By Ochieng M.Khairalla,
CEO, Civic Quotient Centre-Kenya

As we promulgate a new supreme law and usher in a new constitutional dispensation, it suffices to emphasize the fact that we all require a tomorrow and a future free from unnecessary problems and challenges. In order to realize this dream of a better Kenya and a better future for all, there is urgent need for a new thinking in society. New thinking no doubt calls for a new way of looking at things and a new way of doing doings that ultimately creates a better society. Let us therefore begin by looking at ourselves, our families, our environment, our religion, our profession, our communities and all that constitute the totality of societal life and do so we must with a refreshing and ebullient kiss of a new Kenyan life.

As we embark on this sacred an historical assignment it suffices to reiterate the need to take an honest look at our unpleasant past however ugly it may seem and do so we must with unequivocal resolve of NEVER AGAIN! The events of the historical past are instructive especially putting into perspective the need to resolve and conclusively deal with historical injustices and associated challenges. Indeed the path to a new constitution has been strewn with problems and challenges of varying proportions. To know where we are going, we must as a necessity, remember where we have come from as a people.

Kenyans have been killed, maimed, violated, internally displaced, raped and even humiliated in unimaginable dimensions. Acts of impunity continue to trample upon innocent Kenyans with reckless abandon. Today many Kenyans continue to suffer from malicious acts and injustices arising from a marauding culture of impunity. Noteworthy is the urgent need to ensure that these injured and grieving Kenyans are afforded the requisite attention and reparation hence are able to step forward together with happiness and assurance that similar acts of injustice will never happen again not on the very sacred soil of our beloved country because a new dawn it is and indeed a new dawn for all Kenyans beyond the borderline of prejudices and related nuances.

A paradigm shift constitutes an inescapable imperative especially the need for a remarked departure from old ways of doing things characterized by a reckless culture of depletion, wastage, irresponsibility, violations, corruption and death to a new paradigm and thinking characterized by a new way and a peoples responsive culture of renewal, conservation, responsibility, accountability, integrity and value for life. Cultivating new ethos entails seriousness, discipline and strict fidelity to the common good of society. We must as a matter of urgency commence the most important assignment of national renewal with remarked departure from old and messy ways of doing things and particularly shun acts and politics of side-show, intrigues, greed, corruption, blackmail and brinkmanship and begin to inculcate values of honesty, responsibility, accountability, integrity and strict fidelity to the common good of society.

A better Kenya is attainable if we all clasped our hands together in all the things that are essential for our collective advancement as one Kenya, one Nation and one People. As a consequence, the following are instructive in ushering the new constitutional dispensation.

– Building a proper understanding of the essence of a new constitution beyond the purview of mere document. A new constitution is about a shared identity and a better life for all Kenyans. As we celebrate the approval of the new document, it suffices to reiterate the fact that a new constitution begins with the individual across the institution to the sectoral hence the need for self introspection at all levels and across sectors. Self introspection involves looking inwardly at ourselves honestly and with the resolve to ingrain in ourselves new values well in accord with the new constitution. It entails honest self appraisal accompanied by new thinking and a new way of looking at things. It also involves clarity of though and action with responsibility and strict fidelity to the common good of society. It is important to note that we are all capable of becoming better individuals. The same should apply to our families, our offices, our organizations, our communities, etc.

– Generating a responsive environment around us involves a paradigm shift from the current culture of depletion, wastage, corruption and death to a new culture of renewal, conservation, responsibility, integrity and life. It suffices to note that our environment has been depleted and destroyed in such a manner that conservation alone cannot replenish the environment; instead there is urgent need for restoration and regeneration. We must begin by planting trees in the immediate environment and also buy educating society on the value of the ecosystem and specifically the value of trees and forests and accompanying g flora and fauna.

– Building a professional culture of responsibility and strict fidelity to the common good of society:-Ensuring that our education is based on the core values of merit, equity and pursuit of excellence hence is capable of generating responsible professionals who are true to their ethical mandate as well appreciate their duty to society. Such a professional, it is important to note will internalize reverence for universally acclaimed values and principles such as integrity, responsibility, conservation, value creation and value addition, education and life

– Building a political culture of ethics and responsibility:-The new constitution does re-organize and redesign politics in very profound perspectives and especially as a noble profession in strict fidelity to the common good of society. Indeed the question of good leadership resides at the very core of the new constitution. Consequently politicians should be public servants of exceptional virtues and ethical conduct and should be pre-occupied with the need to promote the common good of society. Equally there is urgent need to transform power from being the big stick for subjugation and oppression to a peoples responsive culture and ability to serve all without fear, favour, prejudices and biases

– Reconstructing the paradigm of natural resource management from current notion of exploitation and abuse to a new paradigm of constructive mobilization and sustainable use of resources constitutes an integral component of the new constitution. The need to engender a culture of value creation and value addition constitutes a central plank of this thinking beginning with the need to invest in human development and capacity enhancement at all levels especially value creation in agriculture and all productive facets of societal life. Indeed, Kenya must transform from being a consumer economy to a globally renowned producer economy. This will no doubt generate the requisite capacity and skills for constructive mobilization and sustainable development of resources.

– Building a business culture based on ethics and value for human development is essential for a responsive constitutional dispensation. For a long time business has been about making profits and primitive accumulation of riches at the exclusion of ethics and accompanying corporate social responsibility. As a result, a culture of profit before life is fast pervading every facet of business arena albeit with unpleasant consequences ranging from corruption, cut throat deals and a marauding culture of impunity. The need for a business culture rooted in life before profit and strict fidelity to the common good of society and characterized by genuine corporate responsibility programs is both urgent and constitutes an inescapable imperative into the emergent constitutional dispensation.

– Re-building a religious culture of scriptural values of truth, justice, honesty, love, purity/integrity and pursuit of goodness suffices with incessant alacrity:- A careful appraisal of the woes and challenges facing society today reveal a worrying culture of religion without spirituality largely as a consequence of the following dangerous tendencies namely

1. Ethnic mobilization of religion as well as religious mobilization of ethnicity

2. Political mobilization of religion and religious mobilization of politics and

3. The urgent need to disabuse religion of modern day avarice, malaise and related ethnic and political impurities.

The overwhelming approval of the new constitution and the subsequent promulgation will no doubt mark the beginning of a new journey towards a better nation. We must all begin this journey in earnest and step forward together in strict fidelity to the common good of society as one Kenya and one nation. Let us therefore surge ahead with unequivocal resolve of YES WE CAN usher in a new constitutional dispensation and build a better nation together. God bless and best wishes always,