Moving Kenya Forward - 7

8/3/2019 Moving Kenya Forward - 7

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MOVING KENYA FORWARD: THE SEARCH FORHIGHER LIVING

Dear Mr. President:

The whole goal, of this document, is to help reveal, and portray too, a basicmisunderstood problem, seen, in Kenya, and falsely associated, with Developmentitself. In many ways, its a document, thats asks, the very question, Who is truly, aKenyan?, and it is believed, that, in adequately answering this, then, the problem,of Development itself, becomes, much more easier, to fulfill.

The purpose, of asking this question, is in, many ways, to create, a base, fromwhich, to launch, Development from, as in, mainly, creating, Success Profiles, that inall, are, supposed, to build, Kenya. In all, one can have, the perfect, Infrastructure, but still too, in the end, have, no real development .

The reason for this, is that, there, must be a kind, of material existence , which, in many ways, creates, a typical Kenyan Identity, from which, one,can build, Success on. The creation, of Councils, is a huge start in attempting, toactually create, Kenyan Identities, as based on, Public Systems, Indigenous culture,and Religious Identity. However, that is, a very general description, of a Council, anddoes not say much, of the actual, kind of figures, that, live in it. In all, it, simplydescribes, a tribe as mainly, identified, via, Indigenous culture, and does not speak,of, actual figures, or Identities even, found, within, these tribes. Identities, prettymuch needed, to actually, develop, and build Kenya, otherwise, one, does find that,tribes/Councils , will simply, make, Kenya, a Middle Class country. They aredocuments, all based, on building Infrastructure, that is, non-existent, and will notturn, Kenya really, into, an Upper Class country, unless, it is understood, that,becoming Upper Class, is highly, identified, with creating, Success Profiles .

To fully understand this, is to know too, that, these Identities proposed, have, inmany ways too, a basic lifestyle , they, adhere to, andare in, many ways, Identities/material existences, from which, to launch, Successfrom. When we speak, of a, successful Kikuyu, what is it, that, differentiates him/her,from, other Kikuyus? This, is actually, what, we are attempting, to answer.

Lifestyles, in many ways, are, associated, with the kind, of place, one lives in, and in,most ways, its terrain, climate, and finally, weather too. To explain this somewhateasily, one, cannot live, like, a Maasai, in Europe or Asia even. Its a basic lifestyle, inmany ways, only, suited, for living, in Kenya.

Basic lifestyles in all, differ, from, Culture, and are associated, with, creating, amaterial existence, from which, in general, to survive on. A simple way of living,that, actually meets, all of ones, basic, physical, and psychological, needs. For most,a Maasai in Kenya, is a, poor figure, living in poverty, while, in reality, Maasais, have


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actually, developed, a basic lifestyle, which, they have engaged in, for, generations,and meets, their physical and, psychological needs, rather well. This is not truethough, for most Kenyans, who are, in many ways, slum dwellers .

In all really, basic lifestyles, do, not refer, to group survival, or a group identity, but,

to sole lone figures, creating, a way of life, from which, they can, survive on .

To fully understand this better, is to know, that, what, the UN, refers to as, Socio-economic indicators, in many ways, does really refer, to, the lack, of a basic materialexistence , amongst, most Africans. The very fact, that, before onecan, launch, a mission of sort, to succeed , they must, have, a basiclifestyle/material existence-infrastructure, that at the very least, consists, of basicnecessities and needs, that allows them, to, live comfortably . A good example, of such material existence,

is paper . Kenya, is believed, to have, somebasic lifestyles, that, the majority, actually identify with, as, with regards mainly, tosurvival issues. These lifestyles, in many ways, do not, actually describe, groupidentities, but, actually refer, to sole individual living, as with survival really. Thethree most, popularly known, are, Rural living , Maasai lifestyles, and finally, Lower class living . These three, are the three, main ways, that, theaverage individual Kenyan, attempts, to survive, and which, Socio-economicindicators, attempt, to rectify. Even worse, are the existence, of, slum dwellers, whohave, a way of living, way below, that, of rural living, and are simply, psychologically, messed up people. The best of these mentioned lifestyles, isthat, of the Maasai, which in many ways, at the very least, creates, physically sound,

and psychologically well, humans .

Yet still, having said all that, it is adequately believed, that, Councils, will actuallyresolve, a lot of these problems, but still, will, not actually, create, a basic lifestyle,for its people. In many ways, what is been said, is that, one, should think all this, as,in creating Councils, and having, Maasais, live within them . In many ways, this truly mirrors, life, today, as seen in Europe. An example, of a European basic lifestyle, is, visitingCafes.

Hopefully Mr. President, this is all too clear, and one does find that, for most,Kenyans, everyday living, is associated with, simply attempting, to, create, a basiclifestyle, which, they believe, will make them, happy . In all, as mentioned just previously, they are actually, chasing success, inorder, to feel, physically sound , and also, psychologically well . They are not,really chasing, success, to actually feel, as worthy, achieving, human beings .


