The 1st June commonly known as Madaraka Day is the day when Kenya commemorates the attainment of internal self-rule in 1964. The day which is national public holiday is deemed as a time to commemorate Africa’s freedom-fighters, heroes and role-models. The national address by the President normally focuses on developments reached as well as challenges facing the country. Madaraka is the Swahili word meaning to have full control or self rule. This year’s celebration is the 54th anniversary.
Comment:
The colonial history of Kenya dates from the Berlin Conference of 1885 when East Africa was first divided into territories of influence by the European powers. The British Government founded the East African Protectorate in 1895 and soon after, opened the fertile highlands to white settlers. Even before it was officially declared a British colony in 1920. Kenya and Africa general as it exists today with its artificial boundaries was the result of the 19th century scramble for Africa by competing European powers over its coveted resources.
During the colonial era, British colonialists occupied Kenya and made use of elements form the conquered territory to deal with the day-to-day running of colony. In early 1960s although Britain gave Kenya the so called independence, an architecture that was nurtured over a generation and was left in place ensuring the country remains linked to her colonial master. To maintain superiority, control and influence over the country’s wealth, the British created comprador-bourgeoisie class. It had further laid down corrupt economic policies based on capitalist ideology to control over the resources of Kenya. As many African countries, Kenya has been forced to concentrate on single commodities and the so called service based economy rather than build its economy upon minerals and resources it has in abundance. Therefore it has neglected its agricultural potential resulting into a harsh living situation.
Kenya’s misfortunes were immediately blamed on Single-party Democracy so an attempt to transform Kenya, Section 2A of the Kenya’s constitution was repealed to allow the re-introduction of multiparty Democracy and limit the terms of the presidency. This attempt was deemed as second liberation. In 2010 dubbed as a landmark moment when Kenya celebrated the promulgation of the new constitution hailed by thousands of Kenyans across the country as the birth of the second of the republic of Kenya. The colonialists through local politicians ironically spearheaded the said changes only to maintain the status-quo.
With all those attempts in almost five decades of self-rule Kenya still struggles with problems like tribalism, corruption, violence, land grabbing and destitution as all these attempts and changes dashed. With a public debt that has already hit at 4 trillion which represent 52% of the country’s gross domestic product (GDP), the political class continue giving empty promises to poor Kenyans in every election period.
What Kenyans ought to realize is Kenya and Africa at large still witness the struggle between major Western powers particularly Britain, France and the US. With their capitalism, a man made system, Kenya will not resolve its problems radically instead more problems will keep emerging. This is because man made systems which are bound to faults due to the imperfect and self centred nature of human beings is the mother of all socioeconomic and political problems. The only solution to these prevalent crisis is to have a divined ideology i.e. Islam and will basically turn the whole world into prosperous life as 54 years are enough for a Government to meet its visions.
Shaban Mwalimu
Media Representative of Hizb ut Tahrir in Kenya