We were supposed to be sitted in the YMCA-Shauri Moyo branch gymnasium at 2pm but too bad for us for our calculation of time was wrongly misplaced. “Let’s meet at 1:30pm at Karanja stage ready to go to the forum” I said to all the team of 4 from map kibera trust who had expressed interest in attending this forum. Here, I had turned a blind ear on what I hear every other time from different quarters seeking to justify why they are late for meetings in different parts of Nairobi; oh! ‘There was a hell of traffic on the road, this is why am late’.
The calls, text messages from the host of the forum kept on coming into my phone with questions like, are you coming? How many people are you coming with? Umefika wapi? (where are you right now?) we are about to start. Since we were needed this badly, we chose to walk from town to Shauri Moyo so that we can save our money and time because there were a possibility that there was traffic on Jogoo road, this was well executed, mmhh? At the gate we were warmly received and directed to register at the booth as we were shown in the hall holding some fliers in our hands. It was not easy for us to identify empty seats even as we looked at each other, luckily, we were able to get seats and get ready to follow what was going on.
If you would have been at the event perhaps you could have learnt how I was carefully concentrating when PLO Lumumba took to the podium to share his eloquent speech about corruption with the audience. You will have me agree that most of the times when voting is done, some people lose their lives. Why does this happen? Who fuels all this? It has to be appreciated that sometimes we are to blame for the death of our neighbours for during campaigns, what we want is money! Nothing else, we do not take time to listen to those who have the ideas to propel this nation forward. Dr. PLO recalls at a certain rally a young Kenyan who was not eligible to vote was asking money from politicians which in his view was a bad precedence for we are part of the same problem and not part of the solution when we allow politicians to use the money acquired through corruption to buy our conscience that easily.
How many form 4 students are going to do exams? Will they get jobs? Is the education system favourable or reflecting/addressing the current needs within the job market….this is pure corruption within this institutions where the highest bidder gets good grades/honours. Dr. PLO concurs with the many who have wanted a change of tact that, we cannot keep on doing the same things again and again and expect different results, no it is practically impossible. It was interesting to learnt that someone once said that, Kenya is a man eat man society while Tanzania is a man eat nothing society, now you know.
In his closing remarks, he urged Kenyans and specifically the youths to rethink about the strategy to end corruption, changing our behaviours and character was one way but again everyone should ask himself/herself the question; what is my role in ending corruption? It starts with us asking ourselves this one question and shift our perspective well enough to get it done.
What is the youth response to corruption and devolved funds management?
Ghost Mulee, a football coach, was the second speaker. When he was little, he was in Shauri Moyo. This was a bit a calculate he put in his speech as he asked the audience that if you were given 2 sacks, 1 full of beans and the other full of money, which one would you have picked? I ask you since I know the answer.
The brainstorm around this question was interesting for it helped bring back the concentration for those who were already tired. People have grown together in mtaani/choche as they call it (same backyard) but where exactly has tribalism come from? In football it is always said that the best player plays, there is no tribes issue here. It is of great concern for us to avoid any circumstances that might warrant corrupt deeds thus the need to be informed when voting individually.
The speeches brought to the flow lots of questions that were answered there and then by the guest speakers and finally we had a way forward to hold such like forums to help create awareness about and against corruption fore if it is possible that there is no shortage of church gatherings commonly referred to as Keshas in Kenya it can be equal possible to organize forums for this course.
Between a team of champions and a champion team we should always strive to be a champion team for it is only when we will win.
