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Kenya in the Hebrew language means “animal horn” and was first used in reference to the country by a group of Jewish missionaries around 1903. On a map, Kenya protrudes towards the North Easterly Bami triangle and to the North West pokes into the Ethiopian-Somali borders producing a two horn like appearance.

Kenya is rich in wildlife and it is not clear if the Jewish baptism was based on one of the numerous horned animals or was an expression from its geographic horns or perhaps both. Mount Kirinyaga, renamed Mt. Kenya in the 1920’s is the nation’s most visible physical feature.

Kenya has forty plus vernacular languages- including English and Swahili and none offers direct meaning to the name Kenya.

Attempts to fill this contextual vacuum have routinely been soiled by narrow ethnic and political jingoism.

Landmarks, great leaders, specific events or ethnic groups are usual fundamentals for naming nations. The Shona ruins of Zimbabwe, the Baganda Kingdom, Somalia- a one tribe nation and Egypt’s ancient history illustrate this. Innovation too intervenes as was the case in coining the name Pakistan by Chaudhry Rahmat Khan after partition from India.

In Kenya, colonization compelled indigenous groups into unity against common British atrocities. Independence however redefined new frontiers of tribal engagement. New battle fronts formed along ethnic political parties and economic cartels and subsequently into distinct social classes.

Mercenary colonial objectives and suppressive policies crystallized in post independence Kenya leading to endemic ethnic strife and conflict. Impunity and corruption bred poverty which has spiraled into runaway crime.

Today only state instruments compel the experience of nationhood. Kenya the name contributes no inspirational legacy to citizens. Culture and traditions are weapons against each other, police routinely murder citizens instead of protecting them and leaders lead in raiding public coffers.

Leadership in Kenya has broken every pledge in the national anthem, trashed the national motto of pulling together, punctured holes in the iconic shield, ravaged the national flag and blunted its symbolic spears too.

Public expressions at times of national catastrophe or accomplishment grant rare glimpses into the Kenyan psyche- happy, angry, hard working (legal and extra legal) needy, generous and mean, suspicious but also affectionately warm.

The animal horn is utilitarian in value- totemic and artistic. It is a symbol of virility reputed to hold aphrodisiac powers, its origins indicative of supremacy and status.

Sometimes it is a special occasion instrument, an urn for medicinal powders, tobacco, or even charms. At other times a heralded utensil for respected elders.

So as the Kenyan political dynasties play a colonial ping pong with matters of national importance such elections, constitutional reform, the Mau water tower and malignant corruption, common sense suggests that the starting point should be- give meaning to the name Kenya – and the rest shall surely follow …

Do you know the meaning of the name of your country??

Change is everywhere,
the weather has changed!

day changes into night,
children change into grown ups!

 
the rich men change cars,
others change plans!

another changes clothes,
others change parties!

 
some will change pants,clothes,
others change thier walk!

some even change thier talk,
son changes to father!

daughter changes to mother,
chicks change to chicken’!

 
just as kids change into goats,
and calfs change to cows and bulls!

seedling becomes a tree-a big tree,
and big trees wither and die!

the universe is all about change,
the sun shines in day!

 
and moon is bright at night,
today has also changed from yesterday!

WHAT WILL YOU CHANGE IN -2012?

It is a time to change,
to change our ways and turn around,

 
to change with the times,
and to change our leaders,

 
to change our views about others
and ourselves,

 
to prepare the future,
by changing things today,

 
to change our minds,
and make the new mind work better,

to change with respect
and to honor change,

 
to redeem the nation,
to redeem the tribe,

 
to redeem our cultures,
change is inevitable

 
it is the time for change,
the time to change is now !!

             Tomorrow is pregnant and no-one

                                            knows what  she will give birth to.