Africa, Economy, Essays, Politics, Socio-cultural

The Solutions to Kenya’s Problems Are Right Under Our Noses

Brenda Wambui

In the Gospel of Luke, Jesus Christ tells his followers the parable of the Good Samaritan. A man traveling from Jerusalem to Jericho is attacked by robbers who strip him and beat him. Both a priest and a Levite (respected members of society from whom a higher moral standard is expected) pass him by without helping. However, a Samaritan (Samaritans were thought of as scum by the Jews, whose worldview the story is intended to challenge) stops and cares for him, taking him to an inn where the Samaritan pays for his care.

This is a tale of unexpected compassionate … Read More

Economy, Essays, Politics, Security, Socio-cultural

Kenya At 52

Brenda Wambui

On Saturday, 12th December 2015, Kenya celebrated 52 years of being a republic. We had our usual annual celebration where Uhuru Kenyatta addressed the nation and expressed a sense of optimism that is becoming more and more scarce as we continue to awaken to just how badly we are doing as a nation – socially, politically and economically.

He cited many triumphs, remembering the forefathers who build our nation, and the youth who have since inherited said nation. Except that most of the people who fought for our freedom (that are still alive) live in poverty, and the … Read More

Africa, Economy, Essays, Politics, Socio-cultural

The Anatomy of a Lootocracy

Brenda Wambui

In light of the ongoing NYS/IFMIS scandal in which amounts ranging from KES 695 million to KES 791 million are said to have been stolen by alleged relatives of top NYS officials hiding behind a few companies, it is important that we as a nation take pause to appreciate the extent of the mess we are in at the moment as a full blown lootocracy. The money stolen in this scandal is said to have been obtained by introducing an extra zero on each transaction they posted on IFMIS.

Just before this, ironically, the president cited the unmanageability of … Read More

Economy, Education, Essays, Politics, Security, Socio-cultural

What Is The Value Of A Kenyan Life?

Brenda Wambui

Mythology has it that human life is priceless – this sentiment has been reinforced as long as I can remember and is taken as a basic human truth. It is echoed in the Bible when King Solomon had to determine the mother of a child and did so by ordering that the child be split with each woman claiming the maternity of the child receiving half. The true mother of the child pleaded that the child not be cut in half – she preferred that it be given to the other woman rather than die in such a manner – … Read More

Economy, Essays

Kenya’s National Budget 2015/16: An Analysis

Brenda Wambui

Overview

Kenya has yet again tabled East Africa’s largest budget statement, targeting revenue collection of KES 1.358 trillion (20.8% of GDP) and overall expenditure and net lending of KES 2.002 trillion (30.7% of GDP), leading to a budget deficit. Of this, 1.28 trillion would be recurrent, while 721 billion would be development expenditure. The government of the day seemed to be buoyed by their creation of about 800,000 jobs (the informal sector created over 80% of these), reduction of the cost of living due to the reduction of the price of electricity and fuel (which was cancelled out … Read More

Economy, Essays, Socio-cultural

Why #TeamPositivity Is Wrong

Brenda Wambui

There is a belief that has been around in Kenya since the advent of the prosperity gospel and the flood of self-help books in the market: that the key to the change we so desperately require in Kenya, be it solving our flooding problem or ending corruption, is positive thinking.

Recently, we have faced successive lows as a country, such as the Garissa massacre, the Nairobi floods, the dipping of the Kenya shilling with relation to the US Dollar and the Euro among others, and the purveyors of the positive thinking school of thought have blamed these incidents … Read More

Africa, Economy, Essays, Politics, Socio-cultural

Injustice. Everywhere.

Brenda Wambui

The phrase “new year, new me” cannot be said to apply to the year 2015 – for it appears that it will be a continuation, and perhaps a crescendo, of the gross inhumanity we experienced in 2014.

Nigeria has suffered yet another onslaught from the terror group Boko Haram, who have killed an upward of 2,000 people in the town of Baga. Many complained that the attack did not garner nearly enough public attention and outrage, as compared to the attack on the offices of Charlie Hebdo in which 17 people, mostly staff members of the magazine, were killed. A … Read More

Economy, Essays, Politics, Security

Let’s Talk About Uhuru

Brenda Wambui

I like to think that I learn something from all the reading I choose to indulge in – and in the past five years, I have read/learnt a bit about microexpressions. These are brief facial expressions that occur when a person conceals an emotion, either consciously or unconsciously. Seven of these facial expressions are universal, one of which is contempt.

Contempt is an attitude of disrespect, accompanied by intense dislike. It is quite easy to spot – it shows itself through a unilateral lip corner raise and tighten. Here are some examples:

Contempt Collage

Below is a video of Uhuru Kenyatta … Read More

Economy, Essays, Politics, Security, Socio-cultural

My Land Is Not Kenya: The Folly Of Patriotism

Brenda Wambui

You only got one mama

You only got one pa

You only got one life to live

No matter who you are

You can go the whole world over

Every city has its dawn

But everybody liveth has one place where he was born

And mine is Kenya, so warm and wild and free

You’ll always stay with me here in my heart

My land is Kenya, right from your highlands to the sea

You’ll always stay with me here in my heart, here in my heart.

Good for Roger Whittaker, who sang this song. It is normally used to … Read More

Africa, Economy, Essays, Politics, Socio-cultural

Architects Of Our Own Despair: Thoughts On Poverty

Brenda Wambui

“Once poverty is gone, we’ll need to build museums to display its horrors to future generations. They’ll wonder why poverty continued so long in human society – how a few people could live in luxury while billions dwelt in misery, deprivation and despair.”

Mohammed Yunus

It is easy to think of poverty as a thing that once solved, will lead to unending human prosperity. We just need to find its source and cut it off. Only that poverty has several causes, and once you begin to think about it, it begins to seem like a hydra: when you cut off … Read More