Only Truth, Behavior Change will Save you Mr President
(Prof Dr Halimu Shauri is a Consultant Sociologist & Dean at the School of Humanities and Social Sciences, Pwani University.) (Photo /Courtesy)
BY PROF HALIMU SHAURI
From the analysis of history, allow me today to bring Charles Darwin, the natural scientist known for his theory of evolution. This scholar had brilliant ideas that have shaped the world and more critically, the society. His ideas of survival for the fittest took the world to another level regarding change of human society and species.
In Sociology, his ideas were borrowed by many founding fathers including Auguste Comte, Herbert Spencer, Max Webber, Emile Durkheim, Max Weber and Karl Max to mention but a few. These scholars adapted the theory of evolution and brought it to explain the organization of society and human behaviour. More precisely, their collective ideas invented what we call social evolution in Sociology.
The concept of social evolution fits very well in our discourse for today. The dailies have shown how you Mr President have been evolving in your diagnosis of what ails Kenya. Going by the Standard newspaper we can see your trajectory of blame game: The external debt, Uhuru administration, Ukraine war and recently Ford Foundation.
May I remind you sir that problems or challenges are solved first by correct diagnosis. Surely, we cannot solve what we don’t know. So first and foremost, Mr President is for us to tackle candidly on what is ailing Kenya.
From your diagnosis it’s high external debt; what you call debt crisis. And your prescription has been blaming game as alluded to by the Standard newspaper. The shift of blame has been from the opposition to the former regime. From the former regime to low revenue generation. Have you Mr President stopped and reflected on your diagnosis and prescriptions! Three things will not take the country out of the woods, sir. First, blaming the opposition does not help, but usurps your energy for no results.
Secondly, blaming the former regime of HE Uhuru Kenyatta will also not help the country get out of the woods. While you maybe scoring political goals, remember the fight is not political. This focus usurps a lot of your energy and innovation but does not take us anywhere. You can observe Mr President where this has taken you and your administration.
In the process you exposed yourself and your administration that there is no plan to take the country out of the woods but mere rhetoric. A good fighter, Mr President, who I believe you are, does not make noise but fights the fight. The question is: are you fighting in the correct fight, or you are shadow boxing the enemy of the republic!
Third, Mr President, is the belief that the problem of our country can be solved when we raise more revenue without consideration for the impact of such a solution. I agree with you absolutely that you need money to repay debts and spur development. I agree with you absolutely that you need money to run the government. However, I did not and will not agree with the methodology of increasing taxes, and you have seen the consequences of your finance bill 2024/25.
My considered personal and professional opinion is to urge you to put more energy on the diagnosis that ails Kenya. To give a hint and spur your thoughts, Kenya’s ailment is basically socioeconomic. Accordingly, the proscriptions and prescriptions must focus squarely on how to fix our socioeconomic challenges.
The debt crisis, the underdevelopment, the crime, the violence, corruption, the poverty, the unemployment, the diseases and poor health management, the hopelessness and poor revenue collection are all symptoms of our socioeconomic malady turned social malaise by the GenZees. My take would be not to focus on symptoms but the cause of the problem.
I would say that the answer to Kenya’s nascent challenges is vested in good leadership and governance. Mr President this needs behaviour modification for you and those you will bring on board on your second cabinet. The past has been dotted with poor leadership and governance. Consequently, our socioeconomics sank in a deep social decay. From serious poverty of the majority to opulence of the minority and accompanying arrogance.
Mr President you have a clean slate now to write your history and the history of this great nation. Write the new history by focusing on courageously doing the right thing. Truth and righteousness will never let you down, believe you me. And on this note I call upon all of us to have an inspiration towards modifying our behaviour and embrace truism and righteousness for a great Kenya.
(Prof Dr Halimu Shauri is a Consultant Sociologist & Dean at the School of Humanities and Social Sciences, Pwani University.)
