Which way the fight against disease, poverty and ignorance?

We have often been told and read about the aspirations of our independence heroes and how their plan for a free Kenya was to focus on three major areas of human development.

It was all about eradicating three negatives that weighed against our people.

These realities, which were seen as the monsters that disadvantaged our people, were ignorance, disease and poverty.

Looking at some of the things we are witnessing at the moment, one would be forgiven for thinking that this vision of the independence heroes was just a romantic idea.

Well, when we look at the whole matter afresh, that is not quite it.

In the 53 years we have been independent, there are some positive achievements that have happened in the areas of health care, education and poverty eradication.

The one major hindrance to progress in these matters is the politicisation of these basic human needs/human rights.

There have also been moments in our political-economic development when we made choices based on advice that was obviously not according to the original plan of the founders of our nation.

Take the 8-4-4 system of our education which has now been in force for more than 30 years and, therefore, produced quite a large section of professionals both in the private and public sectors.

Now we are in the process of getting into another education system. Was that one not well thought-out?

I personally know one thing.

The A-level part of our original independent education system introduced young Kenyans of that generation into accepting each other wherever one came from.

PERFECT TIMING?

That was because every A-level class, wherever it was in Kenya, was a national class.

This is one value among others that we lost in terms of nation building.

One hopes that some of these concerns will be addressed as we introduce a new education system.

The most frightening reality right now is this whole matter of the remuneration of doctors and nurses.

As the relevant unions and government continue looking for a solution, Kenyans who cannot afford private medication are suffering and some even dying.

It is, indeed, a very disturbing issue. Doctors ought to be properly remunerated for the work they do, but isn’t it a matter of conscience as well?

The health crisis comes at a time when we are gearing up for the General Election.

It is also a time when the evil of corruption is on everyone’s mind.

In this confusion one would be justified to wonder whether we shall ever attain an integrated system of governance through which disease, poverty and ignorance will truly be eradicated.

[email protected]