No hating but.......

[4makind]

@Luther12

Until you’ve lived there or interacted with them for a while you’ll probably not fully understand the apathy with which they view some of these projects.

Firstly, the politics. The ‘wabara vs. coastals’ narrative is all too familiar in our national psyche, often advanced by their own political leaders. A leadership problem.

Secondly is the issue of ‘marginalization’ (oh yes, that one!). A first-time visitor in rural Garsen, Lamu and surrounding areas would be hard-pressed to point out any recent gov’t activity save for the token police presence and local administrators. To the locals, the gov’t is this remote, armor house body whose (reason for) existence they cannot fathom. Naturally, they’ll view the same with suspicion.

Thirdly, some of these places are quite remote and far off. Isipokuwa for hapless civil servants who mostly have no choice over their postings, not many other Kenyans ever go there. In fact I dare say that for most the only time they get to hear of some of these places is during the weather forecast news (and the now ubiquitous security scares). As a result, these communities are geographically isolated and keep to themselves, becoming very suspicious of people from ‘outside’ however well intentioned they are. Because of this isolation, these guys have stuck to some outdated cultural practices some of which have no place in modern world (e.g child marriages - can you imagine marrying off your daughter/sister at 12?) and their community is that much poorer because of this.

Again because of this remoteness, majority of the people who regularly go there tend to be wazungu tourists, some of questionable morals - reason why homosexual prostitution and abuse of hard drugs (recall Mzee Baskuti?) is such a big issue/problem in places like Lamu.

With respect to civil servants, don’t forget too the long held practice of gov’t and quasi-gov’tal bodies mostly posting staff with disciplinary cases to hardship areas as some sort of punishment. As a result, locals view people posted there as some sort of ‘rejects’ from the rest of Kenya and this does not win the gov’t any favors and goodwill from the locals.

Thank you for taking time to explain. I will make more effort to understand the underlying reasons before issuing blanket condemnation kama Marie Antoinette (eat cake)

[system]

@4makind

Thank you for taking time to explain. I will make more effort to understand the underlying reasons before issuing blanket condemnation kama Marie Antoinette (eat cake)

Glad you appreciate. As I’ve said before, seek first to understand before you condemn. There may be other seemingly minor but nonetheless important issues but that’s perhaps what I recall from my long interactions for now.

Always wondered why the gov’t didn’t tarmack that road all the way to Mokowe.

[Mr_Black]

@Luther12

Until you’ve lived there or interacted with them for a while you’ll probably not fully understand the apathy with which they view some of these projects.

Firstly, the politics. The ‘wabara vs. coastals’ narrative is all too familiar in our national psyche, often advanced by their own political leaders. A leadership problem.

Secondly is the issue of ‘marginalization’ (oh yes, that one!). A first-time visitor in rural Garsen, Lamu and surrounding areas would be hard-pressed to point out any recent gov’t activity save for the token police presence and local administrators. To the locals, the gov’t is this remote, armor house body whose (reason for) existence they cannot fathom. Naturally, they’ll view the same with suspicion.

Thirdly, some of these places are quite remote and far off. Isipokuwa for hapless civil servants who mostly have no choice over their postings, not many other Kenyans ever go there. In fact I dare say that for most the only time they get to hear of some of these places is during the weather forecast news (and the now ubiquitous security scares). As a result, these communities are geographically isolated and keep to themselves, becoming very suspicious of people from ‘outside’ however well intentioned they are. Because of this isolation, these guys have stuck to some outdated cultural practices some of which have no place in modern world (e.g child marriages - can you imagine marrying off your daughter/sister at 12?) and their community is that much poorer because of this.

Again because of this remoteness, majority of the people who regularly go there tend to be wazungu tourists, some of questionable morals - reason why homosexual prostitution and abuse of hard drugs (recall Mzee Baskuti?) is such a big issue/problem in places like Lamu.

With respect to civil servants, don’t forget too the long held practice of gov’t and quasi-gov’tal bodies mostly posting staff with disciplinary cases to hardship areas as some sort of punishment. As a result, locals view people posted there as some sort of ‘rejects’ from the rest of Kenya and this does not win the gov’t any favors and goodwill from the locals.