Our Country.....Our Responsibility.

My presidential Candidate Is!!!!

2011-06-06T10:45:00.003+03:00

Names and more names are coming up for the next presidential election in Kenya. This is at times not good as it steals our precious time of nation building. Nonetheless we must not watch without reflecting on what is happening.

So, as you think of the next president for Kenya, please do not look for one who can solve your problems for you will be seriously dissappointed. Instead, look for one who can give you a conducive environment to solve them. Thats the core of personal responsibility which I totally believe in. Look for a facilitator, one who will ensure you have the educational, health, economic, spiritual, cultural and all other necessary support to enable you and those you care for reach their highest potential. Look for one who is doing something, not one who promises to do when she or he is elected. Look for a leader and not a king. Look for a promisekeeper and whether you get one or not, please always keep your promises.

In the meantime, lets build Kenya where we are. Don't wait for tommorrow for nation building has no start and end date as presidential terms. Today is the day to be faithful in the task given to you.

In Service to God and My Country.
ARMS

Prayer for my Country

2011-06-05T22:17:00.003+03:00

'Oh God of all creation,
bless this our land and nation,
justice be our shield and defender,
may we dwell in unity peace and liberty,
plenty be found within our borders.'
- Stanza 1 of our national anthem

How I desire that this will be the country we
will live in and leave for generations behind us.

In Service to God and My Country.
ARMS

Reflections on Reforms

2011-05-30T17:59:00.002+03:00

There is a pushing wind for reform in most countries of the world. This is particularly the case in developing countries and is often as a result of conditions for aid. most of the reform inititiatives are externally financed and at times driven. Lately there are other drives for not only reforming but actually transforming (the so called total overhaul of systems).

Experts seconded from the funding nations and institutions are to be seen working in government offices alongside the other officers so as to provide technical support. Though at times the actually do the actual day to day work. Kenya is a case in point where reform/transformation officers, desks, departments have put in place in virtually every ministry and government agency.

Whereas the idea of reform/transformation is good, it has concerned me that the approach taken may not always deliver. I hold dear that the process is as good as the end. I also hold dear that true change is one that is from inside out. there is need to think what role and place the officers in the departments that are being reformed should play, particularly because the sustainability of the said reforms actually depends on them. Could their lack of effective participation be the reason why reforms/transformation of systems seems to be taking for ever. But secondly, there is need to pay closer attention to the pioneer/flagbearers of the reforms. Are they persons in a reasonable position to make decisions and enforce them.

Reforms/transformation, need be institutionalised and all inclusive so as to ensure that they are sustained. They also need to focus on change of attitudes and not just creating new offices. The focus should be on the people and with sufficient incentives for change of behaviour.

Finally, reforms need to have a timeline drawn with the participation of all people concerned in the department in question. Whereas a visionary leader is needed at the top, a supportive team is need at the bottom.

In Service to God and My Country.
ARMS

To be......or to do!

2011-04-15T16:52:00.002+03:00

Progress on this page is little to be proud of. I have been a man on the move and having settled in the new place, I now resume my writing and with a commitment to make it a weekly piece.

Our country Kenya is at an interesting time . It needs leadership which at best must be sacrificial. Our people have been taken so much for granted and it is clear they cannot take it anymore. But the bigger question is not so much about what needs doing but who will do it? In the proverbial manner, who will bell the cat?

That what needs fixing in all the various realms - political, economic, social, spiritual, cultural, moral - is certainly huge, then we are faced with a big task as a generation.

My contention is that we must not wait to be in positions, before we can make a difference.. So many of us are crippled by the position mentality. We all cannot be president, MP, senator or judge. However we all can act as president in our various places. We can conduct affairs in that countituency or county as though the bark stopped with us. We can make decisions as though we the only judge in the land and all survival depended on us.

We each can do something where we are as we seek more power and influence. It is always dangerous when idle people get power, they used it idly and cause chaos in any society. Let positions of power, if they come our way, find us doing good for all the people in all the places.

We have a chance of a lifetime to return the river on course. Lets change for the good of our people and beloved county.

In Service to God and My Country.
ARMS

NB: I am currently in Germany for studies in Public Policy and Management. This I am doing to prepare myself to better serve our country.

My Country....My Responsibility

2011-02-25T18:41:00.003+03:00

I am in Nakuru facilitating a training on Public Policy Process in Kenya for the sixth class of the Political Leadership Development Programme. This is a programme meant to nurture the next generation of political leaders who will pioneer change in every field of the country.

But it is the last discussion of the day that has left me in deep thought. I asked the class "Can Kenya develop without help from the foreign capital and technical support?". This is not to suggest that their partnership is not important, but rather without them playing a role as significant as shaping our public policy direction through conditionalities as has been the case.

A sizeable portion of the class was convinced that no progress is possible without donor support. Their reasons ranged from notion that Kenyans lack the capacity to provide high quality service, Kenyans are poor and the economy cannot support such. They could not substantiate this claims and upon further discussions it emerged that its we the Kenyans that have refused to play our rightful role in making our country sovereign.

It was noted that no country has ever been built by foreigners. The Germans have built Germany; Koreans, Korea; Americans, America; and Kenyans must arise and build Kenya. Our country is our responsibility. This is a responsibility we can neither abdicate nor delegate without facing dire consequences. We have all we need, technical capacity, natural resources, brains, hard working people and every admirable resource a country would need. Only we need is a resolve to make it happen. The will to improve services, to have ethical leadership, to honour and respect the rule of law. To treat our sick. To educate our people. To support them to Discover, Develop and Deliver their full potential. It can be done, we must do it. Others have done it why not us.

Friends, I have for long held the view that I am fully responsible for the opportunity I have in making Kenya a better place. Today I affirm that building Kenya is my responsibility and I will not sit back as others toil. Development partners should only join in what we are doing and engage to the extent we allow them. We must fund our own development and only seek assistance when it is a must and necessary to do so. Will you join me in making this resolve?

Lets join hands and build ours that others can live to enjoy the fruits of our labour. If it is to be, then it is up to us.

In Service to God and My Country.

ARMS

Don't Vent, Invent.

2011-02-23T08:22:00.003+03:00

I heard of the words "Don't vent, invent" that are title to a series taking place at a nairobi church. This words got me thinking that indeed there are only two kinds of people. Those who just complain about the problems around them and those who take a step to seek a solution. The later may noty always succeed but at least they tried. Where they fail, they come out with a lesson of what cannot work or at least how not to do it.

Our country kenya is in dire need of wo/men who will provide practical solutions and ensure that they are followed through. I hold the view that only Kenyans can build Kenya for prosperity. Partners can only support but not do it for us. We cannot continue to be a nation that begs for help in all ways - health, food security, constitition implementation, roads construction, conflict resolution, disaster management- and much more.

Sovereignty is responsibility and not just benefiting. It is working to produce revenue and not just sharing the revenue produced by others. It is paying the price and not just carrying the prize. It is being being the change, facilitating the change and supporting the change in all spheres of the country. It is rising up every morning with a firm agenda to make our part of Kenya better than we found it. It is taking personal responsibility.

What is currently in need of your invention today. Get up and fix it for only you can do it as well. My friend Alice Oyaro reminds us that Our Best is Good Enough. Remember the words of Thomas Edison "Invention is one percent inspiration and 99 percent perspiration (work)".

Lament and complain no more, rise and fix it up. If it is to be then it is up to you/me.

In Service to God and My Country.

ARMS

Does it Matter?

2011-02-16T12:36:00.002+03:00

From time to time we find ourselves in situations that scream, beckon or silently seek our attention. You meet a person whose life is on the streets begging for ten bob, a hurting neighbour seeking an ear to listen, a battered child seeking for shelter and the list goes on. Sometimes its a dirt thrown on the road, a neighbours dog stuck in the fence or some clothes blown by the wind and your timely action may just save the situation. What about a blind person asking for help to cross the road, a old person seeking help in accessing the ATM machine and the list is endless.

However, In a fast paced world we find ourselves caring only about three people namely: ME, MYSELF and I. Some have called it the UNHOLY Trinity. We are so consumed in ourselves that we even never notice that others need our help. But does it ever cross our minds that the world is as good as we each make it. I have a responsibility of making the people around me to be happier, so do you. I once read that people do no care how much you know until they know how much you care. Lets all make it our responsibility to make our part of the world better than we found it.

