Ogbaji Udochukwu in his book Imperialism in Africa: Politics of Development and Underdevelopment, he defines development as a normative concept referring to a multi-dimensional process. Some scholars argue that development must be relative to time, place and circumstances, and dismiss any universal formula. Increased economic efficiency, expansion of national economic capacity and technological advancement are generally accepted as necessary conditions if development is to be sustainable, as are economic and industrial diversification and adaptability in the face of shocks. Additional ingredients, attached by writers from various social sciences includes changes in social structure, attitudes, and motivation or specify the purposes of economic improvement, increases in Gross National Product (GNP) and average real incomes are means, not ends.
Fast forward to the reality in Africa and specifically Kenya. The politics we currently have is a disgrace to our forefathers who fought for our sovereignty. Most of them must be rolling in anger in their graves at how we are managing the blood-fought for freedom. The politics we have now is that of underdevelopment. Backwardness to be precise.
The leaders we have been given by the constitution the right to elect every five years have resulted in playing fool games with our patience and hard work. I wonder if sometimes we are fools when we elect the same leaders who have done nothing in their past term or is it juju magic they are using to make us vote for them every five years.
Albeit, we are almost getting out of the quagmire as seen from the past general election when seasoned politicians were floored by new breeds. Mark you, it will be tom foolery if they also don’t realize why their competitors were thrown out. They need to proof their worthiness to win the hearts of their constituents for the second time or thereof.
This seems not to be the case for one Kithure Kindiki who had the audacity to land from a chopper, went and changed then without shame started making mud and using it to wall a classroom. Kamutuandu Primary School kids will remember ‘Prof’ Kithure Kindiki landing from a chopper but will be shocked to know it brought their Senator to mud their school! This is what we call politics of underdevelopment. The amount of money this Professor used to hire a chopper was more than enough to build two to five classrooms with timber if not bricks or something better to shield the kids from the cold and scorching sun.
The times of giving people something better than you got has faded. I see a time where every weekend our leaders will be coming home to hang around with the residents just to be seen and heard but not bring investors to build hospitals, schools and dams that will benefit the locals.
I admire the close touch some of our politicians have with the people but again, the quality is wanting. One Otiende Amollo is a darling to many for his down to earth feel with his people, but one would question. Why do you go and make mud and start building mud houses for people? Same monkeys different forest, right? Isn’t it the same mud that you destroyed and refurbished it with just adding straws of sticks to keep it strong? Why not empower one brick maker by buying from them and help the old mamas get good houses. R. Buckminster said, you never change things by fighting the existing reality. To change something, build a new model that makes the existing model obsolete.
It’s time we Kenyans questioned our leaders without fear. We need tangible development and long lasting ones.
We need passable roads, we need good medical facilities with medicine, we need a corruption free society, we need good schools, we need good housing facilities not shanties, we need the best from them. We signed a social contract with them on 8th August 2017.
The saying “Tradition goes on” is anti-dynamic and ruins the progress and development of every nation that adheres to it.
PATRICK'S THOUGHTS 