As Kenyans reflect on yesterday’s Mashujaa Day celebrations, we should take pride in how far our country has come. But we must also be honest about how far we still have to go.
The day honours Kenyans who sacrificed for the country’s freedom and recognises those who continue to contribute to its progress.
That makes it an opportunity not only to celebrate how far we have come, but also to ask how much further we should have gone.
Kenya has made real gains since Independence. We have built institutions, expanded access to education and healthcare, improved infrastructure and embraced technology.
But patriotism should not mean pretending that all is well.
Corruption continues to rob citizens of resources meant for development. Insecurity threatens lives while the high cost of living continues to deny too many Kenyans the chance to improve their lives.
Countries that once faced challenges similar to ours have made remarkable strides. China, for instance, began major economic reforms in 1978 and went on to lift hundreds of millions of people out of extreme poverty.
Such progress should challenge us to ask difficult questions about our own priorities.
Let us celebrate our achievements today. But let us also be honest about our challenges.