Today close your eyes to the ME, MYSELF and I, and open to see what your neighbour needs help with.

Let what matters to others, matter to you for that is all that matters in this world.

In Service to God and My Country.

ARMS

Wajibu Wangu

2011-02-15T13:40:00.002+03:00

I have been reflecting on what should be my rallying call for engaging in building my country and am convinced that it has to be Wajibu Wangu (my responsibility). This is informed by the fact that in our society there is a tendancy to expect someone else to fix things on our behalf, to labour as we enjoy the fruits and to pay the price while we enjoy the prize. Why not make it your responsibility to make things work.

I make a resolve and urge you to join me in making national building our personal responsibility (wajibu wetu). This is pretty easy as it means I do my part and you do you part. I bring my peace and you bring yours. Each of us is significant and a valuable asset in this country. I resolve to treat everyone as the most important person in this country.

Our national anthem reminds us through the words "Natujenge Taifa letu, ee ndio wajibu wetu". Indeed it is our responsibility to build our country. Others have destroyed it, but I must make it better.

Will You?

In Service to God and My Country.

ARMS

Why I think its great to be alive in 2011?

2011-01-04T08:24:00.002+03:00

This is a year of great significance to many and particularly myself. In this year I will mark 30 years of being around and I hope to have something to show for it. I am forever grateful that I am Kenyan for I have the rare opportunity to fix all that may have gone wrong before. This is the challenge that faces all my peers in our country.

All I am thinking is what my contribution will be. Will I make an impact worth talking about and recording? What will I be remembered for?

I commit to Love God, Others and Myself with all I am. This I think is the epicentre of life.

This I will do in Service to God and My Country.

ARMS

Was it peaceful or just Calm?

2010-08-05T13:32:00.006+03:00

A flashback to 2007 December 30 in the light of yesterdays referendum voting has left me wondering which of the two was the real Kenya? Both had the drive to vote for change but with totally different outcomes. No one can even tell there was any voting yesterday and this makes me feel very proud.

But was it peaceful or just calm?

I am no prophet of doom neither do I enjoy conflict but I am disturbed. I am disturbed that even as we went for the vote we still have so much swept under the carpet that we hope will sort itself. I am disturbed that our brothers and sisters remain in tents as no one is keen enough to re-settle them. I am disturbed that many a kenyan voted for or against a document they had no idea what it contains or has for them. I am disturbed that politics and partisan interests remain a key driving force in Kenya and public means are used for private ends. For if politics was not the main thing, why then did bill boards with messages for Voting YES or NO have pictures of some persons who have declared their intentions to run for presidency in the next elections? Why were there cold fights about who will gain most from the referendum in terms of political mileage? Why is the discussion now on which politician delivered votes and who did not deliver and not on the millions of Kenyans who have borne the pain of bad leadership and how they stand to gain or loose in the new order?

This are the things that disturb me. The politicians are already sharing the spoils while Kenyans remain in their sorry state or affairs. This thoughts calls us to go flat out and work for peace by uprooting all causes of conflict in the country and no one should be spared if they are the cause. only then can we set our country on the path to success otherwise the scenes of 2007/8 will not be far from us.

One of the interesting observations in this referendum is that Kenyans have all that it takes to make this country new and that they want change. A change that is not just on paper but real change that impacts their lives positively. With the results showing a clear YES win, one is left with no doubt that in 14 days time Kenya will have in place a new order. But will Kenyans have a new order internally? As the paper is signed by the president, are Kenyans also signing new page individually and collectively. A new page of responsibility, honesty, abiding by the rule of law, living in peace, love and unity. A new page of respect of opinion and celebration of diversity. A new page of integrity and justice that is not about "just us".

For the change we so desire must start with each of us. We can not expect to remain the same and joy ride on the change from others. Indeed, if it is to be, it is up to us. Lets work for our country for in here lays our prosperity.

In Service to God and My Country.

ARMS

Final Thoughts on Referendum Eve...

2010-08-03T14:06:00.003+03:00

Friends, we are Kenyans in Kenya for such a time as this. Much more, we are Disciples of Christ in Kenya that He may be glorified even through us. We have not always lived to this expectation. When called to courage, we havefeared; when called to reconcile, we have divided; when called to act wehave often ran away and when called to love we have hated. I am encouragedto note that destiny is in the future and that we have a minute by minuteopportunity to arise and shine. But are we committed to this course? Are we ready to pay the price for the prize, carry the cross for the redemption?Are we just keen on the returns or blessings? Are we given to walk the roadof the higher calling for which we are being called to? A path least usedand even unpopular,but right nevertheless which the Lord is calling us to.

I am grateful for those who have taken time to understand the document before come Weds 4th Aug 2010.On this day we shall either approve or disapprove the document. Grey areas have been pointed out and so have been the strong point. In a diverse society there can be no one straight road and thus a constitution is a negotiated piece with giving and taking, gaining and loosing.

The decision before us is a political one with implications on every aspectof our lives. It is a choice that requires us to weigh what we are willingto live with. We must at every time remember that the reason we are seekinga new constitutional order is to have a country where each citizen can havethe opportunity and support systems to reach their highest potential. Alevel playing field where all have an equal opportunity in enjoying thebenefits that our great country has to offer. As one of my good friends puts it “YES is a drive to fix the politics, while the NO is a drive to fix thevalues”. Question is which one is most critical and which one can only youand I do. But a keener look on the Kenyan society as is now, reveals that the problem we have may not be solved by simply enacting a new constitution.The problem that Kenya has is one of abdicating personal responsibility andoutright disregard for the rule of law (read impunity). This then calls usto a higher duty that is over and above a new constitution. That we must beready to change our attitudes and ways of life if we are to see prosperity.It’s a call to forget the former ways of corruption and impunity.

The constitution may fix the hardware (systems) but I doubt it will fix thesoftware (people) which is largely responsible for the state Kenya is innow. We must appreciate that we cannot legislate on peace, love and unity.This must of necessity stem from willing and transformed hearts. This newKenya must be built in the hearts of Kenyans otherwise we will remain underunder siege and as a people without a birth right. Kenyans must arise andbuild their Kenya, just like the Japanese, the Chinese, the Americans andothers have done. No lasting solution will come from outside. Others can support but we must be out doing the real work. Thus come Wednesday, we mustall vote and be proud of our vote.

A new page in Kenya’s history is in the offing. This is regardless ofwhich side gets more votes. Of interest is that both those voting YES andthose voting NO have a point of agreement. This is that the PCK is notperfect. The point of departure is that the YES Camp want it passed thenamended while the NO Camp wants it amended then passed. This is in myopinion is a good thing. The challenge is on how we get both sides to worktogether after the referendum to ensure that we have the contentious issuessorted for therein lies the stability of the country. In the absence of thiswe are simply cooked!. We are cooked because the reasons you and I arevoting yes or no are not necessarily the same as why the politicians aredoing so. This calls for us to arise in prayer and action, the Martin LutherKing Jnr style and demand that Kenya and Kenyans be respected and treatedaccordingly. More so ensuring that Kenyans are the drivers of their owndestiny with the help of God.

Ours is a role to build a loving, peaceful and united country. And this wemust do with all the zeal and zest we can command. We must vote and work fora responsible nation, teach and practice the values we desire to seeexhibited, and be an example of the change we want to see. Lastly we must asa church always recall and emphasis that a well governed country is notnecessarily a godly one, thus we must keep on with the great commission ofmaking disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father,Son and Holy Spirit.
God Bless You All.

In Service to God and My Country.

ARMS

NB: This is a speech I gave in St. Andrews Church on Sunday, 1 August 21010 as Wrap Up to the Serialization of the Proposed Constitution of Kenya. This version is edited by John Ngichu

19 Days to go....

2010-07-16T11:09:00.002+03:00

With barely 19 days to go to the long awaited 2nd national referendum on the constitution, the campaign tempo is rising with each camp leaving no stone untouched.

Come 4th August we will rise early in the morning to go queu to "bring reforms" or to "reject reforms" as some would make us believe. But will voting YES or NO mean anything to our country or will it just be another expression of our democratic right to vote. Both YES and NO are working to make us believe that transformation of our country lies on their side. YES are arguing that having come this far its just in order that we cross the river wipe the little not-so-good parts and move on. On the other hand, NOs are saying that we must not just cross over when we know we have some parts we can fix. each of us has a choice on which side we need to follow. Important to note is that none of us will go unaffected by whichever side carries the day.

