Africa’s Backwardness Lies in it’s Culture
I was reading an interesting story today in the NYT about Japanese fears that it is no longer churning out enough engineers and this will become a problem if it hopes to remain an advanced nation. Apparently, young Japanese who’ve grown up in a wealthy country, no longer feel the need to go into engineering, a field many describe as being difficult and “not sexy” enough. However, the Japanese government is arguing, that it is it’s engineers and scientists that made Japan the second richest country in the world and without them, their economy will suffer.
America is having the same problem. It’s not attracting native Americans into the field, but because many people around the world still want to come to America, it’s still able to attract highly skilled engineers from countries like India and China and when these people finish school, they tend to stay in America with their skills. Since America is an open society, they know that they can do very well here financially if they come up with an invention or if they start their own companies. Japan on the other hand, is a xenophobic, closed society that doesn’t exactly welcome foreigners and as as result, it’s having a harder time attracting these foreign engineers(who’d much rather take their chances in America than in Japan).
As I was reading this story, I thought about Kenya and began to realize why Africa is the poorest, most backward continent in the world today. The new grand illusion government is going to cost the Kenyan taxpayers almost $1 billion dollars a year. 80% of Kenya’s budget will now go into funding this grand illusion. Can you imagine what that $1 billion dollars a year would do if it was used to build or even ramp up engineering departments at the University of Nairobi? Or, if it was used to provide scholarships to poor, but deserving students who may have shown an affinity for science, but who because of lack of money, may be locked out of a university spot?
The evidence on the connection between the number of scientists in a country and it’s economic development, is now indisputable. The two fastest growing economies in the world today (China & India), also happen to be the two countries that are currently producing the highest number of engineers and scientists.
As my brother said to me one day: Africa will never get rich just by having mzungu’s come to their country to take pictures of elephants farting in the Maasai Mara.
That’s why it infuriates me whenever I see these ministers talking about all the “great” things they are going to do with their ministries. First of all, they’ll be no money left after they are finished paying themselves. Secondly, without home-grown scientists, a country will really be unable to produce or invent anything. Kenya doesn’t have oil and there’s not enough land for everyone. It’s only hope for advancement will be an educational system that nurtures and supports the development of home-grown scientists.
These Kenyan ministers and MP’s have totally, totally, overrated themselves. If they really wanted to make a difference, they would have pumped that money into engineering departments at local universities in the form of scholarships for deserving students, higher salaries for engineering professors and research grants for both students and professors.
Africa beautiful continent with a lot of wealth and talent and nothing to show out of all these. This is what is happening Michael Joseph recently suggest that that university come up with tailor suit courses to suit the local job market unfortunately that is not happening we still have books from the last century in engineering at this time and age.
The African leaders are to blame since when they get to power all they think about is themselves not the common taxpayers they are able to send their children to the best schools outside the country make them have some of the best degrees Kenya is one of them we have produces engineers and economist who are still in the US and the UK when our country desperately needs this human resource. If we are to become an industrialized nation and make Vision 2030 a vision and not an illusion we need to work on our tertiary institution to produce manpower that is needed to propel the country in to an economic powerhouse in the region. We produce good graduates but more money is used to retrain them and most companies are trying to cut down on training expenditure meanwhile let our so called leaders shape up their acts
KE:
You are right! Its all about creative culture….you are also right its about basic sciences (physics chem bio) and mathematicians. NOT lawyesr,accountants..MBAs etcs….
You need unfutunately Politicians~(Moral Honest ones to redirect countries resources )~ there was a set of moral codes i proposed earlier
for any one in leadership ie ( can lead any thing if have a child you did not support . Second if you have a criminal record) ..to check responsibility and integraty
I do not think tertiary education holds the key !! Below is my solution
DROP 8-4-4
Replace with 7~4~2~3
Change the Curriculum to
Primary (7)…….Three subjects only (mathematics,Languages and PE)
Languages should comprise of English and at least a mothertoungue of choice)
O ~level: Maths,English,Languages,Phy,Chem,Bio…basic accounts(for those who will drop soon).. & .PE
A~levels :
Specialise but only two subjects : Sciences must be
Math & phy, Math & Chm, Chm & Bio ,Math & Math
Language & art of speaking (oratory etc)
Univesrsity:
Specialise and liberlise ~
Introduce history, Geo for those who gave up in sciences…..
