Where the rains started beating us
All groups of people, whether it is a small group of friends or a large multi-ethnic country, find it necessary to band together to improve the overall quality of life for the group.
Medieval society was held together by many things, such as religion and nationality, both of which are reflected in medieval literature.
Many of the societies whether liberals and conservatives in medieval texts put a great deal of emphasis on the family unit, a very well knit unit that epitomised common values.
These societies were held by strong pillars holding up those members of the communities that adhere to them and collapsing on those who do not.
Those who the pillars collapse on are excluded from society, because they do not adhere to societal norms.
The question here is; is the decay of the family unit to blame for the political failure in the country?
Politicians – who Kenyans take the slightest chance to slight for the many shortfalls in the country – are a true reflection of the country. Members of Parliament in Kenya are elected directly by the electorate except for the few who are nominated by political parties.
My take here is that all Kenyans have failed. The failed family unit can lead to political failure.
Political failure must be viewed as a process and not as an occurrence and should be linked to the phenomenon of societal decay.
It is a fact that Kenyans have become self centred and we cannot blame capitalism solely for this, because there are examples out there where this has not happened. Kenya is now a country of ‘me first’ attitude.
Its also true that many of us are corrupt, only that some have not been given a chance to dip their fingers in the cookie jar.
Husbands and wives have also taken the ‘me first’ attitude into their marriages. Many marriages are surviving because of what the other partner can bring home. Once one of them losses a job, the marriage collapses like a pack of cards.
The church has not been any better. The mushrooming of churches everywhere is a testimony that religion has been turned into a business venture where no morals are taught.
The society is also to blame. They push you into marriage and then watch without batting an eyelid as infidelity rocks your union. The rise of HIV/Aids prevalence among married couples is testimony to this.
Selfishness among our leaders can be traced back to the family unit. We are all to blame. A section of Kenyans watch in awe as US President Barack Obama takes time for his family, while frolicking in their mistresses’ ‘compounds’.
I deem it an absolutely principled matter that the democratic Kenya should strive to elect political leadership based on moral values.
Political decay is not a one-way street. It is a process that can be arrested and reversed.
