Always a Window of Opportunity

I have observed that in life, there are many paths although we can only follow just one at a time. I also see these paths as being parallel to each other but to the most part, secluded from each other. However, there are gaps between these paths through which one may cross over from one path to the next. These gaps are what I like to call windows of opportunity.

You may be wondering why the Layman today is waxing philosophical and acting all knowledgeable. Well, wonder no more. I have been on a quest to answer the question why we as people always seem to be hopelessly stuck in one bad habit or another. I am trying to find out why even the wisest or most knowledgeable among us seem to be struggling with some form of bondage. In my efforts to seek the answers to these problems, I have used myself and some (anonymous) friends as a case study.

No Bigger Temptation

In the book of 1 Corinthians 10:13, the bible tells us that God will not allow us to suffer any temptation that is above what we are able to overcome. While these words are comforting in themselves, most people never remember them during the temptation itself. They are words that are usually quoted either before or after but rarely during the actual temptation.

Conscience is still Alive

When we see those people who are deeply entrenched in what we consider to be extremely evil vices such as robbery and prostitution, we conclude that their consciences are dead. We permanently assign them to their fates. Judging from some turn-around stories however, it is safe to conclude that even the most evil among us have some traces of conscience still alive in them. This means that anybody (alive – not dead) can turn his or her life around. All they need to do is take advantage of that window of opportunity that will, inevitably, at some point, come their way.

What is your Favourite Addiction?

Whenever most of us talk about addictions, the things that come to mind are drugs and alcohol. Narcotic drugs in particular, have become synonymous with addiction. In common language therefore, an addict is a person who cannot control their intake of drugs. It has however come to my attention that there are many other forms of addiction apart from drugs. In fact, all of us are struggling, either knowingly or unknowingly, with either one or other type of addiction.

It is at this point that some readers are turning off the blog claiming that the Layman is accusing them of being addicts. Before you go, let me explain why I think you and I are addicts. The dictionary defines an addict as a person who habituates or abandons himself (or herself) to something, compulsively or obsessively. I know you might still not be convinced and so please look at the examples below to determine whether, like me, you need help.

Gambling

Whenever gambling is mentioned, most people think of casinos. It is true that a lot of gambling happens in casinos. However, there are many subtle forms of gambling that many ‘ordinary’ people unthinkingly indulge in. If part of your monthly budget is dedicated to the purchase of raffle tickets or airtime for subscribing to bonyeza ushinde (and such other forms of online raffles), you are a gambler. If a significant part of your retirement plans will utilize the expected winnings from a competition, then you are a compulsively obsessive gambler and you definitely need help.

Sex

Anybody who has had sex at least once is a candidate for sex addiction. It relates closely to the story given by recovering alcoholics that they can trace their problems to the first sip of alcohol they ever took. Sex is a bigger addiction problem than most people (including experts) would care to admit. The media and Hollywood do not help matters much either, as they keep our fantasies and lusts well-nourished.

Food

If the level of obesity today is anything to go by, food addiction has reached endemic levels. In my view, it ranks closely with terrorism as a disaster judging from the number of unavoidable deaths it causes. Most food addicts console themselves in the fact that, at least they don’t use drugs. They consider food to be harmless fun but forget that harm is not in the food itself; it is in the (unhealthy) quantities and quality (or lack thereof) taken.

The Lull before the Storm

I could go on and on talking about how different things can be addictive but I think you get my point. I will not get into talking about shopping, social media, and internet browsing as addictions. My aim is to share what I think constitutes an effective escape plan in the majority of compulsive behaviour cases.

It has been observed that before any storm hits, there is a moment of eerie silence where even the wind stops. This short time allows for those who know the storm is coming to take cover. The same lull occurs before someone does something compulsive. It is like a brief moment of reflection where one is unusually sober and able to ask himself whether he wants to proceed or not. This is the window of opportunity that people who overcome all sorts of bondages utilise in order to overcome their unhealthy habits. It is the reason why the wise tell us to think before we act.

Disclaimer: This article is non-academic and although it offers practical advice, it should not be taken as an alternative to visiting your favourite shrink.

Western Civilisation Does Not Seem to Be Working in Africa

The West

Whenever I hear of the west, I always wonder; the west of what? In all my adventures as a Layman, I never met anyone who could answer the question satisfactorily. I know the west includes Europe and North America. I also know that the Arab countries are classified into near East, Middle East, and the Far East.

In order for me to find out what the West is west of, I decided to conduct my own research, using a map of the world. I wanted to know which part of the world was the point of reference; meaning, it was neither East nor West. I discovered that that place is the country of Israel. Now, before you start reminding me that am just a Layman who cannot possibly understand such matters, check it out for yourself.