Introduce Economics,Law,accounts and other humanity related stuff
Science colleges should be over funded and its prestige stoked up!
ADDENDUM
Primary pupil must complete at least 3 story books per term
O level must complete 6 story books per term
A ~level must complete at least 6 story books per term
Comment
I agree that there are serious denial problems in the Kenyan culture. Whenever a kenyan is confronted with a change the way things are done situation, they dismiss it by saying, “we are kenyans, we have hope, God will help us.” There is a complete lack of vision on where we are goig as a country and therefore no idea on how to get there. Many wish that Kenya will somehow jump from a tribalised jua kali country to a “melting pot industrialised country” overnight. No wonder they hope for a miracle.
The education system is a good refrection of the lack of vision. Instead of just re-organising the 8-4-4 to 7-4-2-3, we need to look deep into what direction would we like to go as a people, then come up with a national education philosophy that would lead to a cohesive curriculum. In order to do that, we need visionary leadership and KibakiKalonzoRaila are not that leadership.
The leadership we have today perpetuates itself. We would need a whole new class of leaders but I don’t know how they would get to power because the path to power in already firmly in the hands of the visionless tribal chiefs and the people are completely possessed in their worship and faith in them.
KE, i totally agree with you. We hardly develop our own engineers or scientist but are the first to acquire all things made elsewhere
Eric:
I like your description of Kenya as a: “tribal, jua kali country”. That is exactly what it is.
Vision 2030 will remain a pipe dream if the government doesn’t start taking science serioulsy.
Eric you say
“The leadership we have today perpetuates itself. We would need a whole new class of leaders but I don’t know how they would get to power because the path to power in already firmly in the hands of the visionless tribal chiefs and the people are completely possessed in their worship and faith in them.”
Why has that happened?
Do you have an idea to change the situation?
The engineer in my office is african and wants to bring water to uganda. How is the clean water situation in Kenya?
i think change will start happening once the majority of people have at least a basic education. until then, the politicians will keep exploiting the masses. there is a need for reforms such as funding of schools in the science fields and also coming up with a curriculum that suits the needs of the country. for years we have been educating people on the issues that help the already developed countries while neglecting our own issues. this will hopefully come to an end when people start electing people based on principles and not tribal or any other dimension. the politicians will then style up and be held accountable for what they do. it would then make political careers all about the people and not a means to quick wealth.
Good post!
Supposing the universities were upgraded and grants provided for research…….How would you ensure that enough Kenyan kids are even intereseted in the Science & Engineering?
Sometimes I see Kenyan kids as obsessed with just hip-hop and D-list celebrity culture. I have a difficult time envisioning mass migration from “radio presenter” and media careers to engineering and science-based careers.
Message to Kenyan youth: There can only be so many FM radio presenters and fashion models!! Neither of these career choices have any significant impact on the nation’s development.
@nahte,
I don’t know about the water situation in Uganda but the Kenyan situation is dire.North of Kenya experiences droughts every now and then, we can’t use Lake Victoria waters without Egypt’s permission and the water catchment areas are facing destruction every passing day.
How did we get to the political mess we are in?
Kenyatta.
I know many will disagree with me but I think that he had the opportunity to steer clear of divisive politics but he chose to be practical. He rewarded friendship, practiced and encouraged corruption, abused the constitution and weakened democracy.
I blame him because he abused the political will that he had received. He did not have to, his position was safe, he was larger than life, was from the major ethnic group but instead of a vision he chose wealth, instead of good practices he chose convinience. Moi and Kibaki are just his followers, they have done nothing new, they were his top ministers.
What can be done now?
People need a new vision to rally behind. What the “reformers” in parlianment have been talking about and those visions 2030 and KalonzoRaila visions are all about fixing the old automobile but what am talking about is finding a whole new way to travel.
