For Country

I’ve just returned to +254 from a wonderful pit stop next door, in the land of matoke and groundnut sauce, to very sad news on the demise of our interior CS General Nkaissery (may his soul rest in eternal peace). Then I got home and watched a YouTube clip on various theories about his death. Was he assassinated? Was it natural death? What’s the impact of this with elections just a month away? And of course the usual mzungu news channels that faithfully predict doom and gloom.

This has bothered me and got me thinking at the same time on two issues. First I’m appreciating this mans qualities now that he’s gone. I’m all of a sudden feeling vulnerable and unprotected with the election anxiety building. Yaani I hardly gave him a thought and clearly took his efforts to protect us for granted (and I’m sure many Kenyans did too). Why does death make clear ones positive attributes and contributions yet when they are with us, we take them for granted?

Secondly, this YouTube clip I listened to pushing various theories of the CS death portrays the vulnerable and silent Kenyans as exposed since our protector has passed on. Therein lies my second issue. The growing middle class (don’t know why I want to deny I’m in this category) has been previously accused of being silent on national matters and we hide behind social media and are serious activists there. We hardly stand up to be counted when we should. I think most of us at 40 are in this category square (like those KANU life members wearing neckties with the jogoo emblem in Moi’s days) going by definition of middle class today. We live in leafy suburbs (though most are concrete jungles), have two cars on average, our kids go to private schools, we belong to a club or two and some of us have a dog that has its own budget of food and toys.

The fact that Nkaissery has passed on has left me feeling victim to enemies of the state instead of asking what I can do to help fill that gap in my own small way. You see, we the so called middle class are mostly the captains of industry , leaders and opinion shapers of many sectors of society. We even have senior government officers that the president appointed from private sector. You know you’re in this category when during 9pm news you say oh I know that guy, we were in school together or play golf with him or her.

Nkaissery’s death presents a good opportunity for us (40s people) to step up in an attempt to unite this country, especially three weeks to elections. We should influence our followers not only on social media but in our organisations, locals and neighbourhoods. We cannot fit in the departed CS’s shoes but we can come with our shoes and attempt to walk the talk of peace and brotherhood.

At 40, we have much more influence than we think, yet seldom do we use it for nation building. One of the nagging feelings that I have had over the last few years is wanting to serve at the national level. I harboured political ambitions when I was younger but I’m wiser now. I’ve been secretly wishing I’d meet the president and tell him I’m willing to offer my skills wherever they may be needed (someone feel free to send Uhuru a link to my blog hehe).

You see, at 40, many of us have earned our 10,000 hours. We have sets of skills and knowledge that are desperately needed to move Kenya forward especially at a time such as this. It is said that all it takes for evil to prosper is for good people to do nothing. Sadly I am part the good people doing nothing (or very little). I fail to realise that if this country burns then I lose heavily (my investments and family) as all I have worked for over the last 20 odd years is here in Kenya. As Uhuru always reminds us, hakuna Kenya ingine tutaenda.

So as we mourn our late interior CS, I will try to pay tribute not just by partaking in animated chats with my pals when enjoying our single malts at the local, but also, positively and intentionally work on my circle of influence. That way, middle class moves from just being targets of consumption for new malls and homes, but agents of real change. Let’s be at the forefront of making the Kenya we want for our kids.

RIP Gen Nkaissery. August 8^th shall be peaceful and I will walk the talk for God and country.