In honor of “celebrating the nation that unites us as bloggers” the KBW admin team has proposed that we dedicate Madaraka Day to “a post on any or all of the following suggested topics: Kenya, Being Kenyan, Being a Kenyan blogger, or Being a member of KBW. The post can be a piece of prose – 2 lines, an essay, a poem, a podcast, a photograph, your favourite quote. It is entirely up to you how you chose to celebrate this day.”
Some great posts are already up. My 2 lines.
Let me tell you…me I love being a Kenyan. Just imagine 
OK seriously. I’m crazy about Kenya. Any who has met me will confirm that. Hell, I even called our parliament watch project Mzalendo (Swahili word for patriot). Like Mental says in his post, being critical of the country or the government does not mean that I don’t think it’s the best country in the world…it is…I just think we have the potential to be so much more than we are (hello, just look at all the talent on KBW) and I feel that I have the obligation to make things better for us and those who will come after us (why do I feel this way? because I am a product of Kenya and Kenyaness, I got to where I am today because of that, which means we must be doing something right, no?). I sometimes get the sense that as Kenyans we have collectively given up on ideals (or is it BIG IDEAS) and excellence…it’s all well and good to celebrate the fact that we have the best scenery, the best hengs, the best food, the best beer, etc. BUT are we working to make the country the best place it can be for EVERYONE not just the few privileged of us who do get to enjoy the scenery, the hengs, the food, etc. That will be true Madaraka for me, when “making it” for the average Kenyan has something to do with their abilities and not luck, or a willingness to take short cuts, or having the right last name.
OK, I’m getting depressing. And I am rambling. I didn’t mean to. Navigating the two worlds that exist in Kenya gets tiring sometimes.