Civilisation

According to Wikipedia, civilisation is any complex society characterized by urban development, social stratification, symbolic communication forms (typically, writing systems), and a perceived separation from and domination over the natural environment. Civilizations are intimately associated with and often further defined by other socio-politico-economic characteristics, including centralization, the domestication of both humans and other organisms, specialization of labour, culturally ingrained ideologies of progress and supremacism, monumental architecture, taxation, societal dependence upon farming as an agricultural practice, and expansionism.

Western Civilisation (Layman's) Defination

According to me therefore, Western Civilisation is the way of life in those countries that lie to the West of Israel. It is also important and interesting to note that all those countries are also all located to the North of the Tropic of Cancer. It is therefore safe to assume that to all of us here in Africa, western civilisation is a foreign concept. It has therefore come to introduce things to us that are alien to us. (Before I continue, I would like to state that, I appreciate the fact that Africa is not one big homogenous society. Rather, it is a collection of many distinct societies but which have major similarities. It is those similarities that I focus on here.)

Every Man for Himself

A popular adage today says, ‘every man for himself and God for us all’. This was never the case in Africa. Anybody who understands African history will tell you that Africans were a communal society. Blessings and challenges were never taken by any one person. They were shared equitably by all. This has become increasingly less the case in Africa. We have adapted the western way where everybody handles his or her issues and takes all the profit, or loss whatever the case might be. It is what is fondly referred to as capitalism.

Money

Inasmuch as it is said that money was actually invented in Africa, it would seem that it has now evolved into what the inventors never envisioned. I assume that money was made to ease the problems associated with barter trade where the person who has what you want does not need what you have. In the west however, money has evolved into a commodity that everyone wants even if they have all that they need.

Education

The importance attached to paper qualifications is enough to tell you that few people are pursuing education for the purpose of acquiring knowledge. It is no longer important for people to acquire useful skills as long as they can prove they are more qualified than the next person. That old African system where skills, knowledge and wisdom were efficiently passed down through the generations is long gone. The knowledge itself is fast disappearing with those who possessed it dying off one by one without imparting it to anyone.

Morals and Ethics

Africans lived on the simple principle of absolute truth. They saw things in black and white with no in-between. To them, something was either right or wrong whichever way you looked at it. Those from the west however, believe in the concept of several different truths for the same thing. They consider how something is explained to determine whether somebody is guilty of it or not. It is for this reason that corruption is not put on the same classification as theft because it can easily be explained away. With western civilisation, one can successfully clear himself of any accusation provided he can afford the right lawyer. A crime is not a crime if it can be proved to be otherwise.

Family

While it is the west that came up with sweet words in marriage, of commitment to togetherness till death, it is the same west that has perfected divorce. Divorce was virtually non-existent in African society until the west convinced us that it is good to change one’s mind in choice of life partner. The family unit is therefore under threat. Even financially stable men cannot openly marry the number of wives that they are perfectly capable of taking care of. There is now the very western concept of mpango wa kando (concubine) to compensate for the need to marry more than one wife.  As for the future, none can tell. Let’s wait and see.

P.S. Egypt gave birth to what later would become known as 'Western Civilization,' long before the greatness of Greece and Rome. – John Henrik Clarke

Democracy is not Necessarily Good

The dictionary defines democracy as a system of government by the whole population or all the eligible members of a state, typically through elected representatives. This means that for all intents and purposes, Kenya is a true democracy. The people spoke and installed their preferred office bearers (I am hesitant to say leaders) in various positions. Democracy has been seen to work in many countries across the world and it has often ended wars and oppressive dictatorial regimes.

Democracy Rarely Produces Leaders

The reason I was hesitant above to say we elect leaders, is because we rarely do. A leader is a person who provides guidance and direction. In order to do this, he has to know that direction. Most of the politicians we put in office do not know of the direction in which they wish to take us. They are therefore not leaders and have no hope of being. The Kenyan political scene is littered with people in power who cannot recall a single paragraph in the voluminous manifestos that they launched in all pomp and glory when they were campaigning.

A lot of people who fought for pluralism are still there on the political scene. They convinced us that they were fighting for us to get democracy. What they didn’t tell us was that democracy should only be a means to an end and not an end in itself. They didn’t tell us that it was possible to democratically elect a moron or that, on the flipside; it was possible to have a dictator who has the best interests of his people at heart. They led us to believe that democracy was going to solve all our problems, be they social or economic. In true democratic spirit, we took their word for it.

Changing the Law

We changed the entire Kenyan constitution and international commentators commended us for coming up with one of the best constitutions in the world; at least on paper. We as the people had the power. We could adjust the law to make it better for us anytime we wanted. All we needed were the numbers. Even as we speak, the opposition is busy herding us together so that we can have a referendum and change the law, again. The beauty with democracy is that you don’t have to give something time to show that it doesn’t work. All you have to do is show that the new thing you are bringing in is better than what you have. If democracy works, then we expect to be called upon very soon to give ourselves new laws that are the best ever.

