Je, Ni Wakati?

"(Ni wakati) kwa Afrika yote kusimama
(Ni wakati) kwetu sisi hapa vijana
(Ni wakati) Tusiishi kama jana
(Ni wakati) Siku za usoni kutazama."

-Kalamashaka

Yes indeed, it is time to rise up! As i write this, there is a crowd of people demonstrating along University Way, Nairobi, chanting "Haki Yetu!", the ordinary Kenyan's alternative anthem. At this point I'm not really sure what this demonstration is about. But lately, they do happen every other day, sporadically and seemingly spontaneously. But perhaps of more importance is what exactly seems to be our problem? What seems to be continuously eating away at and viciously eroding our collective psyche?

Those are questions that have as many answers as there are shiny stars in the clear night sky. Ask any one of the hoi polloi down the street and you'll have begun a conversation without a quick end. 

This is not an article about what went wrong yesterday, who did what, what wasn't done according to the laid-down procedures, or what not. Neither is it a pontification about what needs to be done to correct those wrongs.

We need to rise up! We need to 'wake up and smell the coffee.."

Proverbs 6:9-11

How long will you lie there, you sluggard?

 When will you get up from your sleep?

A little sleep, a little slumber,

 a little folding of the hands to rest—

and poverty will come on you like a thief

and scarcity like an armed man.

Indeed, poverty and scarcity seem to be creeping up on us like an armed man. Could this be one of the reasons we formed an alternate anthem?I don't know. But i do know that every so often i am having to pay more, increase contributions, dig deeper into my pockets, sacrifice more, toa ndugu, toa dada.....the ballad goes...

Deut 1:6-8

"The Lord our God said to us.., “You have stayed long enough at this mountain. Break camp and advance into the hill country.."

We have stayed long enough at this mountain. We need to step out, Take charge! We must demand for what is rightfully ours. Good governance, justice, decent standards of living and so forth. Let us rewrite our anthem.

"(Ni wakati) kwa Wakenya wote kusimama
(Ni wakati) kwetu sisi hapa ma-vijana
(Ni wakati) Tusiishi kama jana
(Ni wakati) Siku za usoni kutazama."