Protesters during anti-government demonstrations on Kimathi Street in Nairobi on 16 July 16, 2024.
Kenya is undergoing a series of profound and notable changes. They are gathering more and more momentum and will in turn bring more changes.
First and foremost Kenyans have become less fearful of the system in spite of it brazen brutality. The culture of fear which many of us went through years ago is much, much less.
It is not just the Gen Z’s who have become more fearless. The country has.
Most Kenyans of all ages are happily speaking their minds and not in hushed tones either.
So what is actually happening?
The advent of social media means everything sees the light of day even if it takes time. Nothing can be hidden or suppressed for long.
Those who voted ‘yes’ or ‘no’ in Parliament were flashed across our screen live or in seconds. Details of who and where exactly they are from, including where they reside, became part of the public domain.
Flow of information
And another fascinating thing is that the system can try to repress and suppress the flow of information but in this day and age it comes through in one medium or another.
We have come such a long way from those days when one outfit such as the Kenya Posts and Telecommunications Corporation had the monopoly in the flow of information.
When the 1982 coup attempt against Former President Daniel Arap Moi happened, the telex machine stopped and one gathered around the radio tuned into the inevitable BBC. Information came in bits and pieces.
One giveaway at the time was that KBC’s predecessor the Voice of Kenya played some unusually vibrant music.
These days people flick from one medium to another and are updated even when there is subverted interference of the mainstream media.
The other day the TV signals were interfered with. Everybody was on their phones and updated within minutes.
Today cafés, bars and restaurants have generous facilities for charging one’s phone.
Remember there are countries such as Iran where the suppression of information is a major government operation but people still keep informed even though they live in fear.
Here the state machinery gets bedazzled by how fast information gets around. The venerable journalist Macharia Gaitho gets locked up in Karen Police Station and within a short time the place looks like a scene in a Hollywood movie with a media corps literally congesting it.
What is particularly interesting these days is we can follow literally anything. The verbal fights going on between Tatu City and Kiambu Governor Wamatangi with the former accusing him of "extortion" and "attempted extortion" at a public press conference.
Remember Tatu City is a substantial investment and what is said is taken in by all around. What sort of signal does that send to the world about confidence or otherwise of investing in Kenya and the issue of corruption?
What I do know is that this has seriously damaged Kenya’s image. Imagine how many times this is being forwarded if I alone have received it severally!
You see we are not just talking about the fearless Gen Z’s. Serious investors are making statements and accusations with facts and figures at their fingertips.
Positive change
Look at the unfolding stories of who has been killed where in Kenya over the last few weeks. You cannot kill information.
Which brings me onto one of my biggest fears for our country. I respect and even admire all who have stood up for positive change. I have also championed against the vices of government such as corruption and I am the first to admit the war against it is in its early days. It must continue.
But all especially our leaders and not least President Ruto must realise that protracted attrition has serious consequences on our economy.
I have already made reference to our deteriorating investment climate due to the Tatu City issue. Imagine what attrition that is taking place in our country is doing to our tourism bookings. If you were looking for a winter holiday in six months or so would you choose Kenya?
This brings me to the salient issue which needs to be taken on board by our leadership and President Ruto in particular. What is happening is like a Tsunami. It is unstoppable.
I share Dr John Khaminwa’s fears and would love the tempo to slow down but it will not happen just like that. What we must look towards is what to do to recover which includes fundamentally changing how Kenya operates.
That means dealing with corruption, bad governance and plain extravagance.
President Ruto kindly address those core issues.
Robert Shaw is an economic and public policy analyst:[email protected]
