The Self-Inflicted Wounds Of A Nation: How Kenyans Have Become Their Own Worst Enemies

The words of James Baldwin have been echoing in my mind for the past few days since the famed #NaneNane protests by Kenyans. Paid youth made jokes and sarcastic comments about the failure of the #NaneNane yet the protests were very powerful. The guilty and corrupt government led by Ruto deployed over 5000 corrupt police officers into the streets the prevent peace-loving Kenyans from protesting as enshrined in the Constitution.

James Baldwin once said that we have yet to understand that if I am starving, you are in danger. If people think that my danger makes them safe, we are in trouble. This is a true reflection of the kind of society we are living in. One thing is clear this government has created over 35M dangerous men and women. The most dangerous creation of any society is the man who has nothing to lose. With the 35M plus you have nothing to lose. Kenya is not working for them. Kenya is only working for a select few politicians.

However, what concerns me the most is the fact that there are youth in worse living conditions, who have agreed to be paid KES 527 a day to make fun of the youth who are fighting for a better Kenya. These are the people I would like to address. I know the majority of us listen to the Word of God, I mean the current government used the Church to come to power and I would like to use the Bible to make some points across.

In Proverbs 16:18, it is written, “Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall.” This ancient wisdom rings true in the Kenyan context, where tribalism blinds people to their self-interest. Kenyans have allowed the cancer of tribal allegiance to erode their ability to make rational choices, choosing to starve rather than support a leader from another tribe who might bring prosperity. This irrational loyalty is not just foolish; it is suicidal. The hunger, the poverty, the suffering—it is all self-inflicted, the price of misplaced pride that values ethnicity over competence.

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Proverbs 29:2 states, “When the righteous thrive, the people rejoice; when the wicked rule, the people groan.” Kenyans, however, seem to revel in their groaning. By electing thugs, rapists, and murderers into positions of power, they ensure their hospitals remain empty shells devoid of life-saving medicines and equipment. The irony is that they would rather die in these dilapidated hospitals than vote for someone who could fix them, simply because that person does not belong to their tribe. Is this not the height of idiocy?

Proverbs 24:11-12 warns, “Rescue those being led away to death; hold back those staggering toward slaughter. If you say, ‘But we knew nothing about this,’ does not he who weighs the heart perceive it?” Kenyans turn a blind eye as their fellow citizens are abducted, tortured, and killed, all in the name of political expediency. They prefer silence over justice, cowardice over courage, and apathy over action. The blood of the innocent stains not just the hands of the tyrant, but also those who stand by and do nothing.

Proverbs 22:7 tells us, “The rich rule over the poor, and the borrower is slave to the lender.” Yet, Kenyans willingly sell themselves into slavery for a mere KES 50, valuing short-term gain over long-term prosperity. The cheap bribe is a symbol of their cheapened lives, where dignity is traded for desperation. They complain of their miserable conditions, yet they are the architects of their suffering.

Proverbs 9:7-8 says, “Whoever corrects a mocker invites insults; whoever rebukes the wicked incurs abuse. Do not rebuke mockers or they will hate you; rebuke the wise and they will love you.” In Kenya, those who speak the truth are mocked and ridiculed, while the wicked are celebrated. Kenyans have become a nation of mockers, more interested in hurling insults than in seeking wisdom. They would rather tear down those who challenge their comfortable lies than confront the uncomfortable truths that could set them free.

Proverbs 17:15 declares, “Acquitting the guilty and condemning the innocent—the Lord detests them both.” Yet, in Kenya, the guilty are not only acquitted but celebrated. The people elevate those with blood on their hands, shunning individuals of integrity and competence. It is as if morality has been turned on its head, and evil has become a badge of honor. This perverse value system ensures that the wicked prosper while the righteous are trampled underfoot.

Proverbs 21:14 notes, “A gift given in secret soothes anger, and a bribe concealed in the cloak pacifies great wrath.” But in Kenya, bribery has become more than a tool for pacification; it is a way of life. Rather than waiting in line or following due process, Kenyans prefer to grease palms and cut corners. This culture of corruption is not just a minor inconvenience; it is the very thing that is tearing the nation apart, destroying the foundations of justice and fairness.

Proverbs 22:3 warns, “The prudent see danger and take refuge, but the simple keep going and pay the penalty.” Kenyan roads are a testament to the simplicity, or rather stupidity, of its people. Rather than driving safely and following traffic rules, Kenyans prefer to overlap, speed, and endanger lives—including their own. The resulting accidents are not mere mishaps but the inevitable penalty of foolishness. It is not fate that causes these tragedies; it is sheer, unadulterated stupidity.