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To better understand, basic lifestyles, and to also know, that, these lifestyles, arebased very much, on the kind of land, one lives in, as with terrain perhaps, climateand weather, and to also know, that, certain places, in Kenya , have similar, climate, and weather patterns, to those, seenin Europe , is to say also, that the basic lifestyles, seen, inthese places, should match, those, seen, in Europe/England. In many ways, it is the

Kenyan land, as with, terrain, climate and weather, that made it, become, known as,the White mans land, in one way, or another, due mainly, to the development, of,certain basic lifestyles, similar, to those seen, in Europe, that were very much,launching pads, for, the past development, of, Kenya . Colonials in Kenya, helped, develop, certain basic lifestyles , that they used, to create, KenyanIdentities, from which, to launch, all kinds, of, successes .

Presented here below, are five, Kenyan Identities, created, during the Colonialperiod, and associated very much, with, having made Kenya, a, developing country,to watch, in the past. It is these identities, that, are very much, needed, in simply,helping, Kenya develop, to, a higher existence.

1. The Hunter: The Hunter, is a Kenyan, Identity, created during, the Colonialperiod, by, certain colonials, and very much, based on, Maasai lifestyles. Agood example, of the Hunter, was, Ernest Hemingway, who, lived, in general,similarly, somewhat, to a Maasai. In all, one finds that, people, who seek, todevelop, lives, like the Hunter, become in all Consultants, of one kind, oranother.

2. The Ascetic: The Ascetic, as a Kenyan identity, refers really, to, a person, whoseeks out to live, a rather religious life, and an, associated materiality, toaccompany it. A well known way, of living, by, some Kenyans, but bestperhaps, exemplified, by, Elspeth Huxley. A basic lifestyle, actually, based inKenya, on, Samburu lifestyles, and in many ways too, refers, to someone,who, attempts, to solve societal problems from a, psychological, point of view.

3. The Avant-garde: The Avant-garde, is a Kenyan Identity, having, its origins, in,the Swahili coast, and simply, represents, a person, very much, a Reader bynature, but also seeking, to, develop, Kenya economically . A person, who reads, all kinds, of thought provoking books, andattempts, to create, economic opportunity, from what, has been read. In the

past, in Colonial Kenya, this Identity, was, very much, responsible, forcreating, an, Aristocrat Class in Kenya. A good example, of such, a figure,was, Lord Delamere, but someone, like, Naushad Meralli, also, very much, fits,the bill.

4. The Huckster: The Huckster, is another, figure, with origins, in the, Swahilicoast, and simply, refers, to someone, who, engages, in what some call,Biashara. Biashara, is a way, of doing business, based totally on, makingdeals, of all kinds. An Identity, heavily adopted, by, the Kikuyu, making them,


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more, prosperous, than other Kenyan groups, and perhaps, best, exemplified,by the, likes, of Paul Muite.

5. The Bohemian: The Bohemian, is a figure, who, in many ways, is simply,creative, and seeks, to be as such . A figurereally, who dreams up, all, kinds, of opportunity, and then, attempts, to bringabout, the right, people, to make it real. Opportunity, in anything, from,

running a restaurant, to, running a bookshop, to even, plotting, a holidayoverseas. A Kenyan Identity, that gave birth, to, the culture, of, KuangamizaMambo, and based on, Omani Arab culture, and best, exemplified perhaps,by, the likes, of, Karen Blixen.

These five Identities Mr. President, are what, made Kenya, what it was, in thecolonial times, and even, during, the seventies. Identities, totally Kenyan, as those,who lived them, sought, to totally, forsake, their home countries, and totally,identify, as Kenyan. In many ways, Kenyas, good infrastructure , was built, by, these figures, and a failure to understand thisis a failure, to know, why, Kenya, has simply stagnated since, the seventies.

It is these, five Identities, and their, associated basic lifestyles, that, in many ways,has made, Kenya, much more, Westernized, than even, South Africa, as the general,Kenyan, is perceived, as, Western, in many ways, as, the average European. Asmentioned before, these, Identities, are totally, Kenyan, and cannot, be replicated,in, other parts, of the world, as in all, they have, a heavy, Kenyan, cultural basis .

