By Gideon Juma
It was on Madaraka day, standing at the trenches of Masinde Muliro Stadium, Bungoma. My
right hand held up high and fist clenched(solidarity), ready to strike on the left side of my chest
with my face full of emotions running down from the inside awaiting to sing the national anthem
when reality hit me up and emotions begun to fade away. The love for the nation was immense
but it could not last that long after recalling the state and governance of the nation. All that our
national anthem entailed never made any sense to me anymore. The correlation between the
national anthem and the current state in the nation contrasted.
The emergence of African colonialist on a sovereign nation has resulted to a disconnection
between the citizens and the governing body. They no longer feel to be a part of the nation
because of the agony and turmoil they are facing at the helm of their leaders with no one to turn
to makes it painstakingly tough. The leaders have betrayed the citizens and the nation, focusing
on their personal interest at the expense of the citizens. The citizens’ interest and needs are less
of a priority to the leaders as they serve the government demands over service and representation
of the citizens. The leaders have become subjects of the reining government, complying with
rules and policies imposed by the government that are punitive to citizens.
The ultimate motive of democracy has lost its ultimate intention on governance and leadership
making citizens suffer for its consequence. Dominance over the citizens by the government has
exposed the citizens to vulnerability taking away their voices and subjecting them to oppression.
On defense of the nation’s affairs, the citizens have partaken this initiative solely to ensure that
there are reforms but the government has limited them from exercising of their rights as
stipulated in the constitution. The abuse of instruments of power by the government to control
citizens from speaking out brings out the misuse of power by the leadership. Democratic
infringements have created pots in the system making it ineffective.
The citizens have nothing to enjoy for their labor. They have become servants of their leaders.
The toil and struggle everyday but eventually ends up in the hands of the government. Misery
and discontentment is their daily pill since majority are struggling to meet their daily needs
through punitive taxation and high cost of living rendering them with little to show up for their
efforts. The government should respond to the needs of the citizens ironically the citizens are
facilitating the livelihood of the government officials. Misuse of public funds is on the rise while
basic amenities are on the side as priorities regarding leaders are at the core. The ineffective
allocation of funds in areas of needs have led to increased suffering among citizens from the
lower economic groups.
The national anthem denotes the course the government should take and ways to live as a nation
but the inverse has received much acceptance.