Proverbs 12:11 states, “Those who work their land will have abundant food, but those who chase fantasies have no sense.” In Kenya, the people have chosen to chase the fantasy of cheap imports, ignoring the wealth that could be generated by local manufacturing. They complain endlessly about unemployment, yet do nothing to support initiatives that could create jobs. Instead, they prefer to line the pockets of foreign manufacturers while their people languish in poverty. This is not just ignorance; it is madness.

Proverbs 22:3 also applies here, where Kenyans refuse to see the connection between their electoral choices and the national debt that is choking the life out of them. They borrow and spend with reckless abandon, refusing to acknowledge that the politicians they elect are the ones responsible for their misery. Rather than holding these leaders accountable, they continue to support them, digging themselves deeper into a hole from which they may never escape.

Proverbs 29:4 declares, “By justice, a king gives a country stability, but those who are greedy for bribes tear it down.” Kenyans, however, seem content to let their country be torn down by greed. They pay exorbitant taxes, yet demand nothing in return. As long as their tribal king is in power, they are willing to suffer in silence, allowing the plunder of their resources to continue unchecked. This is not loyalty; it is lunacy.

Proverbs 13:7 observes, “One person pretends to be rich, yet has nothing; another pretends to be poor, yet has great wealth.” In Kenya, the façade of wealth is more important than the reality of poverty. People would rather live a lie, pretending that all is well than face the truth and seek help. This obsession with appearances is not just pathetic; it is dangerous, preventing real solutions from being implemented and leaving the nation to rot from within.

Proverbs 10:2 says, “Ill-gotten treasures have no lasting value, but righteousness delivers from death.” Yet in Kenya, scams and con jobs are celebrated, while honest work is ridiculed. The people have embraced a culture of deceit, preferring to cheat their way to the top rather than demand better leadership. This is not just immoral; it is self-destructive, eroding the very fabric of society and ensuring that corruption remains the norm.

Proverbs 28:6 tells us, “Better the poor whose walk is blameless than the rich whose ways are perverse.” Yet in Kenya, the rich and perverse are worshipped, while the poor and blameless are ignored. Money laundering, counterfeiting, and other criminal activities are not just tolerated—they are celebrated. This glorification of crime is a sickness that has infected the entire nation, ensuring that integrity and honesty have no place in public life.

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Proverbs 15:12 states, “Mockers resent correction, so they avoid the wise.” Kenyans have become a nation of mockers, unwilling to listen to any talk of good governance or integrity. Those who try to speak the truth are shouted down, ridiculed, and ostracized. It is easier to insult and deflect than to engage in meaningful dialogue. This rejection of wisdom is the reason why the nation remains mired in corruption and incompetence.

Proverbs 11:18 observes, “A wicked person earns deceptive wages, but the one who sows righteousness reaps a sure reward.” In Kenya, the wicked are more than willing to share the loot from their corrupt dealings, buying the silence and complicity of the masses. Rather than demanding better public services in education, healthcare, and infrastructure, Kenyans are content to take their share of the spoils, ignoring the long-term consequences. This short-sightedness ensures that the cycle of poverty and misery continues unabated.

Proverbs 24:10-12 challenges us, “If you falter in a time of trouble, how small is your strength! Rescue those being led away to death; hold back those staggering toward slaughter.” Yet, Kenyans prefer to look the other way, believing that the problems of others are not their concern until those problems come knocking on their door. This selfishness is the root of all the issues plaguing the nation, as people refuse to stand up for what is right until it is too late.

Proverbs 28:27 warns, “Those who give to the poor will lack nothing, but those who close their eyes to them receive many curses.” In Kenya, the plight of the hungry, the sick, and the destitute is often ignored, as long as one’s belly is full. This lack of empathy and solidarity has created a society where the strong prey on the weak, and where injustice is allowed to flourish unchecked. It is this indifference that has led to the nation’s downfall, as the curses of poverty, disease, and violence continue to spread.

Kenyans are not merely victims of circumstance; they are the architects of their demise. Their refusal to embrace integrity, accountability, and empathy has led them down a path of self-destruction. It is time for Kenyans to look in the mirror and recognize that their misery is self-inflicted, the result of their stupidity, idiocy, and moral decay. Only by acknowledging their faults and making a radical change can they hope to escape the abyss they have dug for themselves.

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