But lets know that society is as good as the individuals in it. There seems like we are keen to have an external solution to our internal problems. We (kenyans) have a heart problem that we must indivdually be willing to have it fixed. No one is responsible for our future but ourselves. So in as much as we fix the car, lets also fix the driver. Poverty wont fade away when we send more money to grassroots until we have healed the corruption at those grassroots. The environment wont improve, unless we address the greed and abuse that we individually cause on the environment.

We each have role to play.

In Service to God and My Country.ARMS

The Irony in Kenya

2010-05-07T12:59:00.002+03:00

This is dedicated to all those who desire to lead this country. It is from observations on our country. sad ones indeed. Its my prayer that we will work to change this culture of blaming others.

I am worried for you leaders...with all votes comes expectations (read very high expectations) not for something in return but for everything in return. Infact voting in Kenya seems to be the process of choosing the person (s) we intend to blame for our mistakes in the future.

Kenyans expect exemplary leadership from you and nothing else even if they have no idea what exemplary leadership looks like or should look like nor willing to provide. We expect you to define it, live it and they be happy. We will fail and look bad but we expect you never to fail and always be perfect. WEwill make mistakes but expect you to take responsibility. We will call each other names but expect you to apologize on our behalf. WE will fail to take their children to school but blame you for mass illetracy and insecurity. WE will bride and take bribes then blame you for weak enforcement mechanisms.

WE will liter our towns and villages then blame you for filthy environment. WE will cut down trees and grab forests then we will complain to you of unreliable rains. WE will seat by and watch then complain you are doing nothing about our plight. WE will Vote YES or NO without even reading the proposed constitution, then later insist you misled us. WE will vandalise whevever is government property then blame you for poor service delivery.

WE will always demand more from you than we can ever deliver ourselves together and then will blame you for being inefficient and unrelaible . Then finally we will vote you out/or push for your sacking and replace you with the next person we intend to blame for our future mistakes. .... and that is the irony of society.

Kenyans lets end this culture and start taking responsibility for our actions. Lets be the generation that will be remembered as the ACTION GENERATION. Lets educate our children by participating in the schools programmes. Lets clean our towns and plant our forests. Lets plan implement food security programmes. Lets at the community level resolve to live with each other in unity.

In Service to God and My Country.

ARMS

Some Wise words on Integrity

2010-04-30T12:57:00.002+03:00

"A liar needs a good memory." — Quintillian

"Integrity without knowledge is weak and useless, and knowledge without integrity is dangerous and dreadful."- Samuel Johnson Rasselas, ch. 41

"What is left when honor is lost?" — Publilius Syrus First Century BC, Maxim 265

"If we believe a thing to be bad, and if we have a right to prevent it, it is our duty to try to prevent it and damn the consequences." — Lord Milner

"Let no pleasure tempt thee, no profit allure thee, no persuasion move thee, to do anything which thou knowest to be evil; so shalt thou always live jollity; for a good conscience is a continual Christmas." — Benjamin Franklin

"To be persuasive we must be believable; to be believable we must be credible; credible we must be truthful." — Edward R. Murrow

"Nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a man's character, give him power." — Abraham Lincoln

"It takes less time to do a thing right than to explain why you did it wrong."— Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

"He is not wise to me who is wise in words only, but he who is wise in deeds."— St. Gregory

"There are seven things that will destroy us: Wealth without work; Pleasure without conscience; Knowledge without character; Religion without sacrifice; Politics without principle; Science without humanity; Business without ethics."— Mahatma Gandhi

In Service to God and My Country.ARMS

The Unused Road.....

2010-04-29T13:43:00.002+03:00

"You cannot help the poor by destroying the rich. You cannot strengthen the weak by weakening the strong. You cannot bring about prosperity by discouraging thrift. You cannot lift the wage earner up by pulling the wage payer down. You cannot further the brotherhood of man by inciting class hatred. You cannot build character and courage by taking away people's initiative and independence. You cannot help people permanently by doing for them, what they could and should do for themselves."Abraham Lincoln, Republican

This famous quote by Abraham Lincoln underscores the place of integrity and personal obligation in making a country grow. This blog has taken the position, that every man and woman has and should play their role in making their society a better place to live in.

Listening to common discourse in Kenya, there seems to be an effort to find the other person who is responsible for this and that going wrong. Rarely, and this may not apply to all, will you find people discussing their role in the state of things. This leaves us in a sorry state where we claim to be clean and everyone else is dirty. If that be the case, then we should be extremely worried for no matter how "clean" we may be, if all that surrounds us is dirty then its just a matter of time and we shall also be dirty. This may be best reflected by a statement i read sometime back that goes, "Light that is constantly surrounded by darkness is in danger of loosing its brilliance". That may be debatable considering the moon has been around for ages but still shines....but if my science was right, the moon reflects the sun's light.

back to my point, I think we have had too many excuses in Kenya and its time I want to hear statements of responsibility. Will you be the first one to go? I am choosing that road, the unpopular and unused road of being a man of my word. This is certainly not ease in world society where telling the truth is unnormal. But I will try, will u try with me?

This we shall do in service to God and Country.

ARMS

Famous Quotes on Responsibility

2010-04-21T16:05:00.004+03:00

"The price of greatness is responsibility."— Winston Churchill

"Success on any major scale requires you to accept responsibility . . . . In the final analysis, the one quality that all successful people have is the ability to take on responsibility." — Michael KordaEditor-in-Cheif, Simon & Schuster

"The man who complains about the way the ball bounces is likely to be the one who dropped it." — Lou Holtz

"Being responsible sometimes means pissing people off."— General Colin Powell

"You must take personal responsibility. You cannot change the circumstances, the seasons, or the wind, but you can change yourself."— Jim Rohn

"The reason people blame things on the previous generation is that there's only one other choice."— Doug Larson

"In the old days, words like sin and Satan had a moral certitude. Today, they're replaced with self-help jargon, words like dysfunction and antisocial behavior, discouraging any responsibility for one's actions.."— Don HenleySinger/Songwriter

"Ninety-nine percent of all failures come from people who have a habit of making excuses." — George Washington Carver

"All blame is a waste of time. No matter how much fault you find with another, and regardless of how much you blame him, it will not change you."— Wayne Dyer

"In times like the present, men should utter nothing for which they would not willingly be responsible through time and eternity." — Abraham LincolnDecember 1, 1862 Message to Congress

"It is my daily mood that makes the weather. I possess tremendous power to make life miserable or joyous. I can be a tool of torture or an instrument of inspiration, I can humiliate or humor, hurt or heal. In all situations, it is my response that decides whether a crisis is escalated or de-escalated, and a person is humanized or de-humanized. If we treat people as they are, we make them worse. If we treat people as they ought to be, we help them become what they are capable of becoming.”— J. W. Goethe

In Service to God and My Country.
ARMS

Adopted from http://www.leadershipnow.com/responsibilityquotes.html

Voting YES or NO - You are responsible for your Choice

2010-04-20T16:08:00.006+03:00

"When evil men plot, good men must plan. When evil men burn and bomb, good men must build and bind. When evil men shout ugly words of hatred, good men must commit themselves to the glories of love. Where evil men would seek to perpetuate an unjust status quo, good men must seek to bring into being a real order of justice" - Rev. Martin Luther King, Jnr.

These words by the late Rev. Martin Luther King, sink deep when you think of the task ahead of us. We have a draft of the proposed constitution that the AG is publishing in readiness of the referendum to be held in three or so months time. Both YES and NO camps have set base and each is doing what they do best - using all means necessary to sway the vote to their favour. The interesting difference this time is that the 2005 YES and NO leaders are both on the YES side and this has very key implications. Its a good thing that they agree on this matter. One hopes that they agree for the same reasons and hopefully those reasons are for the good of the country and not just selfish as has been the case for most of our fellow citizens in leadership positions.

I have gone under for the last 19 days since my last post and have been thinking deeply on this matter-The proposed Constitution of Kenya.

