teach, their bosses — the headteachers — are engaged in a dizzying frenzy for wealth, in which parents have become cash cows, paying coaching fees often far in excess of the formal school fees.

When the Lang’ata Primary School pupils were tear-gassed in January 2015 to make room for a hotel associated with Deputy President William Ruto as they the protested grabbing of their land, Kenya recorded a new low in moral depravity.

The Lands Ministry would seem to be the centre of corruption, with a piece of land having more than one title.

Just when we thought former President Daniel arap Moi’s woes had ended, the United States International University (USIU) fraternity hit the streets, protesting at the loss of 20 acres to a developer whom, they claim, bought land that the USIU also claimed.

We also thought the Devolution Ministry woes had ended when the National Youth Service scandal brought down Cabinet Secretary Anne Waiguru.

That was until anti-corruption boss Philip Kinisu got ensnared in the same scandal and is now fighting for his life in a conflict of interest case. It cannot get worse than when the hunter becomes the hunted.

But Kenya is not alone. Malawi is suffering from the same ills. Unlike Kenya, however, the southern Africa country has taken the bull by the horns with the University of Malawi (Unima) launching a degree course onUmunthuology to tackle social evils.

It is too early to gauge the impact of the new programme on Malawi, but there is no doubt that abandoning our humanhood (utu in Kiswahili or umunthu/ubuntu in southern Africa) is behind the rot that defines Kenya today, driven by the seven deadly sins, including gluttony, greed, laziness, and envy. Boasting 75 per cent Christians, there can be no apology in nailing sin as Kenya’s undoing.

Inasmuch as the Malawi approach is a laudable starting point to addressing its corruption woes, starting at the university level may, in my opinion, be too late.

In her book, Parenting with Purpose and African Wisdom, Gladys Mwiti pinpoints poor parenting as the cause of our woes. Describing ours as a “world of shortcuts to greatness [and] thirst for instant riches”, she prescribes good old honest hard work as the starting point in turning Kenya around.

If parents devoted equal time to grades and to building their own character and that of their children, we would see less corruption and inclination to instant wealth. Why would a child for whom parents and teachers buy exams respect work when he/she can achieve his/her goal by simply paying a bribe to crooks at the National Examinations Council?

Child upbringing is a painstaking affair that requires patience on parents’ part. However, its benefits are enormous, and one wishes parents would put greater emphasis on building the virtues of integrity and hard work in their children so that they cringe at corruption and easy wealth.

Ms Kweyu is a freelance writer and consulting editor. [email protected]