Our friends in Kenya are taking a stand! But it is a very peaceful stand… They are not taking a stand against their government but rather standing up for their country.
Today, 28 February 2011, at 1pm they will be singing their anthem. That’s it! As simple as that. At 1pm everyone, where ever they may be, whatever they may be doing, they will stop and sing their anthem. No pig protest, no conflict with the military, just a simple gesture to remind themselves that they are still one country and that they believe in the same things.
With all of the violence and revolts in Northern Africa it is a relief to see a country stand together not just because they are fighting some evil villain who calls themselves president but instead a country that stands together and says: “Justice be our shield and defender. May we dwell in unity, peace and liberty”
Now I know that there are many issues facing Kenya and half of them I can’t even begin to describe because I have not been there but this is a great act of solidarity. It’s not always about bulldozing your point across and forcing change, sometimes it is wiser to take a minute and plan how this change is actually going to be the right change. To go back to your roots and figure out where it went wrong and how we will prevent it from happening again and basically just taking a step back and allowing your faith to overrule your fear. Of course I’m not saying that we should all remain quiet and just pray behind closed doors, not at all, I am all for free speech and action is my middle name but violence, however peaceful the intentions may have been, does not work. Simply protesting and eventually wearing your opponent down is not a sustainable option because you still have to fix their mistakes. I don’t have the answers for fixing all of Africa or even just Kenya’s problems, believe me if I did I would most definitely share! But as someone I met this morning said: Following is just as important as leading.
Look, Kenya is not like any other country in Africa, I know the world always likes to place Africa in a box like we are all alike but that is not the case. And obviously with similar uprisings throughout Africa, the media is enjoying flaunting these similarities but there is no country like any other country. We all have our issues but like our languages and our cultures vary, so do our problems. You cannot use a ‘copy paste’ method and think that it will work in every country. For Kenya it is smart and safe and probably highly effective to simply pause their lives for a few minutes and sing a prayer. Remind themselves what it is they believe in; what it is they want to fight for and believe that they can be the difference and that they can bring about change, without resorting to acts generally followed by violence.
It’s great to say that we are making a difference and taking a stand and causing change but just remember that the focus behind all of this passion is your love for your country. South Africa has a motto this year that encourages their people to love their country in any way they see fit. They are sharing their pride and their own unique way of being patriotic. The people in Tunisia and Egypt must have had the same motivation for their protests. Don’t you dare judge the people of Kenya or even Zimbabwe for not actively protesting in the same way, you cannot conclude that they love their countries any less, simply because they are choosing to be more cautious in their more hostile circumstances.
Is there a greater testament to love for your country than singing your anthem proudly? I don’t believe there is. Bring focus back to the love for your country [you know, the one you’re willing to fight for] rather than being concerned about the way the world wants you to show your pride. I have always believed that it is the little things that determine the big things so something seemingly small like singing a prayer, might just be that one little thing that forces the people of Kenya [government included] to be better at spreading the love.
Don’t do it because you want to be patriotic; don’t do it because you don’t want to feel left out; don’t do it because the world expects it from you; just do it because you love your country!
Sharing my view,
AM
Sharingmyview's Blog 
David Indeje Said:
on February 28, 2011 at 8:30 am
Thanks a lot for sharing the passion we the Kenyan people have for our beloved country Kenya. today we sing as a reminder that as a people we have the passion, zeal and confidence to steer the country ahead.
I appreciate your efforts.
backstreetnairobi Said:
on February 28, 2011 at 8:44 am
good, however, at times the River changes its course, not that it wants to but because of certain circumstances drove it to.