Things are coming to a head in Kenya. The people of Kenya are once again calling on their leaders to accept change. Since Independence of the republic many have lost their lives in their quest for political, social and economic change. They did not die in vain. Now change is here our leaders must accept it or be forced out by the people.

The problem today is the political and business class in Kenya. They are nostalgic of the past and this has caused many of them to be fearful of the future. I have observed that in the past few years many ordinary Kenyans have become well educated. In the 1960s through to early 1980s, accessing university education was almost a privilege of the society’s elites. Today, in one out of three homes, there is a university graduate and many more with secondary level education. Most of our leaders especially the Independence politicians and their cronies have failed to positively evaluate the effect that higher education has had in elevating the intellectual curiosity of the ordinary Kenyan folk.

Being equipped with appropriate knowledge, my brothers and sisters are not ready simply to be beckoned to eat at the high table as a favour but deservedly because they have input in the national agenda of the country. The majority of politicians with discordant voices have failed to recognise that these young leaders of tomorrow are not interested in sycophancy but want to be fully engaged as a right and are not prepared to accept handouts from leaders who are afraid of political, social and economic change. Education is one of the best pillars of life and being well equipped many are able to competently interpret and critique information from their leaders and so many political leaders, feel threatened by people they thought would never challenge them. Kenya has changed and any leader not ready to embrace the future as Kenyans want it will be swept aside by the tide of change.

It has been reported in sections of the local media that some of these elites have about Kshs 600 billion stashed in foreign banks. It is a true shame of gigantic proportions that people in power who always ask their fellow citizens to be patriotic are able to steal for personal gains without any care in the world about the same citizens they want to lead. Over 60% of our young people are not in active employment; most learning institutions are dilapidated, learning institutions are unfit for learning by our children and health facilities are almost inoperable. Just imagine for one moment, what this money could achieve if these leaders wisely invest it locally. The same leaders always ask Kenyans in diaspora to invest back home yet they do not trust their own leadership for them to invest locally. Kenyans are crying out for change and they will get it. It is now so near we cannot lose it and those who are not ready must pave the way for time has come for tangible action not rhetoric anymore. We are tired of leaders who only care about themselves but not the welfare of the nation.

We must remain one in the fight.

Dickson Aduonga