[kictanet] On the subject of Kenyan Languages

Fri Nov 18 19:39:36 EAT 2011

Dakitari

Those are good points. 

Language as a basis of our values is key; and that value system emanates from more things than social democracy. 

Nordic countries like Norway and others like Canada (where I have spent most time in my days in the Diaspora) have also ensured that citizens play their role effectively as part of the "social contract"; and that each citizen does a fair share for the common good. Here a neighbour will report a neighbour for cheating on taxes. The argument: why should some people get a free ride? As well, citizens hold those in power accountable for proper spending of these taxes for the common good. Often the debate isn't about where the countries should head but how to get there. So one party may suggest investing proportionately more in health care versus infrastructure versus education. 

Contrast this with Kenya: I arrived once at the airport in Nairobi and a few things I carried were assessed for customs. Armed with the figure,  I duly paid. As I showed the customs officer the receipt asking him to release my luggage, he looked at me, almost in wonderment, and made a remark that has stayed with me to date: sasa si tungegawanya hii nusu nusu kwa sababu hata pale ulipeleka itakuliwa; si we Mkenya kama hao wanakula?

We still have a state in Kenya where citizens don't feel they belong; it is a parasitic instrument for elite accumulation; thus each one tries to get the better of the state. 

Those are our "national values"! While social democracy may reduce income gaps my thoughts are that it would not be enough. New lexicon would emerge with greater interaction of the people in formative years, leadership that preaches water and drinks the same and a value system of common ingrained (call it brainwashing) through the school system.

As part of creation of this new order, we should seriously consider making every Kenyan secondary school a national school: let each school in this category look like Kenya. Do this over 20 years and issues of ethnic discrimination would recede; indeed, from this ethnic mix would emerge a Sheng-like nation that borrows the best from the diversity of our languages, cultural practices, etc. with vestigial practices rent extinct organically.

BTW: in Canada diversity is central to the nation's being; there is also protection of language rights. Thus even when Quebec nationalists have tried to push for independence, they have lost in referenda because the majority value being part of Canada.

Baadaye

________________________________
 From: "bitange at jambo.co.ke" <bitange at jambo.co.ke>
To: Matunda Nyanchama <mnyanchama at aganoconsulting.com> 
Cc: KICTAnet ICT Policy Discussions <kictanet at lists.kictanet.or.ke> 
Sent: Friday, November 18, 2011 1:10 AM
Subject: Re: [kictanet] On the subject of Kenyan Languages

Matunda,
Norway like its neighbours decided to embrace social democracy which ensures that everyone is taken care of and that there is less income disparities.

This is not easy since you have to socialize everybody to respect and relate to each other as equal human beings first.  Here you find a plumber neighbours a doctor.  A graduate woman marrying a male mechanic and living comfortably.  Language becomes the common thread that weaves the society together.  This leads to a common value system and philosophy.

Our confusion emanates from lack of common values and a false class system.  Most of us are working to belong to a class higher up than what we are.  Even in Church, I see people try to identify with those who have either socially made it or are powerful.  

It is common knowledge that we do not identify ourselves with plumbers, masons, carpenters as other normal equal human beings unless when we need their services.  This is why our youth shun employment in these skill sets yet we do not have such craftsmen in sufficient numbers as we suffocate in unemployment. 

We must therefore try to re-build our language as a basis of our culture.  It is the only thing that brings us together on the same table whether we are plumbers or doctors.  I have noted in all marriage ceremonies how people want to belong and trying to dig into our common values irrespective of our backgrounds.

Technology has enabled us to build repositories of our languages and culture.  We must now develop content with the languages.  Like Ngugi wa Thion'go, academics must begin translations of their works into vernacular and develop institutes of each language at all universities.  Without this, we shall all fail.

Ndemo.

Sent from my BlackBerry®

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From: Matunda Nyanchama <mnyanchama at aganoconsulting.com>
Sender: kictanet-bounces+bitange=jambo.co.ke at lists.kictanet.or.keDate: Thu, 17 Nov 2011 19:12:45 
To: <bitange at jambo.co.ke>
Reply-To: Matunda Nyanchama <mnyanchama at aganoconsulting.com>
Cc: KICTAnet ICT Policy Discussions<kictanet at lists.kictanet.or.ke>
Subject: [kictanet] On the subject of Kenyan Languages

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