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Wednesday, January 12, 2005
Kenya's Wish-List 2005
December 29, 2004
OPINION - By Jerry Okungu in Atlanta, Georgia.
POLITICAL WISHES THAT KENYANS MUST MAKE FOR THE COMING YEAR.
Normally I am never really good at picking up handouts dished out at conferences and workshops. I have not been able to do this because I always feel that after having listened to presentations, there is nothing really new I may learn for the detailed, sometimes irrelevant detail I may not find useful.
However, this time, while in Nairobi there was a folder I inadvertently collected without knowing or checking what was inside. When I did check it nine days later, I found one document that has since enriched my life and changed my way of looking at society beyond my own imagination
Reading this document through and through, I found myself thinking about our country Kenya, its political leadership and its politics. I realized how badly off we were in terms of quality leadership that can move this country beyond where we are today.
This document is a collection of quotable quotes from world leaders past and present.
It also extensively quotes and paraphrases a substantial amount of material that has been researched and collected by many UN agencies, international integrity and leadership development agencies in North America, Asia and Europe.
It is basically a summary of five values from a collection of writings entitled Leading Beyond Borders that every leader worth his salt in society has to master.
These five values under discussion in this 15-page handout are: Bridging, Dialogue, Integrity, Learning and Synergy
In this article I will only confine myself to the value of integrity in leadership.
In their opening statement when discussing Integrity, the authors quote two philosophers named Mac dePree in his book, Leadership is An Art and Ken Wilber, the author of No Boundaries. While Max dePree says that “The first responsibility of a leader is to define reality", Ken Wilber tells us that, “ As an individual draws up the boundaries of his soul, he establishes at the same time the battles of his soul".
In the context of the Kenyan situation, it would appear that a wish for integrity among the political leadership in the coming year would be quite in order as this is one area where we find leadership most wanting.
In order to create leaders who value and prefer personal and national integrity, they must give priority to openness with one another. In giving priority to openness they will take responsibility not only to define the reality of their place in our political spectrum but to also understand the reality of the circumstances of our present society.
Beyond that, they will need to examine their inner souls- the bedrock of their desires and personal ambitions, determine the limits and opportunities available to them and prepare to balance the various conflicting interests paused by the unique circumstances that leadership has thrashed on their shoulders.
And what do our authors say in this great handout? They assert that, “ if we want short term safety, we build a wall between us and them. But if we want long term security, we create webs that connect us". And they give specific instances where nations that have attempted to erect walls as a form of security or even individuals who have erected walls around their homes in cities have always lived in fear of intruders and invaders. They cite the Berlin Wall that never stopped Communist insurgents and Western spies from infiltrating Cold war era opponents. The Israel I attempt to erect a wall between them and Palestinians living along the Gaza strip never gave them the security they desired. Instead, more suicide bombers have continued to blow up innocent Israelis inside Jerusalem, Tel Aviv and any other city inside Israel.
Like in Israel, the divided Germany and any individual that erects a wall around his home, walls will always place us in constant fear of being attacked by our enemies. As we continue to live in fear, we isolate our selves from our neighbours and communities because we are forever preoccupied with imminent danger. Yet, like in the barricaded Israel, apartheid South Africa or the Wall of Berlin, how many such barricaded homes in our city suburbs in Karen, Muthaiga and Lavington have been infiltrated by our enemies, who have robbed us, raped our daughters, mothers and wives and sometimes stolen and murdered us in cold blood?
Which brings me to another observation I have always marveled at in big cities in North America and Europe. In such cities, the really affluent homes are built in open space, literally fenceless and all one sees are endless well attended lawns and flowerbeds, yet even neighbors do not intrude into one another's privacy. They are at peace with one another and their environment. The good thing about this openness or open plan neighborhood is that if there is a disaster like an attack, a fire outbreak or an emergency that needs external assistance, access to the home is easy and fast.
During the Cold War, when Europe was divided between Communist East and Capitalist West, there was suspicion everywhere. Nuclear missiles from Moscow pointed at London, Paris, Rome and Washington while the Pentagon arsenals ominously pointed at Moscow, Havana and any other perceived communist threat to the civilized world. However, since the Berlin Wall came down more than a decade ago, and with Communism gone, Europe's unification has spread peace, stability and trust between former sworn enemies. Now they don't have to spy on one another.
A free Europe where there has been unlimited access to either country has cemented trust among former warring neighbors. This openness or connectivity can enable all of us as nations, communities or individuals to live safely and sanely in a globalized yet turbulent world.
