So far yet so near: Liberation? 

Over the past few months, I have felt unusually saddened by events (especially politically inclined) in my motherland, Kenya.

You see, like many of my fellow wananchi (citizens) I had a lot of hope in devolution: serikali mashinani. Such hope that I had foreseen getting a stable job and running an S.M.E (business). So I put my first foot forward and went all in. Then plunged head first or rather fast.

Most said: What did you expect? This is Kenya.

Me: I know it’s Kenya. Have a little faith.

So here’s the short story.

After a few months of walking my soles off the streets of Nairobi in search of employment, I stored my flat (doll) shoes, well- fitting official wear and heeled shoes. My email was filled with more sent than inbox. With few prospects of ‘over-qualified’, ‘ no – vacancy’ or other polite regret messages. My pocket, well, I had ceased using a wallet since it had become empty. My sinus had behaved well but I had lost a couple of handkerchiefs too. At least, I had a bit left to fill my tummy with the bare mwananchi minimum: ugali sukuma wiki.

Then with a few friends backing, I decided to be an entrepreneur. God, wasn’t I ambitious! I got a few business professionals to help figure out logistics and in a few months, my business was up and running.

Then, getting council licences was lengthy but quite affordable. Premises to set up business were also well spacious at a good cost. Buying stock was convenient not to mention pocket friendly. ‘What else could go wrong?’ , thought this budding entrepreneur.

Well, as they say in the newsroom, ‘Everything that could go wrong, will go wrong ‘, ‘What will you do then?’. This latter phrase mostly refers to the editors who take the fall when things so fall apart.

The business saw life, so much life that I had plans to expand. Brand the business into a company, enlarge the kiosk into a cafe. Little did I know. There were many S.M.Es opening up. Then came more ‘kanjo’ (town council) raids. Yes, raids! The unfortunate thing is this kanjo wear no uniform nor carry any identification. Suddenly you overhear your neighboring businessman having an argument with ‘unknown customers’. Your first reaction is to close your doors. Not because you have committed any crime but because ‘kanjo wako area’. They won’t care whether you have a valid license or business permit, they will simply want the day’s share of your little earnings. Once you give in to this just one day, they will keep coming for more and more. Milking you like a cash cow! Come end of the year, you will still have to renew the county council license.
So you will keep evading them till end year.Evade, to mean, run like Tom and Jerry : goose chase.

Unfortunately, after a couple of these raids, customers will not come close to this battles. Slowly but surely, you will have to close shop. Then when you are about to find greener pastures. Alas!

The price of everything has doubled. Licenses and premises are costly. Stock is scarce thus equally expensive. Then here comes an electioneering year that just stamps this struggle with high inflation.

Then you will fall sick in your house since doctors followed by nurses are on strike. Then your children will be sent back home after their dorm caught fire. Just when you thought you had shoulders to cry on, your friends faces will turn red away from yours because of their tribal political affiliations.

Is this what our forefathers hid in thick wild forests for in the 1960s?

Is this the democracy our fathers lobbied for in the 1980-90s?

Is devolution contributing to our evolution or causing desolution?