Kijana, What's Your Legacy?
Ayub Mwakesi is the kind of Kenyan I want to be. At 29 years, I want to be able to be the Kenyan who takes action when I feel aggrieved.
Ayub Mwakesi is the petitioner from Matuga Constituency in Coast Province who has won an election petition case against Chirau Ali Mwakwere, the Party of National Unity (PNU) point man in the Coast Province.
Like many Kenyans, I am aware of several court petitions challenging the win of several sitting Parliamentarians. In the recent past the courts have ruled that in Bomachoge and South Mugirango the sitting MPs were not the valid winners of the parliamentary seats. There are several others pending.
I celebrate the ruling of the courts. First, because I think that Chirau Ali Mwakwere has been extremely arrogant in his management of the Ministry of Transport. This is a ‘leader’ who declared the much appreciate transport reform dubbed “Michuki rules” irrelevant on the basis that he too is a stakeholder in the public transport sector and is disadvantaged by the expensive life saving measures outlined and implemented by his predecessor. Second, in his handling of the Ferry Services, Mwakwere made empty promises about the replacement of the age old ferries whilst all the while knowing that the funds were insufficient to procure the necessary replacements. He made what would have been considered a reasonable suggestion that each ferry passenger pay a KShs 1 fee per day to enable the Ferry Services raise the funds to replace the ferries. However, his manner and scornful attitude said “Look people, just sort yourselves out. If you want a new ferry, pay for it. Stop hassling me.” Mwakwere’s legacy in the Kenya public’s eye is one of increased death on the roads and risk to life at sea and in the air.
I celebrate that a one young man was Kenyan enough to do what is right to challenge the “almighty and powerful” on the simple principle that fraud is unjust.
I coordinate a national youth development programme. The programme aims to increase young people’s role in community and national development processes. Ayub has demonstrated that with the right support and obviously the right attitude and frame of mind any young Kenyan can do what is right for the country.
In the past two years I have engaged with young people from different parts of the country in a training process that aimed to build their skills as leaders – transformative leaders, servant leaders. We focused not on how educated they were or how much money they or their youth organizations had raised but more on their track record as young people on influencing change within their communities. We sought to build their skills so that they could be more inspired and more inspiring young leaders. Many of them concluded the training session inspired, motivated and with a different yet positive attitude about themselves – and their ability to influence change. This we now call our “Shabaa” community of leaders with infinite possibilities. These young people will each leave a legacy within their sphere of influence. I must say that one Ayub Mwakesi from Matuga constituency “ni mwanashabaa”. Not by training but by action.
“Shabaa” is about that one leader who has a vision for his community and guides others along that vision; that one leader whose sense of purpose is clear; that one leader whose integrity is without question; that one leader whose value system is clear to anyone.
Just to mention, a young Kenya Airways pilot was murdered on Nairobi’ Uhuru Highway a couple of weeks ago. His friends and family organized a peaceful procession in Nairobi to protest the increasing insecurity on that Highway and in Nairobi in general. Watching the procession, I was encouraged to see the large number of young professionals who were making the statement “enough is enough”. You see we have been a country where it is the “ngo activists” to protest against Government and raise awareness on what is wrong with society. It has been said that those in the private sector and of the middle class don’t do anything about letting Government know that citizens are unhappy with the status quo. But on the late Captain’s death, the young professions (from the private sector and of the middle class) raised their voices and visibly protested.
I pray that Ayub’s success inspires many more Kenyans. I pray that more young professionals raise their voices to influence change in Kenya.
We each must think what legacy we leave and whether we have done the best we could have as citizens of a Nation and of the World.