I am talking about a vision that would Kenyanise our education system, change our dependence on fossil fuels to solar energy, stop the over-reliance on land and small scale farming to industrialised farming, diversify the economy and stop the Mara safari $ dependence and start competing with Asian economies, not African ones. Seriously, why do we compete with TZ and UG, don’t we realise that the whole continent of African does not appear on the global economy radar, when really zoomed, a blurrly SA appears and that is it!
I have many thoughts but I am not sure if this is the forum or the time to share them.
@KE
I have no faith in our leaders, I don’t trust them at all. Kenya doesn’t need democracy more than it needs a Lee Kuan Yew or Mahathir Mohamad, not RAO or MK! A vision and a roadmap to get us there.
My question is, how are we to even start implementing vision 2030 if most of us in university (who will still be here in 2030) dont have a single clue what it is about?
I agree, young people lack proactiveness in such matters…but also the govt ought to have a master plan for letting us in on it!!
So, even before we embark on being engineers and physicists, we must first have an agenda for our individual contribution to the country, which will be easier to formulate of we know where the country wants to go (vision 2030).
@Mel
Most threads are just to whine (typical african). Drop suggestions. ERIC is right the leadership perpetuates ITSELF. Can a coup work…Probalbly not now. Yes KENYATTA messed up this country. He was the only ONE (being the first) to steer in the right path but chose the wrong Orbit….
Above in the blog i droped a few sugestions which even current politicains can implemnet without ‘loosing power ‘ and that are cost effective…The sugestions are geered to radicalise education and and make it cheap to plant an intelectual culture
They do not threaten any politicain immidiately and are geered to breed the next generation of scientist and mathematicains….FORGET about the current generation-scientific culture needs time to be nurtured
ERIC though is right we need to have national policy on way forward that will put down clearly the way forward on
1) appropraite health standards
2) Food
3) appropriate education system
EDUCATION revolution is the only way ( health and food of course are basics)
LAND and URBANISATION Policy
This is the most explosive (beacuse of Kenyatas settlements !!! He was the Mugabe of Kenya )
To reverse Kenyattas mistakes lay the folowing policy on land ownership:
You can never own arrable land less than 10000 HA
This is to clear away peasant economy
LA (loacl authorities) must create small little towns of 500 K ~ IM K cities
to pave way for large scale farming in the countryside…this will provide industries with chaep raw materails neeeded to spring the industries
Well you have gooten my ideas i hope…
Sohali:
I think if the pay was right, you’d end up attracting enough people. The reason young people are attracted to radio presenting is mainly because those presenters make good money and people think they lead a “glamarous” life (and who doesn’t want to make money and live well?) I think if they were engineering jobs and if they offered good salaries, young peoople would naturally become atttracted to that field and I believe all societies have a certain segment of the population that are oriented towards certain fields, but those natural talents have to be nurtured and suppported or else you won’t know they exist.
These radio presenters are an enigma. Can you keep doing that after 30? Wouldn’t you begin to look ridiculous if you are still playing teeny pop music into your 40’s! The D-list celebrities are also another thing enigma. I hate to say this, but it’s different if you are a bon jovi and you are playing in large stadiums and making millions. It’s not looked down upon.
However, you can’t be bumping and grinding at birthday parties and at carnivore when your 40 and then only for a few hundred thousand shillings a night and using that as your main “career”.
I think blaming Kenyatta a man who died in 1978 is wrong. Kenyatta has been dead for 30 years. That is a whole generation!
What about those who came after him? What about those who were there before him?
Remember the republic of Kenya was constituted after the Lancaster talks held in the UK. Kenyatta was not a negotiator in the talks and even if his representatives were there, there were also other parties involved.
Kenyatta crafted his policies in accordance with the geopolitical realities of the day. Do you remember the Cold War? Kenyatta had to take sides in that war, otherwise Kenya would have become a hot battleground. Nyerere chose the other way and look what happened to Tanzania. I would rather be dead in Kenya than alive in Tanzania!