What concerns me most is why I will vote whichever way? Why will you vote YES? Why will you vote NO? It has beceme common to hear many a kenyan blame this or that leader for the matters affecting them even when they (citizen) have the power to sort things out. Thus many will vote either way, simply because their spiritual or political leader has said that is the best way to go. It is this suspension of personal intellect and responsibility that greatly disturbs me. This blog asserts that the only way to move this country forward is by having every man and woman take responsibility of their own choice. We must take the voters card, vote in the referendum and elections with the full commitment to stand by our choice. We cannot blame any one for the outcome of the choice we make.

I urge us to read and compare the various drafts while considering why certain clauses have been changed from one version to another leading to what the AG will publish. Having considered it personally, make a decision that you are willing to stand by to posterity. Remember, that history will surely judge us for every choice we make.

Let us seek to "bring a true order of justice"(Martin Luther) and make Kenya the country of choice. Do not allow yourself to suspend your thinking and play along with others. This blog will endeavour to arouse our consciousness on matters of national building of which the constitution is key. This will be by encouraging personal responsibility towards the same.

In Service to God and My Country.
ARMS

PROPOSED DEVOLUTION FRAMEWORK: POLITICAL EXPEDIENCE OR ECONOMIC PRUDENCE?

2010-04-01T07:18:00.001+03:00

Nearly 2 decades of efforts at constitutional review and there is finally light at the end of the tunnel. One of the fundamental provisions that the new constitution will have is one on Devolution. “Devolution has been advocated as a political response to the ills plaguing fragile and plural societies, such as conflicts, inequalities, rent seeking, economic stagnation, corruption and inefficient use of public resources. Besides, devolution can also be implemented as a reaction to external pressure from organized groups (or separatists)”, states a report by the Institute of Economic Affairs (2010).

It has emerged that as parliamentarians vote for the constitution today, devolution will be one of the main issues of contention that will make or break the constitution making process. But Why? Is it because the proposed structure of a national government and 47 county governments is inadequate? Or is it because it is associated with one side of the political divide? Is the current debate on devolution one that is driven by the need to be politically correct or by the need to be economically prudent? It is imperative to note that the one of the main arguments for an efficient system of devolution is that of ensuring that there is equitable (some have insisted on equal) sharing of national revenue and other resources. Difficult as this may be, it is certainly a quest that must be addressed. The other reason has to do with representation and proximity of government to the people. There thus seems to be an expectation among Kenyans that devolution, by ensuring better sharing of revenue, providing effective avenues for representation (participation at local levels) and bringing government closer to the people will solve the problems that threaten to cripple their lives. This may be far from the truth unless the following issues are put into consideration.

First, is the basic requirement that the unit of devolution and hence development be clearly stated. Currently we have albeit three such units namely, the local authority, constituency and district. Each of these units receives resources (human, technical and financial) to facilitate development at the grassroots. It has thus emerged that this has created competition, duplication and ultimate wastage of public resources with little if any impact. One would rightly observe that the cost of providing key public goods and services at the local level is in excess of double of what it would cost in well defined system. On this, I have a disturbing concern. The MP’s while aware of the conflict the CDF management structure of which they are the CEO’s in their respective constituencies have caused, are unwilling to let go. Infact, if the Kabete Consensus retreat is anything to go by, they (MPs) are on record as having agreed on the creation of 25 regions with the Constituency as the unit of devolution. And towards this they proposed that 10 % (up from current 2.5 %) of total annual ordinary revenue of government be allocated to the CDF kitty (under their management) and 20 % be allocated to the regions. Accordingly, county governments were to be done away with, effectively making the MP the lord at the constituency. This is against the principle of separation of powers. It also negates the demand by Kenyans for popular participation in development. On this I completely disagree with the members of parliament.

Secondly and closely related to the first, is the question of what constitutes national resources? Those proposing regional governments are on record as implying that the regional government will have greater autonomy and muscle than the county governments in revenue collection and utilization. Theirs seems to be a suggestion that the resources within their region will be theirs for keeps. This has the potential of causing greater resource conflict than the country has ever witnessed. Looking at Kenya today we have certain revenue points that we consider as key. They include the coastal beach, the national parks, mountains, agricultural zones just to mention but a few. Whereas, persons from a certain region that has a key resource may be advantaged should we pursue this proposal, this could change should the resource decline or global forces cause a decline in its utilization. Further should other regions that were initial disadvantaged discover key resources, then there is likely to be imbalance in revenue and this could lead to conflict resources. A case in point is Nigeria. When the federal constitution was established, sharing of resources between the regions and the federal government was based on the derivation principle that meant that 13 % of the revenue was left in the region of source. As Seberu (2001) quoted by IEA (2010) observes, in the late 1950’s and early 1960’s, all export duties of agricultural commodities and import and excise duties on tobacco and motor fuel were simply returned to the region of production or consumption. This tended to make the rich regions richer and to arouse invidious opposition and resentment from the less well endowed regions. This even got worse when oil was revenues became a significant part of the Nigerian economy. This shifted the focus from the agricultural regions to the oil rich regions. Today we are alive to the unending conflicts in rich oil regions especially on the Niger Delta. Oil accounts for 90 % of Nigeria’s revenue. So I ask, in the event that a key resource is discovered in the commonly considered marginalized areas such as Oil in North Eastern or other expensive gases in upper Rift valley, what will we do? The proponents of regionalism ought to carefully weigh these concerns.

Thirdly, devolution regardless of the shape it takes is likely to encounter problems unless underlying misunderstanding of the place of government and representation is concerned. It is unfortunate that positions in government have been interpreted and utilized as a means to personal end. This has affected the way public goods and services are applied for the common good. Further, it is painful to observe that anything public is a target for misuse, abuse and indulgence. Long after the colonialists who had taken our resources and were using them for their gain, excited the stage we are still “stealing” back what is rightly ours. Unless, we the citizens appreciate the devolved governments as our own and not belonging to some foreign entity, then it will be difficult to deliver the gains of a devolved government.

I thus appeal to our members of parliament to vote on this matter with the best of their clear conscience. They must each oppose any system that will duplicate and waste public resources of which we elected them to hold in our trust. They must defend the right of the citizen to meaningfully participate in the development meant to benefit him/her. They must put the money where the people they represent want. They must leave a legacy of men and women who stood for what was right in the midst of pressure to conform to the culture of the day. Men and women who choose rationality over expedience.

And to fellow citizens, our country will become what we individually and collectively choose to make it. It’s all in our hands.

In Service to God and My Country.

ARMS

Fighting Corruption in Kenya - What Shall we do?

2010-03-30T08:27:00.005+03:00

Psalm 11:1-7 “In the Lord I take refuge. How then can you say to me: "Flee like a bird to your mountain. For look, the wicked bend their bows; they set their arrows against the strings to shoot from the shadows at the upright in heart. When the foundations are being destroyed, what can the righteous do ?" The Lord is in his holy temple; the Lord is on his heavenly throne. He observes the sons of men; his eyes examine them. The Lord examines the righteous, but the wicked and those who love violence his soul hates. On the wicked he will rain fiery coals and burning sulfur; a scorching wind will be their lot. For the Lord is righteous, he loves justice; upright men will see his face.”

I am of the opinion that over all the arguments advanced on what, how and when of corruption, it remains a heart problem. It is driven and supported by hearts with a penchant to greed. It is greed rebranded.

The Psalmist asks us, when the foundations are being destroyed, what can the righteous do? Indeed the righteous (men and women who love God with all their mind, soul, strength) in Kenya can do something. You and I are the ones to do this. Whether we shall do something including staying aloof is a choice we need to make personally. Inevitably our personal choice has public implications. Doing nothing will be a sign that we have resigned and approved that corruption is right. Martin Luther is on record as having said, “He that does not confront evil, commands it to be done”. It is thus true that evil will continue to prosper as long as good people do nothing.

So what must we do?

Seek Righteousness: We can only offer what we have and of who we are. Righteousness has to do with seeking to please God because we love Him and not just to obey a rule. Righteousness has to stem from a heart anchored and established on God. For God is righteous (Vs. 7). It goes without saying that you cannot love God and then go ahead to destroy the foundations of his people and his world. When asked the greatest Commandment, Jesus responded “Love the Lord your God….. and love your neighbor as yourself. For all the other laws are based on this”. Friends we must make laws (and indeed we have made many laws) on fighting corruption but none of this will make any impact unless we have hearts that are transformed. Not even a new constitution can stop this. Righteous people need to do something by being the messengers of truth taking it in every direction.

