Hapa Kenya
Kimani Maruge and VISION 2030: Reply to Mugo Kabati
The list of graveside heroes and heroines seems to grow each day in this country. The reverence of Dedan Kimathi, Bildad Kagia and many others while six feet deep is always a must use opportunity for our leaders and opinion shapers. One man getting such attention in death is none other than Kimani Maruge, world’s oldest pupil. May God rest his soul!
Mugo Kabati the Director General at the Vision 2030 has struggled to eulogize the once world’s oldest pupil and with lots of effort he managed to draw a parallel between Mzee Maruge’s life and that of Vision 2030. The article on the Sunday Nation August 30, 2009,”Murage’s life and lessons on overcoming odds” goes a little short on drawing the full similarities between Murage’s ambition and that of V2030.
Mugo’s article is based on three points; First, Kenya has certainly had its fair share of achievements but more needs to be done, just as Maruge achieved a milestone as a freedom fighter during the colonial era but still went for formal education. Secondly he argues that there are setbacks that the country has faced comparable to Kimani being a widower and the subsequent death of his 10 children. The third point is that Maruge’s tenacity to overcome odds and challenges should be emulated in achieving the goals of this vision.
Allow me to take a divergent view of Maruge’s life and again draw similarities to that of Vision 2030. At 80yrs of age, this Mzee enrolled at primary school to study with grandchildren’s. Kenya is in more ways than not like the old Maruge—we are way past our school years and yet we spend so much time trying to learn instead of acting. How many vision papers are gathering dusts in govt’ shelves? 45yrs after independence we are still struggling with basics such as food, water, electricity just like Maruge was struggling with ABCD. Mugo Kabati believes that his grandiose outfit will aid us in learning how to pronounce food, water and electricity!
Years back Kenya was exporting expertise to Singapore in terms of technology exchange and administrative skills. In terms of growth, Singapore is far ahead of us. The same way we would compare another 84yr old take Michuki for instance Vis a Vis Maruge. Kimani would easily be said to be a missed opportunity. Countries of Kenya’s age are no longer putting up 30yr action plans; they are not enrolling 80yr olds into primary schools. They are reaping the benefits of good leadership and men of Maruge’s age are enjoying their advancement in age at government sponsored centers. It is a shame that Maruge was ever allowed into a primary school.
From the onset, I thought of Maruge’s idea of going back to school as untenable. It came late in the day. Mr. Kabati would agree that the success of any idea lays very much on its timing. As much as we would want to save face and take spaces in Guinness books of record, it was rather obvious that Maruge’s education was of little consequence and headed nowhere. NGOs made their kill in public relations gimmicks courtesy of Maruge but the truth will always be—he was headed nowhere. Vision 2030 is just like this idea…too late in the day. Late in two senses, it is yet to put motion into any tangible agenda since its inception and late in the basic sense of being time barred.
As a pupil, Maruge was a darling of the press, not so many standard two pupils get to enjoy so much coverage unless they are kidnapped, raped or killed. He at one point had the opportunity to visit America and lot of VIP treatment at public functions. Though his intentions might have been to be able to comprehend the bible, he got distracted. He became a public relation item. The more I think of it Vision 2030 is just like Maruge’s education… PR exercise with little visible achievements distracted in lots of forums, seminars and campaigns consuming billions of shillings hard earned by the struggling Kimanis and Maruges all over Kenya.
While launching V2030, it was said that ISIOLO would be one of the first towns to be made an economic zone complete with hotels, casinos, upscale retail shops, modern airports and transport facilities. Kibati should probably have used his space on the Nation to convince Kenyans that we are headed towards this direction and that the cattle rustling and insecurity in Isiolo district are as a results of economic positions owing to expected boom. Maruge died before he was able to read the bible, let’s hope this vision will not perish before Isiolo becomes our version of Las Vegas.
Over to Bwana Mugo Kabati (Director General, Vision 2030 Delivery Secretariat)