Tribalism

Whoever designed democracy could not possibly have heard of an animal called tribalism. He probably envisioned a concept where people could make a choice of those to rule over them based on character and principles. In his mind, this was the only way an aspirant could mobilise enough votes. In Africa in general, and Kenya in particular, tribe takes precedence over principle. If elections were repeated in Kenya today, the same people would win unless there was a genocide which significantly shifted the numbers of certain dominant tribes. Here we say; Tribe first and Tribe only!

Population Growth

Influential politicians have been heard encouraging their people to shun family planning. They see them as mere votes and the more, the merrier. These are the same people who are so uninformed and disempowered that they would not know how to keep the ruling politicians on their toes when they err. We don’t have deep founded democratic principles. We are only interested in numbers.

Democratisation of Corruption

Corruption is no longer evil and a crime in Kenya. It is just a simple misdemeanour and slight inconvenience. Corrupt people in this country are considered heroes. The majority of Kenyans do not think corruption is a serious problem and many are willing to engage in corruption whenever they get the opportunity. By mobilising the numbers in support of corruption, we have just democratised it. The majority will have their way and the few of us who are disgusted are having our say in our small inconsequential blogs away from the public eye. That’s democracy for you!

P.S. Democracy is Power of the People by the People for the People. Six being the number of man that is one less than seven which is the number of God; it means that democracy is 666 meaning it may be the beast in the bible after all.

Political Suicide – The Only Way to ‘Okoa Kenya’

Our beloved country is on the throes of a revolution. Almost everything is going wrong. The economy is ailing. The education sector is no longer producing the intellectuals it was meant to produce. The health services are stagnant causing thousands to ail and die from avoidable causes. Kenyans hate their neighbours more than they did during colonial times. Intolerance is at an all-time high. Despite all the negative happenings, our politicians are their usual upbeat selves telling us everything is under control – their control.

Campaign Financiers

Running a political career is an expensive affair the world over. Strategists and campaigners have to be paid. So do the speech writers and public relations specialists. The best lawyers in the business have to be put on a retainer. Even the vote-less hecklers in the villages and slums have to get their regular fixes of cigarettes, bang, and cheap brews. All these things cost money – a lot of money. It is therefore impossible for even the richest political aspirant to manage a campaign machine without external help. In come the political financiers!

Most political financiers are not in politics themselves, at least not just yet. Their objective is more subtle but long term than that of their political protégés’. Their interests lie in the economic environment of the country after the elections. These interests involve lucrative contracts that are controlled by the politicians in power. It explains why public procurement is mentioned in any major corruption case in the country. This is where those in power ensure that those who sponsored them can recoup their money in ridiculously quoted tenders for the supply of things such as wheel barrows, gates, bar soap, sanitary towels, and standard gauge railways.

Corruption

Corruption is the new normal in Kenya. It is becoming increasingly difficult to find even one ordinary Kenyan who does not believe in corruption. Many people openly conclude that corruption is here to stay and nobody should waste their time trying to eliminate it. Unbeknown to many, corruption is openly propagated and nurtured by the very same politicians in order to give their financiers a way to repay themselves for favours granted.

Nepotism

In the real life Kenyan context, family members are at the fore front of any self-respecting politician. They function like the financiers mentioned above. The only difference is that family members do not assist financially, they contribute in kind. They are responsible for penetrating all the small women’s groups and illegal vigilantes. They contribute in kind and expect to be paid in kind. These are the people who will get all those menial jobs in government offices. Some even manage to become quite senior without any qualifications. They have to be paid for their services, one way or the other.

Tribalism

I can’t decide which; between tribalism and corruption is the worst vice bringing Kenya down as a country. However, I find tribalism to be more deeply entrenched in that it cuts across all social and economic classes. It is common knowledge that tribe is the main criteria for election into any office in this country. Once the people place one of their own on a seat, all they have to do is defend him from the jealous people of other tribes. For as long as the tribal demographics remain the same, a repeat of the election would produce the same results, tribe-wise.

Rule of Law

Inasmuch as we have a new law, there is no aspect of that law that is completely unique to Kenya. In other words, all our laws have been followed in one form or another in many different countries. It is this law that all elected office bearers swear to follow and it should be the same law that we, as citizens, should hold them to account. However, the law in this country is treated like interference to harmonious living. The Executive, which is charged with enforcing the law, is often caught trying to interpret the law. This bending of the law by the executive is usually done to favour political financiers so that they may get away with whatever they desire to do.

Need for Political Martyrdom

What Kenya needs at the present time; is leadership at all levels that does not care about what financiers, relatives, kinsmen, friends, or detractors say or think. It should be the kind of leadership that seeks to follow both the letter and spirit of the law without fear or favour. We need leaders who are willing to sacrifice their hopes of re-election just so that they can set things right for future generations. We want to see a president who is ready to commit political suicide by treating his political cronies in the exact way that the law says he should; based on what they have done to the country, and not what they have done for him as a person. After all, what is the worst they can do to him? Kill him? Impeach him?