Be Upright: This is about being straight. It is being what people see and nothing else. It is about character. It has been said that we must watch our thoughts for they become our words, watch ours words for the become our actions, watch our actions for they become our habits, watch our habits for they become our character, and watch our character for it becomes our destiny. Character is above all, the most important thing in transforming a country like Kenya. Sun Tzu writes in His book The Art of War, “To win a war a general needs two things – character and strategy and if he must be without one then let it be character”. Amazingly, its is interesting that many of us, including all of you in this hall tonight, spend our lifetime working on our strategy but leave character to natural laws.

Do Justice: How fair are we in undertaking duties bestowed on us? How do we treat those under us? Are our actions based on love or desire to be superior and in control? Do we treat others as they ought to and as we would want to be treated? There are many laws in Kenya, but there is a scarcity of justice. Who will hear the cry of millions who have been unjustly treated? God is a God of justice and he ensures that we each get what we deserve. We never get more than what we deserve unless we have stolen. God is calling us as he did to the Israelites when they had abandoned his ways. He sent prophet Micah who prophesied, “What does the Lord require of you than to show mercy, act justly and walk humbly with your God” (Micah 6:8)

This i Believe. This I will do. This I encourage you to do.

In Service to God and My Country.

ARMS

NB: This is from a Sermon shared in Jomo Kenyatta University of Science and Technology Main Campus in Juja on 24 March 2010. Email me for full script.

Who is incharge?

2010-03-23T16:08:00.004+03:00

In the recent past we have been treated to the usual political theatrics that characterize Kenyan politics and leadership. While even the least concerned of Kenyans would wish to remain unconcerned, the situation is such that everyone has paid attention. The constitution making is at a critical stage and Kenyans are faced by a myriad of challenges.

One wonders who is in charge of Kenya at the moment. The common response is to point at the other person who by whatever reason (election, appointment, contract) has a duty to provide certain public goods and services. This are the fellows we blame and curse at the top of our voice for things gone wrong. But what difference would it make if each of us took charge of what is happening in our part of the world? I am convinced that each of us has an influence over some of our part of the world. That could be among our friends, workmates, family, organization, social club etc. Who have you left to be in charge of making the desires you have come true. Or are we afraid of carrying the blame for things gone bad?

The best angle to start being in charge is the try angle. Try all you can and to your surprise most of the things you think cant work will actually workout.

Today, step out of your comfort zone and take charge of making a difference in your part of the world. Indeed each of us has a duty in making Kenya the best place there was to live in. Will you take charge and be the exceptional one or will you spend your life looking for the exceptions in others?

In Service to God and My Country.
ARMS

Raha Tupate na Ustawi

2010-03-19T07:44:00.004+03:00

"Kenya has become a country of 10 millionaires and 10 million beggars", said the Late J.M Kariuki when reminding the leaders then of their responsibility in building a country where all have an equal share of the opportunities for development. Today one looks around and notices great scarcity in our country. What happened? What went wrong such that 47 years after independence, we seem to be making baby steps in the fight against our greatest enemies - ignorance, poverty and disease? Today, on top of this three we have added crime with impunity, tribalism and corruption.

There is scarcity of innovation in service delivery. We have scarcity of food in dry times and scarcity of storage and processing in times of rain. We have scarcity of good performance in national exams and when we have better performance we have scarcity of admission positions in the next level. We have scarcity of manpower in key industries and scarcity of resources to employ the many graduates that are trained in our institutions. We have scarcity of provision and scarcity of the will -spiritual, political and economic- to address the same. We have scarcity of unity and scarcity of determination to make bridges between our various nations.

In this state of affairs, our national anthem reminds us that we are to build a country where plenty is found within our boarders. The swahili version is even more powerful - Raha Tupate na Ustawi . It connotes joy and being established with no worry or cares for provision. Today many a Kenyan have no time to create, innovate and reach their highest potential as they are boggled down by the search for basic provision. Their dawn to dusk is characterized by the search for some elusive cash to make their lives better. Economic growth registered seems to have had very little impact on the development of the people especially for those on the lower levels of the income quartile.

But how can we find this joy and peace of establishment. How can we have plenty within our boarders? Is it by higher economic growth rates? Is it by implementing better economic redistribution mechanisms? Is it by devolving government to lower units that have authority in their respective areas? Is it by making greater fiscal transfers to the grassroots? This is the query that has been taking the better part of my thinking faculties.

Whereas, the above measures are key and important to institute and follow through I think we need to do two things.

A. Maximize on each area's competitive edge and comparative advantage: Each region in this country has its own potential. What if we invested in increasing in each regions potential? For instance making the North Eastern part the lead producer in Beef and related products, Fruits and Honey. What about various nuts (coconuts, cashew nuts and peanuts etc) in Coast as well as tourism. This is just to mention but a few. All we need is mapping potential and investing in it in terms of production and returns on investment.

B. Each to have just what is enough and rightful theirs: Kenya has enough for all of us but very little for any one individual who wants it all for himself. We have scarcity because some of our brothers and sisters have taken more than they need and what belongs to others. What if we each committed to just having enough and letting others have the rest that is rightfully theirs.

In all this lets be reminded and encouraged by the words of Zechariah that change in Kenya will not come by own power and might but by the spirit of the Living God (Zech 4:6 NIV). He is our father and has our best interests at heart.

What do you think we can do to make Kenya a country where there is plenty for each of us? For it is you and I who will make a difference in Kenya.

In Service to God and My Country.

ARMS

Redeeming the Soul of Our Country - Practical Actions

2010-03-16T13:42:00.006+03:00

Since the end of last week, I have been reflecting on practical steps of transforming Kenya. There have been many ideas advanced on how this transformation will come to our motherland. I am a firm believer in solving a problem once and for all. However, appreciating the intricate nature in which societal challenges web into each other, this will be a great task. I underscore that no meaningful change will be pain free. As the popular saying goes, “No pain no gain; Know Pain much gain”. We must be ready to pay the price for the prize we want. We must be ready to fight and save our country.

It’s in seeking this strategy that Jeremiahs account of his commissioning by God to prophesy to a defiant Israel came to my mind. Jeremiah comes into picture at a time when Israelites in Judah are lost in their self indulgence and sin. He was a son of a priest. Jeremiah is called by God to do a great task armed with only one weapon - His mouth. But like many of us he has all reasons why he is not the right man for the job. The work at hand was risky even to death and he was still young. He complained of his inability to speak but was soon to realize that what God calls for He provides (He has already provided for). God reminds him that He (God) knew him before he formed him in his mother’s womb and he had set him apart before he was born, appointing him as a prophet to the nations (Jer. 1:5 NIV). God commands Jeremiah to go to everyone He sends him to and to say whatever He commands him to say. He was not to be afraid as for the Lord would be with Him and would rescue him. This suggests before hand that Jeremiah would find himself in dangerous situations, in the destructive jaws of greed, injustice and idolatry that would try to crush his very life. But God would rescue him. (Vs.7-8).

God reached out His hand and touched Jeremiahs mouth and says to him “Now, I have put my words in your mouth"(Vs.9) and then gives him the grand assignment.

Today, and as earlier noted in this blog and other media, Kenya is in a deep mess. Crime with impunity, injustices and greed in all its form are threatening to completely wipe Kenya from the map of the world. We have sunk before, but never this low. And it is in the midst and as a result of this mess that I am convinced that God is raising a Jeremiah (This may be several people in different parts of Kenya) to do the six things outlined in Vs. 10. God is appointing these wo/men, just as he did to Jeremiah, over nations and kingdoms. In a previous post we observed that Kenya has remained one country with many nations. Interestingly, it is among these nations that the so called political elites have been working hard to establish their kingdoms. Painfully as it may sound, even some “Wo/men of God” have also been working at establishing their kingdoms among (within) these nations.

It is over this mix of nations (ethnic groups) and religious, political, economic, class and other kingdoms (those already established and those in the making) that God is raising a Jeremiah. I do not know who that is, but I am convinced s/he is there. Could you be the one? Am I the one? Remember Jeremiah was an ordinary person like you and I. Phillip Yancy and Tim Stafford in their notes in the Student Bible (NIV, 1986) notes that, “He feared death, he wearied of ridicule, he hated standing alone against the crowd”. That sounds like me. I love the comfort of my nest and would like it to remain undisturbed. However, and as Yancy and Stafford further note, “Yet he obeyed God, and in the end his message proved true. Today, he stands as a far greater man than than the kings in their luxurious palaces who imprisoned him and burned his writings”. Are we keen to fit in or stand out? To please men, as they get destroyed or to please God and save men?

