Government Too Busy

As the government focuses its attention on major issues such as development projects for a better Kenya, it must also remain conscious about a population that is apparently like a tree being eaten from the ground.

Some of the things going on in the rural side of Kilifi County where I reside can never be considered as signs of national development, at least according to me.

Old is gold, they say. However, this means nothing to people from this area, particularly the youth. Old men and women of Kilifi have a narrow chance of celebrating their old age because according to most of our youths, they are all witches. They live a life full of fear due to the brutal punishment predetermined for whoever is found, or even suspected, to practice witchcraft. The criteria for detecting witches is one that is only known to the ‘anti-witch campaigners’ themselves, but the reward for such victims of circumstance is very straight forward – death by swords, axes or fire.

Somebody once said, "not all murder cases associated with witchcraft are due to witchcraft. Most of them are as a result of scramble for family property..." Does the government allow this or is it too busy?

Robbery is another enemy of development in Kilifi, especially to business people. The final two or three months of last year were not very friendly even to religious institutions. Apart from the video kiosk near Cassava market of Sokoke ward that was broken into and valuables stolen from in October, at least three churches also suffered from the same crime. Some lost musical instruments while others chairs, none of which was recovered. Now which investor will be ready to start a business around such an insecure area? Who knows, may be the government allows this or is too busy.

Education is the key to success, as a certain school badge reads. If this is true, then success is already out of bounds for many families in Kilifi because the number of students who drop out of school is always on the rise. As if only half-serious, lack of school fees is still being attributed to this phenomenon, at a time when am told bursary funds can be accessed ‘easier’ than ever. I was not convinced until they mentioned the other reason – early pregnancies. Girls from Kilifi no longer see this as a taboo, but just an accident. Such ‘accidents’ have unfortunately become something normal, like the order of the day.

The ‘enlightened’ ones try abortion as a cover-up, as opposed to the rest who simply leave school and get married as soon as they suspect themselves to be expectant. Education is therefore being paralyzed at a shockingly high rate in this area. If the government does not allow this, then it must be very busy.