Creating an Ordered Kenyan Society:

For the average Kenyan, everyday, life, is in many ways, simply, based around, the,search, for a meaningful, existence. A meaningful existence, as with, chasing, the,basic requirements, meant, to simply survive. As a result, what, one sees, on thestreets, of most, Kenyan cities, are, people rushing, here and there, to seek out,basic necessities, in many ways in all, to mainly feel, psychologically well. Hopefully,this is all understandable, from the perspective of, All work, and no play, makes,

Jack, a dull , boy. You find that, in Kenya, one has to, succeedhighly, before one, can, afford themselves, a basic, lifestyle, of visiting,restaurants/pubs/cafes, going on a holiday, or even, affording, an interesting book,to read. To fully understand all this too, is to also, understand, what the following,UN measures/indicators, really mean: standards of living, quality of life, and, cost ofliving. That in all, they actually, refer, to maintaining, a, lifestyle acquired, and that,Nairobi, has a high cost of living due really, to actually attempting, to become,American like .

Understanding too, the five identities, mentioned above, will help one also,understand, the various, infrastructural structures, created, based on them. We aretalking, of the, Muthaiga Country Club, the Norfolk Hotel, Woolworths , African Safaris, the Carnivore, Tusker Beer, National Parks,Bookpoint , RVA , Runda/Karen/Lavington residences, the Nairobi IndustrialArea, the Kenyan Parliament , and finally too, the All Saints


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Cathedral in Nairobi . In manyways, all these and more, were created, by, those, who chose, to live, life, based on,the above, five Identities mentioned. Since then, it can be said, for most part, Kenya,has not advanced, much farther, than this. Runda/Lavington/Karen, still remain, the,prime real estate properties, in Nairobi.

Hopefully Mr. President, this is all, too clear, that these, five Identities, have created,mentalities, in those who, chose, to live by them, to create, the infrastructuralstructures, mentioned above, and are not really, part, of what, one could call, a,Council/tribe Identity .

As mentioned previously too Mr. President, it is said that, these five Identities, areprimarily responsible, for, having made, Kenya, a developed country , and that, simply, creating Councils, leads, to a middle class, tribalexistence, that, however, does not, do much, for actual, real development. Itssimply, a basic, survival structure , meeting ones, physicaldemands mainly . Psychological well-being, is mostly met, by, basic lifestyles.

For many Kenyans, the issue, of money, and financial management, is not, wellunderstood, as with really, referring to, basic lifestyles, and not, enjoyment. Theconcept, of the, local economy , does not, exist, duemainly, to, rather poor, financial management skills . The belief, by many Kenyans,that, they should seek out, money, to go, out really, and enjoy themselves , and not, understand really, that, psychological wellness,is actually, based on, basic lifestyles. For many, the goal, is to simply attempt, toseek out, enjoyment, as seen, on, the Television , and to,attempt, to feel, happy, about themselves, by, spending money, as such, and not,

understanding really, that, basic happiness, is, based on, actually, having, a basiclifestyle. Others, attempt, to achieve, the kind of Success, that, a Naushad Merallihas, and not understanding that, his Success, is based on, being, an Avant-garde,and also too, his, Ismaili religious Identity.

Hopefully, all this, has been explained, rather clearly, as this, is an important, issue,in helping, determine, who is actually, a true, Kenyan, and who is not. That it is,what, they call, basic, lifestyles, that help one, develop, a love, for their country, andnot, development agendas, of all sorts. To fully explain this too, is to know, that,these Identities, are, associated with, creating Public Order, as with, meeting, onesneeds, and demands . That, as a Psychological being, in somany words, one, has certain, needs and demands, that, one attempts, to meet, allrisk, falling sick/ill, as with, being tormented/unhappy, or even, bothered/ angry withlife. Needs and demands, associated, with the above for example five Identities,and speak really, of for example, the kind of food perhaps, kind of clothes, kind ofhousing, and in general, the kind of materiality, that, one needs , to generally, just, feel happy. That for most, in Kenya, all this, has, to do,with attempting, to seek out, enjoyment, in a night club, somewhere, in a city . All that, is what, constitutes, a localeconomy, and in many ways too, also, consists of, things, required, to generally do,


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any kind of work, as with, pencils and paper, furniture, and even, matchsticks. Thatone finds really, that today, Kenya, attempting to declare, itself, to actuallysomewhat be, a developed country, actually, still imports, pencils and pens, fromGermany.

In the past, one does find, that, meeting, the needs and demands, of, the five

Identities above, was, very much, done, by various, Government Bodies, of all kindse.g. Higher Bodies , National Bodies ,Local Bodies , Parastatals ,Institutional Bodies , Chambers of Commerce, the KenyanInstitute of Education , and other such bodies . These Bodies, were, in many ways, used, to not, only, help indefining, Kenyan Identities, but in, many ways too, provide, for, a basic lifestyle.Many of these, Bodies, now pretty much, lie, defunct, and in many ways too, are the best, and fastest, and easiest way too, inhelping, Kenya, become, highly developed .

Perhaps all this, might be difficult, to, directly see, but what, has been said really, isthat, Colonial lifestyles , were, maintained, andregulated by, these Bodies . That these Bodies,existed, before, there was, Government, in Kenya.

Alan Gicheru

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Moving Kenya Forward - 7