I ask again, will we stand up and stop all this destruction of our national fabric? Let’s arise at this critical moment and be remembered as the people who in the face of destruction gave hope and built their country.

So what must we do? I humbly submit six practical things that we need to do hand in hand.

i. Uproot: There are huge trees called corruption, impunity, and tribalism that started as small shrubs but were ignored. Now they have become mature trees with their roots in every vein of our national fabric. Merely cutting their trunk will not solve the problem; they must of urgency be uprooted. A problem that is not tackled at the root cause is bound to persist and can only get worse. Persons responsible for these crimes must be uprooted from their economic and political bases and sent to jail.

ii. Tear Down: There are well established evil systems that cover our country. It is a mesh and a wall. Today our ethnic, geographical and other boundaries have become barriers to national building. Even our education selection system (quota system) has become a big barrier as it deliberately bars some Students from ever interacting with each other. This has a led to citizens who engage with on another based on stereotypes – they know others as thiefs, killers, proud etc - all because they lack exposure. These must of urgency be torn down (demolished). WE must demolish everything that stands on the way of national building.

iii. Destroy: This implies completely removing from the face of the earth. Cancerous cells continue to multiply unless they are destroyed. The monster of tribalism, corruption, injustice with impunity is so dangerous that if it is not destroyed now it will destroy our country completely in the near future.

iv. Overthrow: You overthrow those who have are in power and especially men and women who have choosen a self-centred route. In this route, all they do is seek self gain and glorification. Whereas overthrowing is rarely a peaceful game, I believe it is possible to overthrow our failed leadership with the vote. These should be followed with an uncompromising adherence to the rule of law where every wrong doer gets the due punishment while those on the right are rewarded.

v. Build: The greatest tragedy is to tear down, destroy and overthrow without knowing what to do next. As we engage in the above mentioned we must know what we want to replace the corrupt systems. We need to build bridges across our ethnic groups and communities. We need to build a culture of trust, merit, integrity, honesty and hard work. We need to build a system where the input determines the output. Where God the father and not god fathers have the final word. Where one can grow and live to reach their highest potential without having to affiliate to an ethnic or any other grouping.

vi. Plant: Every vegetation and life in general starts with a seed. Its success depends on where it is planted and how well it is taken care of. National building is a process and thus we need to plant the right seeds to be able to get the right results. In planting and harvesting the process is as important as the product. Let’s breed and plant the right seeds. Seeds of peace. Seeds of true democracy – practices and values. Seeds of merit and rewarding of the same.

I am persuaded to the core of my existence, that Kenya needs this bold actions to be able to rise to her rightful place in the league of nations. We have what it takes; are we willing to take it and use it to redeem the lost soul of our country?

This I ponder and this I will do.

In Service to God and Country.

ARMS.

They have died....who is next?

2010-03-12T09:37:00.008+03:00

Today my heart is heavy. I am lost of words and my mind is on fire with all thoughts of revenge and every other thing that can avenge for the lives of men and women who have died due to an act of omission or commission by a fellow Kenyan. I more concerned because the very gun that fell them and the very hand that pulled the trigger is still with me. It is in my neighbors hand - the very person I live with and at times hope will protect me. This is a pain that every other Kenyan shares in.

The killing of seven taxi operators in the early hours of yesterday morning in Kawangware-Dagoretti have left me wondering where we are headed as a country. My friend Bernard says, " they have died...there are no graves to bury them... there is no maize to feed their dependents....their children have primary school to attend...its pain and more pain". And this is just one of the many incidences. If it is not the bullet, then it is arson, or hunger, or a lost job or a disease. Kenyans are faced with death in all its forms from every side.

Its greed and selfishness that surrounds our every day life. Who shall fight for us? Who shall stand and say no more? Who shall give up their all for our good? Who is it? Is it you or is it me?

I condemn all this evil in the strongest terms possible and wish to inform our leaders that we are closely watching how they are handling the lives of the people of Kenya.

In Service to God and Country.

ARMS.

May We Dwell in Unity, Peace and Liberty

2010-03-11T14:11:00.004+03:00

Dwelling in Unity, Peace and Liberty with people of all walks of life is certainly a challenging call. Thats the commitment we make when we sing our national anthem. Every single Kenyan desires to live a life of unity, peace and liberty.

I attempt to define the four terms in this in the context of our national building and the current situation.

Dwelling connotes living and conducting ones life in a certain geographic area. This may imply conducting some work and engaging in a means to make a living. In the context of a country there are different geographical areas that one may live in and inevitably there are other people in the environs.

Unity has the the direct assumption that there are other persons who live in the area or that have a direct/indirect impact on your life. In our context we find ourselves living in the same geographical area called Kenya. We come from all walks of life and have differences of language, race, tribe/ethnic group, cultures, religions and much more. In such a context we have a choice to live on our own or to seek to live in harmony with others. We have a choice to make our differences our point of conflict or our point of uniting. I am convinced that our diversity if well utilized is our greatest strength. Unity is not uniformity; rather it is a focus to a common purpose. At its best unity is when each of us is doing their best and bringing their best effort to the table of decisions and development of our country. The strong uplifts the weak, the rich supports the poor, the fast encourage and make up for the slow etc. But in a state where the weak are mistreated and taken advantage of, it is impossible to have unity. We have to work extra hard to ensure that as much as is possible we bring every Kenyan to the table of decision.

Peace is not the absence of conflict, it is the deliberate act of managing conflict and resolving contentious matters at their earliest. If you like peace is the work of always pulling out the roots of any weed of conflict as soon as bud shows up on the earth. Studies on conflict and even our own day to experiences show that what ends up becoming a huge conflict started as a small issue but was either ignored or deliberately fired up of sectarian interests. In Kenya, peace is often confused with calmness (or what one commentator has called cease fire). Just about two years after the Post Election Violence occured and some are already indicating that there is peace. I am of the unfortunate opinion that we do not have peace, rather we have conflict rich calmness. Why do I say so? The issues, the underlying causes of the conflicts in the past seem to remain unaddressed. For instance we are yet to address corruption with impunity, land ownership wrangles, human rights abused inflicted on fellow Kenyans and much more. As a result there is clamour for capture of political power by different communities so as to be able to sought out ( some read this as "to revenge"). In this kind of a context it is difficult to talk of peace. To live in peace with fellow Kenyans is a deliberate decision that you and I need to make. Some people make it difficult to live in peace with them and no wonder the advice from the Holy Bible in Hebrews 12:14 To strive for peace with all men. Peace is expensive because it calls for personal sacrifice and a willingness to compromise some hard lines so as to accommodate the other person.

Liberty means freedom. and for me the greatest thing that freedom should enhance, is the opportunity for all Kenyans to seek and achieve their highest aspirations both individually and collectively. Thus it follows that such people will never be equal. People who are pursuing their aspirations in a supportive environment will always be difficult to manipulate. Lawrence Reed advances the argument that free people are not equal and equal people are not free in his paper, seven principles of sound public policy (see http://www.mackinac.org/3832). Therefore one understands where every effort to ensure liberty is oftenly opposed. Because in a manipulative system, that ours has become, there needs to be unquestioning foot soldiers. Once you make them free then you loose them. They are free to choose you and free to choose your opponent.

Thus we dwell in everything else minus sufficient presence of peace, unity and liberty. That explains why one meets faces of frustrated people who work long hours to no avail. They struggle every day to live a comfortable life.

What then shall we do? Just like new wine destroys an old wineskin, it is impossible to find peace, unity and liberty by using the same old systems that have facilitated disunity, conflict and oppression. Failure is doing the same things, the same way but expecting different results. In my mind two things stand out.

A. Change of Software: With this, I refer to each of us individually changes our attitude and way of doing things. I hold the view that a safe journey is a result of two things, with a constant of God's guidance. This are a good driver and a functional car. Thus we must focus and get right the drivers of national building and these are the individual kenyans. We need to remove the current faulty operating system that is characterized by no respect for public property, impunity, corruption, blaming others for own fault and greed in all its faces. In place we need an operating system that is characterised by personal responsibility, the rule of law and integrity in all aspects of our national fibre.

