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Once in a while, especially when we are at crossroads, a sober voice of reason always comes in handy. At this dispensation of time, especially as Kenya tries to unwring her feet from the shackles of so much divisive political tensions, this voice of reason is imperative.
And probably, one of these clear-headed voices came to Kenya recently and made a calm, yet convincing call for Kenyans to embrace the culture of disagreeing to agree, as one way of healing this nation.
I was amongst those who attended a recent public lecture by Kenyan born Australian politician and Senator for South Australia, Mrs. Lucy Muringo Gichuhi at the University of Nairobi’s Chandaria Auditorium.
As an alumnus of Nairobi University, I have listened to so many other Kenyans and non-Kenyans delivering their discourses on this or that topical issue, but this one though, especially at this dispensation of time, was a special and practical one for all Kenyans.
Senator Gichuhi was both simple and articulate at what Kenyans needs to do towards learning how to embrace our political diversity. This South Australian Senator was quick to point out that disagreeing to agree is indeed an art. And all Kenyan communities quickly need to learn this art now more than ever, as part of healing a divided nation. According to her, there are no two ways:Kenya must learn to disagree agreeably with each other.
She projected her reflections against the backdrop of her Kenyan upbringing, by the slopes of Mt. Kenya, where she noted that she learnt one of the most valuable lessons as a child – how to disagree agreeably. She noted how she lacked basic material comforts such as shoes or even a bed to call her own, yet she had to learn how to disagree agreeably with her10 siblings, and share what was available.
It was interesting hearing how this Nairobi University’s trained accountant recounted how she always has to calculate her moves amidst divergent views which have been inevitable in her current Australian social-political fabric that has so many cultures represented.
She drew parallels on how embracing each other’s cultures and opinions is as similar as how a Berocca tablet dissolves in water.When you drop a Berocca tablet into water,she said, it fizzes and dissolves. You no longer have a Berocca tablet or pure water. It is a new mixture which did not exist before and it has a different colour.
I couldn’t agree more with this Australian Senator that there is a greater need, now more than ever, for Kenyans to come together and make a decision to focus on the many beautiful and positive sides of this East African power-house’s diversity, other than look at it as a cause of disagreements.
As I listened to her, I discovered that she was talking from the view-point of so many ordinary Kenyans. Yet, her recent 19 years of zooming off from the close-up focus on the Kenyan picture gives her a striking wide-angle view that evidently shows how simple it can be for us to come together as Kenyans.
George Wachiuri is an Entrepreneur, a Philanthropist, a Motivational Speaker and the CEO, Optiven Group. To get more details on how you can invest with Optiven Ltd. Kindly talk to us via 0702 831083 , 0738 831083, Email; info@optiven.co.ke. Website: http://www.optiven.co.ke
