The Migingo Island Saga depicts signs of depreciating Nationhood

Migingo Island Saga depicts signs of depreciating Nationhood

Kenyans need to momentarily forget about the National Budget which has seemingly focused towards rejuvenation of the rural economy. Never mind that we may not have structures that are able to support heavy financial outlays in the constituencies, especially through the Constituency Development Funds – CDFs.

Instead, let us focus on tiny Migingo Island whose very obvious ownership is now subject to determination. The turn of events in this tiny island or rock as some may call it is an indication of serious erosion of our Nationhood. Nationhood in this context is about what makes Kenyans to actually be Kenyans. What in other words does it take one to be a Kenyan today?

 Somebody should help me. While in a recent workshop with a group of some 12 well educated Kenyans, I sought to know where I could get materials on our National Anthem. This became a tall order and serious challenge to all. One consultant volunteered that he struggled hard to get one. He actually ventured from bookshop to bookshop but without success. He only succeeded through acquiring an audio/music CD which he obtained from a high end music shop in town.

 Further discussions indicated that not many of the teammates could recite even one stanza of the three that have been used prominently. It did not matter whether in Kiswahili or English language. We were indeed all ashamed of what our country has become. Eventually, I sought help from the net where I surprisingly got the anthem in both Kiswahili and English.

Meanwhile, another teammate in the same group recounted how she was shocked upon visiting Singapore, one of the Asian Tigers. Interestingly, the assigned tour guide knew everything about their country. He could mention the ministers’ names and their ministries with ease. He elaborated on the culture of the country, the vision of the country, the values, the heritage and many more details that were astonishing, especially coming from a tour guide. To crown it all, he recited their national anthem, a requirement for all nationals, to the amazed group of Kenyans.

Perhaps ignorance of our national anthem could be the undoing of Kenya as a nation. In a united nation, the national anthem is the thread that binds one national with the other especially once the values outlined are embraced and practiced as a way of life. This in turn binds the whole nation together.

According to 123independenceday.com, this national song seeks special prayers and blessings from God, the creator of this universe to bless the land of Kenya and defend it from any foreign attack. Emphasis is laid on unity, peace and liberty not only within the country but also with the neighboring countries. This national song further emphasizes that with due hard work and honest perseverance, the nation can achieve great heights of success in the long run.

Turning back to tiny Migingo Island, we are told that Kenyans comprise 80 percent of the population, the rest being Ugandans.  This contradicts with the reactions especially by National authorities which depict a Kenya that is loosing out on Nationhood. Many years ago Idi Amin, the then feared dictator of Uganda intimated that his country’s eastern boundary needed to be extended to as far as Naivasha. So, the whole of Rift Valley, Nyanza and Western Provinces were to be part of Uganda.

Kenyans woke up in arms to defend their country. There were huge fires ranging from Mombasa to Nakuru, Kisumu and even beyond. This time they were not burning properties of other nationals, secondary school dormitories or university property as is common today.  They were instead burning huge effigies of Idi Amin. The nation was united in defending its borders and its nationals wherever they were.

Today, the story is different. Everybody in Kenya is busy minding his/her affairs without caring about the bigger picture of the national interests. It does not matter whether it is politicians, public servants, business people, farmers or ordinary Kenyans going about their day to day affairs.

The situation is even turning from bad to worse for the country. Kenyans especially in the North Eastern Province are now and then being grabbed by gangs from the unruly Somalia. These goons are seeking to enrich themselves from ransom money, probably whenever unlucky in pirating activities. Suspicious tycoons from the same country have bought out two populated areas of Nairobi and are quickly infiltrating the leafy suburbs of the City. The effect is a demand induced inflationary trend in the property market.  What does this mean?

We have seemingly left even the sovereignty of our country at the control of all and sundry as long as money is changing hands. We have treated issues like Migingo Island to be inconsequential. What was the rational behind spending KES 140 million to prove what is clearly on record? Is it not ridiculous that even the Ugandan President personally confirmed that Migingo belongs to Kenya?

In order to avoid continued national malaise, we probably need to go back to our national anthem, analyze and embrace the values that it was meant to inculcate. Key of them is dwelling in unity as a country. Only then shall we start reclaiming our continually depreciating nationhood, whose space has sadly been taken up by ethnicity.

Mwangi Wanjumbi is the Managing Consultant and Chief Trainer of Newtimes Business Solutions

www.newtimesconsultants.com

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