B. Change the hardware: Even the best of drivers knows that his success depends on the condition of the car. I must submit that we are driving a faulty car. It has shown all signs of malfunction but we keep on. two things are likely, it will either crash and kill us of it will stall and cost us big time. Fixing it will cost us so much more. We must as a matter of urgency change our hardware - call it reforms or whatever else, we need a system change. This must cover all facets; education, land, leadership, development models and resource allocation.

Then and only then shall we start the true journey of dwelling in peace love and unity.

Be part of this change.

In Service to God and Country.

ARMS.

Are you the leader Kenya is looking for?

2010-03-09T07:38:00.007+03:00

Fellow Kenyans as we continue to reflect on the words and spirit of our national anthem, I am compelled to share with us what I believe comprises the kind of leaders our great nation needs to move forward.

This I quote and paraphrase (In Italics) from Leadership Author Dr. John C. Maxwell, in His book Developing the Leader within you (1993).

Kenya is in dire need of leaders;

Who use their influence at the right times and for the right reasons;

Who take a little greater share of the blame and a little smaller share of the credit;

Who lead themselves successfully before attempting to lead others;

Who continue to search for the best path and not the familiar one;

Who add value to the people and the organization (country) they lead;

Who work for the benefit of others and not for personal gain;

Who handle themselves with their heads and handle others with their hearts;

Who know the way, go the way and show the way;

Who inspire and motivate rather that intimidate and manipulate their followers;

Who live with people to know their problems and live with God in order to solve them;

Who realize that their dispositions (attitudes) are more important than their positions;

Who mold opinions instead of following opinion polls;

Who understand that an institution is the reflection of their character;

Who never place themselves above others except in carrying responsibilities;

Who will be as honest in small things as in great things;

Who discipline themselves so they will not be disciplined by others;

Who encounter setbacks and turn them into comebacks;

Who follow a moral compass that points in the right direction regardless of the trends;

Whose word is their bond;

This are true characteristics that any one desiring to lead this great nation should ascribe to. The advice of Charles Evans the late, a former Chief Justice of the United States of America, to the judges on 3 March 1939 comes in handy, " We are here not as masters but as servants, not to glory in power but to attest our loyalty to the commands and restrictions laid down in our sovereign, the comrades of this institution in whose name and by whose will we exercise our brief authority".

Let us all be firm in deciding who leads us but much more let us be this kind of a leader in our part of Kenya.

In Service to God and Country.

ARMS.

Justice be our shield and defender

2010-03-08T13:53:00.006+03:00

Today is International Women's Day and I wish to join in hailing praise to our women who have played a great role in ensuring that this world is what it is today. God new what he was doing when he created a woman. I highly doubt that the world would be as beautiful, cheerful and filled with all signs of happiness without our dear women. But it has not always been easy for them. As a matter of fact women have and continue to bore the brunt of injustices that characterize our world. The labor hard in farms and industries but are denied the opportunity to control the very income they participate in bringing. They are victimized for crimes they never committed and are many at times denied the opportunity to own and inherit property of their departed family members even when they are the rightful next of keen. They bear the pain of child birth, rearing and support while at times receiving no support from their male partners. In what I observe as an increasing male scarce society, women are bearing burdens they should not. sadly to note is that the scarcity of men is not just physical absence but actually abdication of responsibility in the homes. God help us men to always take our ruightful positions without fear or favour for as John Hagee observes, " When men fail, the church falls and the society collapses".

I turn to our reflection of the day - Justice Be Our Shield and Defender.

" Justice delayed is justice denied and an injustice in itself", goes an old saying (emphasis mine). Kenya is a prime case study of justice both delayed and denied. In every corner of the country is one crying for justice to be done. No one can claim to be free from the effects of injustice as long as one of us is unjustly treated. Martin Luther King Jr. best expressed this when he observed, "Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere. We are caught in an inescapable network of mutuality, tied in a single garment of destiny. Whatever affects one directly, affects all indirectly". We are all intertwined in the mesh of injustice in two main ways. By either propagating it or by keeping silence as it is being propagated. S/he who does not oppose evil supports it. A simple example is when I have sat quietly in matatu (bus) while the conductor overcharges someone who is unable to defend themselves. Have you ever been part of watching injustice propagated but kept quiet because you were not the victim.

It is a natural flow that with the blessing of God of all creation on the land and nation that there will be justice in the land. The land we envision is one with justice as the shield and defender. The shield and defender pre-supposes, and rightly so, that there will be dangerous aims at the people of Kenya and thus the need to be protected by a just system and people. But this seems to have evaded us in many ways. This blog observes that there has been an effort to establish a law on almost every matter that is affecting the country including the recent enactment of the National Cohesion and Integration Act, 2008 (earlier named Ethnic relations bill). However, many laws do not necessarily imply existence of justice. This is because, justice is a matter of the heart. True justice is advance by a just heart and not laws. The citizenry must be ready to read the letter of the law and live the spirit of the same. But what makes justice in Kenya such an elusive thing? Why are so many hurting of injustices, while those responsible enjoy their freedom? Why is no concrete action being taken to address this injustices? Why are all efforts towards justice met with resistance or interfered with? Why is it that the reports of commissions of inquiry that touched on critical matters of justice such as The Ndungu Report, Akiwumi Report and others never implemented? Were they a PR exercise meant to hood wink the powerless public?

One can only concluded that there lacks will to give justice to they that deserve it. Those in power use oppression to rule of the people and thus have intention to address the citizens concern. But it is also true that they (those in power) are responsible for causing the injustices and thus addressing them would mean shooting the very hand that feeds them. It is case of sheep's welfare being in the hands of the wolf.

Enough is enough. It is time to make justice a reality in Kenya. Over and above the myriad of commissions established in the country there is need to make sure that justice flows like a river to all people. The worst injustices are those committed by citizens to citizens. Its neighbours who burn and evict their neighbours from their homes? It is employers who mistreat their employees? It is religious leaders who take advantage of their followers by underpaying them and overworking them?

I invite us to not only demand that justice be done, but that we provide justice. What if we each made it our responsibility to do justice and protect those in our part of the world from the injustices of this world. What if we made it our passion and daily core to do what is just. Do you treat those under you in a just way? Does your house technician, juniors at work, fellow students, team know you for justice or injustice?

Its as we do our part that the whole part will be done. May the Lord help us in making Justice a reality.

In Service to God and Country.

ARMS.

Bless this our Land and Nation

2010-03-05T21:10:00.007+03:00

As noted in the previous post, our national anthem is the one thing that Kenyans are agreed on. This could be for the very reason that it contains the aspired future of the nation. How I long for the day that the words of the anthem shall be lived and experienced and not just sang as is the case now. Indeed that day we shall exclaim 'Truly Blessed are we'.

Blessing and being blessed is as old as the human species. In our traditional cultures the gods were sought to bless the land and offerings were made to invite such blessings, to give thanks for the blessings and in the case of wrong doing to seek forgiveness of the gods. Different religions have blessings from God as a key principle of existance. In the christian faith blessings from God are central aspect of the doctrine. Prayers, offerings and other rituals are made to seek God's blessings. This blessings though at times interpreted in terms of quality of life such as state of ones health,peace of mind and good relationships, the quantity is also highly considered. In recent times, quantitative aspects of blessings have taken a centre stage. This is in terms of material wealth. This has been the catch phrase for many a prosperity preacher. While not intending to do an expose of the form and shape blessing take, the author is keen to underscore that true blessing has both qualitative and quantitative aspects. Also this true blessing can be seen and experienced by people in their day to day life.

