AUGUST PLEBISCITE BELEAGUERED BY ELECTORATES PATHETIC READING CULTURE.

During his weekly programme titled “Culture Talk” which was aired by the KBC radio between 2002-2004, Professor Egara Kabaji lamented the pathetic reading culture among the Kenyan citizenry. In his estimation, many an educated people stop reading as soon as they graduate from universities and other middle level colleges. Many increasingly become straw men who know little if any of their civic duties. This is in spite of the fact that no democratic government can function effectively if its citizenry is not literate enough to make informed political choices.

Today, the country is sadly sopping with many lockstep professionals bereft of ideas outside their profession. Many medical doctors read nothing other than that which is essential to medicine. Many lecturers and teachers read nothing other than that which informs their subject area. So do accountants and many other professionals. Their capacity to effectively function in issues of national importance such as the constitution making process is greatly impaired. This is despite the fact that the Committee of Experts (CoE) realizing that the August plebiscite is beleaguered by lack of a sufficient reading culture made great efforts at simplifying the proposed constitution besides coming up with a striking advertisement, “Katiba, Jisomee, Jiamulie.” Still, not many have been inspired into reading this document.

It is no wonder that listening to many a professional discussing the proposed constitution one sees the degree to which many of them are too ignorant. They simply have not read even a single chapter of the proposed constitution! They think that reading of the proposed constitution is an unnecessary exertion hence they increasingly and meekly submit themselves to the guidance of lay politicians, pastors, lawyers and doctors whom they perceive as “carriers of their conscience.” They have gladly allowed these “guardian angels” to guide them through this sacrosanct process.

Sadly, many of these “guardian angels” are only too happy to see to it that these professionals consider the bold step into embracing democratic ideals not only as difficult but as very dangerous. Like domesticated animals these professionals are carefully prevented from daring to take any step beyond what philosopher Immanuel Kant refers to as the “lead-strings they are fastened with.” After all, these conniving guardian angels have an overly emphasis on forming a “broad mass front” against the expansion of the democratic space in the country in order that they protect their selfish interests.

Unwittingly these professionals imbibe prejudices from a people who thrive in serving a great, unthinking mass. These guardian angels do not objectively discuss the proposed constitution instead; (to use Kant’s expression) “they are quick at wheeling their rusty artillery of abuse into action.”
Perhaps it would do a great favour to these professionals were they to heed of the words of the late reggae icon, Bob Marley, “Emancipate yourselves from mental slavery.”

TOME FRANCIS,
BUMULA.
http://twitter.com/tomefrancis