We need to be selfish in our dealings with other nations

I find matters of relationship between nations quite interesting. What comes out clearly is that for every nation, the relationship with whichever other nation is based on her specific interests first and foremost.

There has been a lot of talk in recent years about the Chinese involvement in our economic activities.

This excitement is founded on facts. When President Kibaki took office in 2003, he directed our international attention to the East and the Chinese came to us in unprecedented numbers and got involved in all manner of economic activities especially the construction industry.

President Uhuru took over from where Kibaki left and the relationship with the East continued. Are the Chinese so philanthropic and could that be the reason why they are now all over the place in Kenya? Is it that they would wish to see Kenya’s economy develop to their own level?

Nothing could be further from the truth. The Chinese are in it for their specific interests.

Look at what is happening in our institutions of higher learning. Confucius institutes are being established everywhere. Chinese is being taught in our universities and even in some secondary schools. This means that Chinese culture is deliberately being spread in Africa.

It is in this context that the president of the United States of America came to visit our country.

He held bilateral talks with our government and from what we read promised some assistance in some areas of development. Once more one might want to ask whether all this was about philanthropy. Was it about Kenyan interests?

Perhaps but I am persuaded to think that it is more about American interests than ours.

The Chinese intrusion in the continent of Africa cannot be a very comfortable reality for the west and I am convinced that Obama’s visit whatever about any other reason had something to do with that discomfort. Our president’s statement at the conference they both hosted was quite telling.

He told the world that we were facing neither west nor east. Meaning of course that what is of paramount importance to us is our interests.

Our founding president said at the very beginning of our independent nation that we have chosen the path of non-alignment. He, however, added a rider that non-alignment does not necessarily mean non-commitment. What could have been the meaning of that?

We are a great nation and we have many important resources natural and otherwise. Anyone would be interested in relating with us.

The commitment we make in such relationships will only be meaningful to Kenyans if they are about our specific interests.