What is the import of my argument on local politics? In Kenya today we have politicians who would like to build walls around their homes, constituencies, districts and even provinces. It is not uncommon to hear them announce to public rallies on roof tops that such and such a place is a Kanu, LDP, Ford Kenya, Ford Asili, DP, NAK or NARC zone.
Our leaders have not only balkanized and barricaded us, they have also gone ahead to put up fences and gates to lock us away fro the rest of Kenya.
As they continue to build walls around us, they shut us away from any other information other than the one they give us, to convince us that out there, in Nyanza, Western, Kisii, Central, Machakos, Meru, Mombasa and Rift Valley are our enemies, the real enemies determined to fish us economically and politically and if they had their way, they would eliminate us from the face of the earth!
In the end, this brand of political balkanization has bred mistrust, fear and hatred of unprecedented proportions. No wonder, whenever we have a little election even for a councilor, we turn polling booths into pitched battle grounds where once in awhile blood must flow and life must be lost!
Therefore as Kenyans during this season of forgiveness, we must wish that in Nyanza, the southerners like Dalmas Otieno, Owigo Olang and Tom Obondo should rethink this culture of us and them and reach out to Kajwang, Ojode, Okundi and Adhu so that peace, trust and integrity can return to our land.
If Orengo, Bishop Ondiek, Grace Ogot, Jakoyo Midiwo, Joe Donde can do the same, we shall sure say we are getting somewhere with the divisive Nyanza politics.
If Charity Ngilu, Kalonzo Musyoka, Kiema Kilonzo and David Musila can do the same for Ukambana, it will be one great step to national integrity.
If Karume, Uhuru, Biwott, Okemo, Kombo, Mudavadi, Joe Khamisi, Ali Makwere, Najib Balala and Mayor Taib can also see the light this season, then we can truly hope that the same spirit will flow through the veins of Simeon Nyachae, Omigo Magara, Kipkalias Kones and Orier Rogo Manduli.
This country needs healing, it needs its walls brought down, it need its many gates opened and more importantly it needs our leaders to redefine their individual realities and the boundaries of their hearts' desires so that we can all move together again.
The writer is executive director of Infotrack, marketing and media consultants, Kenya. Discuss this article in Club Afrika Forums and/or comment below.
OPINION - By Jerry Okungu in Atlanta, Georgia.
POLITICAL WISHES THAT KENYANS MUST MAKE FOR THE COMING YEAR.
Normally I am never really good at picking up handouts dished out at conferences and workshops. I have not been able to do this because I always feel that after having listened to presentations, there is nothing really new I may learn for the detailed, sometimes irrelevant detail I may not find useful.
However, this time, while in Nairobi there was a folder I inadvertently collected without knowing or checking what was inside. When I did check it nine days later, I found one document that has since enriched my life and changed my way of looking at society beyond my own imagination
Reading this document through and through, I found myself thinking about our country Kenya, its political leadership and its politics. I realized how badly off we were in terms of quality leadership that can move this country beyond where we are today.
This document is a collection of quotable quotes from world leaders past and present.
It also extensively quotes and paraphrases a substantial amount of material that has been researched and collected by many UN agencies, international integrity and leadership development agencies in North America, Asia and Europe.
It is basically a summary of five values from a collection of writings entitled Leading Beyond Borders that every leader worth his salt in society has to master.
These five values under discussion in this 15-page handout are: Bridging, Dialogue, Integrity, Learning and Synergy
In this article I will only confine myself to the value of integrity in leadership.
In their opening statement when discussing Integrity, the authors quote two philosophers named Mac dePree in his book, Leadership is An Art and Ken Wilber, the author of No Boundaries. While Max dePree says that “The first responsibility of a leader is to define reality", Ken Wilber tells us that, “ As an individual draws up the boundaries of his soul, he establishes at the same time the battles of his soul".
In the context of the Kenyan situation, it would appear that a wish for integrity among the political leadership in the coming year would be quite in order as this is one area where we find leadership most wanting.
In order to create leaders who value and prefer personal and national integrity, they must give priority to openness with one another. In giving priority to openness they will take responsibility not only to define the reality of their place in our political spectrum but to also understand the reality of the circumstances of our present society.
Beyond that, they will need to examine their inner souls- the bedrock of their desires and personal ambitions, determine the limits and opportunities available to them and prepare to balance the various conflicting interests paused by the unique circumstances that leadership has thrashed on their shoulders.
