This archive report was first published on 22 October 2019.
As Kenya commemorated Mashujaa Day on Sunday, it is hard not to wonder what the country has achieved over the past 50-plus years of independence.
The founding fathers of Kenya were optimistic about the nation's future, envisioning a country where the masses would equally benefit from national resources, unlike during the colonial times.
Initially, the country made significant progress after independence, with policies leading to increased school enrolment, improved access to healthcare, higher life expectancy, and a rise in gross national income, as well as unprecedented technological growth and expanded road networks.
However, these developments have been overshadowed by numerous challenges, including a struggle with national cohesion and unity among its diverse groups of people.
Majority of the population identifies more with their ethnic groups, which often supersedes fidelity to the State, negating the spirit of patriotism and nationalism.
Efforts to build unity in diversity among communities have been made, but the disunity has been worsened by political leaders who promote ethnic discord for their selfish benefit.
Political parties, which are supposed to promote nationalism and development ideologies, have inadvertently brought about further widening of the fracture in unity.
The party in power is often linked to unfair allocation of resources to its strongholds and appointment of people from its regions and ethnicity to strategic positions, causing conflict, especially ethnic upheavals.
Kenya also faces a high rate of inequality, with 42 per cent of its 44 million citizens living below the poverty line, as per a Unicef report.
Access to basic services such as healthcare, education, water, and sanitation is still a luxury for many.
Exposure to trade imbalances and over-dependence on grants and borrowing have made the citizens more vulnerable to socioeconomic challenges, with a huge debt burden of 56.4 per cent of gross domestic product.
With 75 per cent of the population comprising youth, many of whom are able-bodied yet unskilled, jobless, and feel alienated, several become ready material for mob action during political and economic crises.
Natural disasters such as droughts, famines, and floods have been persistent, especially in arid and semi-arid regions, with millions of people suffering from starvation regularly.
Corruption and mismanagement have led to destruction and loss of a considerable amount of public resources, despite the presence of critical institutions such as the EACC, the Judiciary, and civil society.
Despite considerable progress towards the realisation of the mashujaa's dream, more need to be done. The leadership and the citizens ought to jointly take serious measures towards solving the challenges the country is grappling with without fear or favour.
Only then would it be rightfully said that Kenya is, indeed, on a trajectory towards becoming a First World nation.