Bless This Our Land and Nation

'Bless this our land and nation' does go our second line of our national anthem. Its a prayer requesting the God of all Creation to favour and advance good tidings to two areas of Kenyans life-our land and our nation. Does Kenya as a country(The geographical space on the earth) have this two things. Yes we have land that is diverse in productivity and landscape. And yes it needs Gods blessing for optimal production to support the people dependent on it. We need Gods blessings in the highlands, low lands, waters, forests etc. And do we have a nation that can attract God's blessings. Do we have a unity of purpose that brings. A more intimate look at kenya one realises many nations in one country. My friend Njonjo Mue advances this position in greater detail in his article One Country Many Nations (Njonjo, 2007 http://kenyananalyst.wordpress.com/2009/01/22/bless-this-our-land-and-nation) . The process of bring our diverse nations into one united nation that is established and strengthened by the strengths of each community seems to be far from success despite almost 47 years of independence. Each community seems to have focused more on building its power base. It has degenerated into a battle of supremacy between nations with each wanting to dominate over the others. We are alive to the saying 'Its our time to eat', used to imply each communities desire to have an opportunity to control and where possible eat a big piece of the national cake. It thus no wonder that instead of political elites from the various communities mobilizing for national unity,they mobilize on ethnic and selfish lines. These they do while claiming to be pursuing the best interests of 'their people'. Ethnically motivated conflicts best explain this drive for power. It has become a society of getting power using whatever means necessary. One then understands the lethargy in undertaking crucial reforms in governance system. This was what the Agenda IV of the Kenya National Dialogue & Reconciliation that sort ought the 2007 Post Election Violence violence and political crisis. In such a state where the leaders feed on the blood of their people by sharing the spoils as Kenyans die of da sword and hunger, it is difficult for God to bless our land and nation. Unity is a condition that God uses to bless humans. Psalm 133:1-3 tells us that it is pleasant when brethren live together in unity for there the Lord commands a blessing and life for evermore.

What then must we do to attract Gods blessing to our land and nation.

Three things stand out that we need to do as Kenyans;-

A. Unity - This is not uniformity (being the same and doing the same), it is pursuit of a common purpose based on common principles but upholding our diversity. It is working together by each doing what they are best in. It is maximizing on each others strength. Every leader must thus

B. Faithfulness : It is clear from the parable of the talents that faithfulness (Mathew 25:14-30) is rewarded with much more and while laziness is punished. But more interesting is that it does not matter how much you have, what matters is what you do with it. In Kenya we have many a lazy people who survive by stealing other peoples sweat as well as corrupt people who rise by oppressing others.

C. Walking the Talk: This is about being people whose word is their bond. People who say what they mean and mean what they say. We have witnessed many a person (some of who are national leaders) say one thing in public and do a totally different thing in private. They preach the water of peace in public as they excessively partake the wine of destruction in private.

This is my call to all people of Kenya and especially those entrusted with public resources be they human, natural, financial, technical. Important to note is that each of us is entrusted with part of our land and nation. Are we faithful in managing it?

May this lead you and I to more intimate search of our ways and may we purpose that from this day onwards we shall do our part in attracting the God of all creation to Bless our Land and Nation. On Monday we continue on Justice be Our Shielder and Defender.

Blessed Weekend.

In Service to God and Country.

ARMS.

Oh God of All Creation

2010-03-04T11:10:00.002+03:00

The National Anthem is certainly the one thing that all Kenyans agree with. It does outlines the values and principles as well as the desire country that every Kenyan would love to live in - a country of justice, plenty, liberty just to name but a few. But it concerns me that that the daily life of Kenyans as portrayed in various media and interactions seems to be devoid of this values, principles and vision that are contained in Our National Anthem.

This blog will focus on an exposition of the anthem line by line with an intent to arouse, remind and revive our individual conscience as to what is required of us in making Kenya what it ought to be i.e. The Light of Africa and the center of world class development in the southern hemisphere. Kenya Vision 2030 terms this as "A globally Competitive and Prosperous Country with a High quality of life" (GoK, 2007)

"Oh God Of All Creation"

This is the first line of our national anthem. It ascribes to The God of who made and sustains all creation. At His word all that is was made and at His very word it can all be destroyed. Psalms 24: 1-2 reminds us that The earth is the LORD's, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it; ² for he founded it upon the seas and established it upon the waters. Indeed God is the one who created and sustain Kenya. He not only created the earth and all in it but also created human beings to take care of it. But we have not always been faithful for we have many at times destroyed the natural creation. If this was not the case there would be no debate about global warming and all its attendant effects on climate change.

In Kenya we are alive to the reality that unless we individually and collectively do something about our environment then we will have little to live on in the coming years. Our children will read and see pictures of forests that were the desert they live in. They will see pictures of elephants, snow capped Mt. Kenya, Flamingo filled Lake Elementaita and Lake Nakuru. They will read and hear about the big five animals that Kenya was once famous of. And all this they will as they drink water from Tanzania, Use Electricity from Uganda, Eat Cereals from Europe and Drive cars from Asia. And because Kenya will be too broke to afford anything- they will doing all this using loans from other countries.

Creation cries for care and support to continue to produce that which it is designed to produce. Gods gift to us is the creation in all its beauty; Our gift to Him is care with integrity of this creation. God has given Kenya all it needs to be all He intended of it. Think of all the animals, parks, rivers, mountains, minerals. Above this think of all the Kenyans within and out of the country and the exploits they do. In His wisdom He has put us in this country for such a time as this. I am convinced that you and I are the right people, for the right job and at this very right place. WE are the people who can change this country for good. The Japanese have built their Japan, Germans have built their Germany, Americans have built their America among others and so must Kenyans build their Kenya

What then does The God of all Creation desire of us in this circumstance where the country needs true leadership and direction into a path of prosperity based on social, political, cultural and economic integrity. When the Israelites had become rebellious and were living for themselves ignoring Gods call, He sent them Prophet Micah who informed them that God required three things;

a. To act justly - advancing fairness to all Kenyans. To reward merit and punish the wrong.

b. To love mercy - This means treating those who need help with a sense of kindness and love. This is true because we will not all be on the same level and asThe Late John F. Kennedy rightly observed " A country cannot protect the few who are rich unless it helps the majority who are poor"

c. To walk humbly with your God - Humility is being and doing all you are supposed to do without boasting about it. Its being yourself with a sense of contentment as you seek to achive greater good.

Lets work with all we are in making Kenya a coveted destiny and give all honour to the God of all creation and then we shall be assured of his blessings. Check out the next post on Bless This our Land and Nation.

In Service to God and Country

ARMS.

Righteousness, Justice & Integrity

2010-03-04T07:55:00.002+03:00

My Country Kenya is at a critical time of constituting a republic that will uphold the rights of its citizen. Some have observed that it is Kenya's best Constitutive Moment. There are many proposals of what needs to be done to make a Kenya a country that is peaceful, united and where love for all is evident.

But what really is the way forward? Whereas one can view the problem of Kenya as one of the hardware (System of government), I think that the problem is software related (the people in the system). The heart of the problem, is the problem of the heart. In saying so, I contend that no matter how good the system is, as long as the peoples attitude to nation building is not changed then there is likely no change that will be observed.

Recently I heard a very interesting observation on why corruption has continued to plague our Kenyan society. Mr. Zein Abubakar narrated how in the colonial days, kenyans were encouraged to take advantage of everything by and for government, as this was considered as rightfully theirs but the colnialists were denying them. After independence, there was no change of mindset as the Kenyans continued to plunder whatever was government notwithstanding the fact that the government was now in their hands. It is not amazing that there continues to be little regard for government (read public) resources by a majority of Kenyans.

In considering these matters deeply, I was drawn to sharing by one Rev. David Oginde during a a parliamentarians meeting at Utalli Hotel sometime in 2006. I am convinced that the content of the sharing is truly what will move this country forward. I thus submit, and this will be the focus of this blog that there are three things that every Kenyan needs to embrace. This is as recorded in the Holy Bible in Luke 10:27 He (Jesus) answered: "'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind'; and, 'Love your neighbor as yourself.(NIV)'"

A. Righteousness: This has to do with Loving your God with all you are and have. It is amazing how different one's life becomes when all is directed at honouring and revering God. Kenya is in dire need of women and men who love their God and follow his ways in leading this great country.

B. Justice: This has to do with loving your neighbour. Justice means doing everything in manner that produces fairness to everyone around you. it has been said that there are many laws in Kenya but little justice. Those in positions of power have used their opportunities to oppress others. Those who are just need to be encouraged while the unjust must be stopped.

C. Integrity: This is being the person of character. I am convince that this the true measure of a person who loves his/herself. A person whose word is their bond and whose talk and walk agree. In search for justice, truth and reconciliation in Kenya - integrity is a prime value that needs to be upheld. But it goes beyond just doing right but also taking personal responsibility when things goe wrong. We need a nation led and lived by persons of integrity.

Thus, if every Kenyan lives a life of Righteousness, Justice and Integrity (as the operating system of the software), then hardware will deliver results of peace, love and unity.

God Bless Kenya.