And what do our authors say in this great handout? They assert that, “ if we want short term safety, we build a wall between us and them. But if we want long term security, we create webs that connect us". And they give specific instances where nations that have attempted to erect walls as a form of security or even individuals who have erected walls around their homes in cities have always lived in fear of intruders and invaders. They cite the Berlin Wall that never stopped Communist insurgents and Western spies from infiltrating Cold war era opponents. The Israel I attempt to erect a wall between them and Palestinians living along the Gaza strip never gave them the security they desired. Instead, more suicide bombers have continued to blow up innocent Israelis inside Jerusalem, Tel Aviv and any other city inside Israel.
Like in Israel, the divided Germany and any individual that erects a wall around his home, walls will always place us in constant fear of being attacked by our enemies. As we continue to live in fear, we isolate our selves from our neighbours and communities because we are forever preoccupied with imminent danger. Yet, like in the barricaded Israel, apartheid South Africa or the Wall of Berlin, how many such barricaded homes in our city suburbs in Karen, Muthaiga and Lavington have been infiltrated by our enemies, who have robbed us, raped our daughters, mothers and wives and sometimes stolen and murdered us in cold blood?
Which brings me to another observation I have always marveled at in big cities in North America and Europe. In such cities, the really affluent homes are built in open space, literally fenceless and all one sees are endless well attended lawns and flowerbeds, yet even neighbors do not intrude into one another's privacy. They are at peace with one another and their environment. The good thing about this openness or open plan neighborhood is that if there is a disaster like an attack, a fire outbreak or an emergency that needs external assistance, access to the home is easy and fast.
During the Cold War, when Europe was divided between Communist East and Capitalist West, there was suspicion everywhere. Nuclear missiles from Moscow pointed at London, Paris, Rome and Washington while the Pentagon arsenals ominously pointed at Moscow, Havana and any other perceived communist threat to the civilized world. However, since the Berlin Wall came down more than a decade ago, and with Communism gone, Europe's unification has spread peace, stability and trust between former sworn enemies. Now they don't have to spy on one another.
A free Europe where there has been unlimited access to either country has cemented trust among former warring neighbors. This openness or connectivity can enable all of us as nations, communities or individuals to live safely and sanely in a globalized yet turbulent world.
What is the import of my argument on local politics? In Kenya today we have politicians who would like to build walls around their homes, constituencies, districts and even provinces. It is not uncommon to hear them announce to public rallies on roof tops that such and such a place is a Kanu, LDP, Ford Kenya, Ford Asili, DP, NAK or NARC zone.
Our leaders have not only balkanized and barricaded us, they have also gone ahead to put up fences and gates to lock us away fro the rest of Kenya.
As they continue to build walls around us, they shut us away from any other information other than the one they give us, to convince us that out there, in Nyanza, Western, Kisii, Central, Machakos, Meru, Mombasa and Rift Valley are our enemies, the real enemies determined to fish us economically and politically and if they had their way, they would eliminate us from the face of the earth!
In the end, this brand of political balkanization has bred mistrust, fear and hatred of unprecedented proportions. No wonder, whenever we have a little election even for a councilor, we turn polling booths into pitched battle grounds where once in awhile blood must flow and life must be lost!
Therefore as Kenyans during this season of forgiveness, we must wish that in Nyanza, the southerners like Dalmas Otieno, Owigo Olang and Tom Obondo should rethink this culture of us and them and reach out to Kajwang, Ojode, Okundi and Adhu so that peace, trust and integrity can return to our land.
If Orengo, Bishop Ondiek, Grace Ogot, Jakoyo Midiwo, Joe Donde can do the same, we shall sure say we are getting somewhere with the divisive Nyanza politics.
If Charity Ngilu, Kalonzo Musyoka, Kiema Kilonzo and David Musila can do the same for Ukambana, it will be one great step to national integrity.
If Karume, Uhuru, Biwott, Okemo, Kombo, Mudavadi, Joe Khamisi, Ali Makwere, Najib Balala and Mayor Taib can also see the light this season, then we can truly hope that the same spirit will flow through the veins of Simeon Nyachae, Omigo Magara, Kipkalias Kones and Orier Rogo Manduli.
This country needs healing, it needs its walls brought down, it need its many gates opened and more importantly it needs our leaders to redefine their individual realities and the boundaries of their hearts' desires so that we can all move together again.
The writer is executive director of Infotrack, marketing and media consultants, Kenya. Discuss this article in Club Afrika Forums and/or comment below.
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