By Albert Nyakundi Amenya- Hawker, Kisii Town
I have said in these streets where I sell bananas time and again, that Kenya is one of the funniest countries in the world.
The harder you work, the poorer you become.
The average Kenyan does not believe in hard work anymore because criminal elements “succeed” faster.
Kenya is a country full of paradoxes.
We export what we do not have and import what we readily have.
Here, banks lend money to those that have it but not those who need it.
Our’s is a Country where people borrow to buy things they do not need.
We are a country where the rich grow richer and the poor become extremely poor.
Idleness has pushed our unemployed youths into drinking second generation liquor and chewing some poisonous leaves called Muguka – whatever it is called in English-Muguka is an addictive stimulant which has similar effects as khat(miraa).
Surprisingly, we are a country where majority are jobless yet the few who have jobs are thankless and too lazy to work.
Our Universities and Colleges are producing graduates that cannot be employed.
I have attempted to read books written by professors (who obviously need no editors) but never went beyond the first paragraph on account of nauseating errors.
A week ago, my daughter’s class teacher handed me a newly recommended English language textbook for grade three pupils. The book was full of errors.
Immediately, I called the number of the publisher in Nairobi’s Industrial Area.
He told me the Ministry of Education hired wonderful editors and that the book had no errors.
I felt sorry that my poor daughter was being misled by teachers and books at a tender age.
The situation is worse in my own field of communication.
“Writers” who write incomprehensive things are the ones that occupy the topmost positions in the main stream Media.
It is common for buildings to collapse across the country. Our wonderful engineers who are “tested and trusted” are performing wonders by allowing sub-standard buildings to come up.
When it comes to jobs, our young men and women are selective.
They want jobs that will fetch them more money so that they lead quality lives.
They forget that what employers need the most from their employees is ability to deliver.
Another problem bedeviling Kenyans is poor attitude towards work. A young Kenyan comes pleading for a job opportunity. Once hired, he thanks his ancestors.
He works hard for the first five days or one week then starts counting the days remaining to pay day.
Once they start earning, they embark on ego trips and start living beyond their incomes.
They start coming late to work but dutifully observe the closing time.
We have so many problems and it seems we may never have a solution in the near future.
In Kenya today, things are not the way they used to be.
You don’t know who to trust anymore.
The young generation has developed a tendency of hating work because they find no dignity in laboring.
Virtues like honesty, hard work and dedication are not upheld.
Thieves and charlatans are awarded annually with plaques of honor while industrious but poor workers go unnoticed.
Work! I advise young employed Kenyans as well as those self employed to work hard and earn a genuine living.
Unless there is a tree in their father’s compound that grows money.
I advise all young Kenyans that one day; they will be rewarded for the hard work.
Despite the challenges I have mentioned above, we should not despair because one day, the corrupt and those who steal from the Public will fall.
If you are employed by someone, work hard as if it were your own work. He, who works hard for someone else, works hard for himself.
This is the same work ethics that you would take to your own business.
And as they say, hard work does not kill, it pays. In Gusii-land where I come from, they say that the reward of hard work is more work. So, the youth of Kenya work hard!
The Writer is a Banana Hawker in Kisii Town
He can be reached on :
albertamenya@yahoo.com