Obote and Amin chose extreme measures and look what happened to UG. Look what happened to Congo, Angola, Mozambique, Sudan, Ethiopia and Zambia all due to the choices that their leaders made. I believe Kenyatta chose wisely.
I think it is high time you as an individual started making a difference by imparting what you know to those who do not know. You can also do some philanthropic work. Most important of all, you must learn and accept that Kenya does not operate in a vacuum. It operates in a geopolitical reality in which there are those who would prefer a very weak Kenya so that its exploitation can continue.
The question you must ask yourself honestly is whether you are willing to be used by external forces to weaken your country and disenfranchise your own future generations. In other words, you must defend the unity of Kenya and Africa as a whole. Our destiny is intertwined.
It is hypocritical for you to say that you would like lift yourselves out of poverty and then go on to thump your tribal chest. The two notions are mutually exclusive. How can you promote tribal interests when other regions are promoting regional trade blocks? You must wake up and realise that promoting negative tribal interests is like shooting yourself in the head.
I agree with those who say that Kenya needs strong leadership with clearly defined and achievable goals. Science and engineering is not the panacea to Kenya’s or even Africa’s problems. How many engineers and scientists of Africa origin are working in foreign countries? I would say hundreds of thousands.
Never lift a finger against your brother. You will both be losers and your children will be losers too – ad infinitum. If somebody asks you to fight your brother, ask yourself this question – whats in it for him? if you are honest with yourself, the answer will ensure that you never ever have to fight your brother again.
You need a blend of vision and the will power and means to implement that vision.
TARGETS TARGETS TARGETS
I think that the first part of Josh’ letter was responding to my earlier post and the later to somone else, Roto maybe. I will respond to your position on Kenyatta because I think he has the lion’s share of blame when it comes to failed policies and politics.
1. Kenyatta enriched himself, his family and friends.
2. He encouraged his inner circle to play politics of tribalism (GEMA)
3. He weakened the constitution (see all the amendments by Njonjo)
4. Though am not a great fan of democracy, it is right to say that Kenyatta did not allow opposition, even mild opposition, a bit like Raila today. Kenyatta went further, he killed his opponents and imprisoned many for holding a different view than his.
5. Those who came after him were all his political sons. Moi and Kibaki read Kenyatta’s political manual faithfully.
Enough of the past, what can we do now?
I do not believe that doing some charitable work here and there can replace state. All the good works we had done pre-2007 were destroyed in a day by the Kalenjin worriors. I think there is place for charity but at the same time we need to accept that it is through government that we make policies and create a cohesive society.
At the moment we lack collective will to pull in the same direction, thanks to the “leadership”.
Eric
How do you make any headway when you have a government that has 90 ministers who eat up 80% of the budget?
I now truly believe that change starts with you or me as an individual. Start doing something at the grassroots level and you will make a difference.
For how long are we going to blame “leaders” without doing something about it?
As for Kenyatta, let us agree to disagree on that one if you are not willing to see both sides of the coin.
Moi had 24 years to effect change and he also had absolute power, but what did he do? Nada…..
Kibaki has almost plunged Kenya into an untold tragedy through indecisiveness and the so-called democratic space.
Raila and Co almost fell into the trap of being used to destabilize Kenya until he went to Nigeria and he was put into the big picture by Obasanjo.
Kenyans must rise above their tribal pettiness and aim higher. They must create their own heros and myths.
Salvation of the African will only come from within.
There is too much talk in Africa and no action.
JOSH….
I’ve read your post and I must say that is pure wisdom and undertsanding you’ve imparted.
wow, keep it up
This are some of the issues am going to be addressing once am elected the president of Africa.
@josh
I wonder why you do not see Erics views on how Kenyatta FAILED to put KENYA on the right path( I hope its not for tribal reosons the very thing you are teling others to discard)
IF you are told to correct the 14th Floor of KICC (you need to bring the whole house down first). Thats the possition Moi & Kibakai were ,are. Kenya was founded by Kenyatta on
Corruption
Tribalism
Dishonesty
Theft etc
This are the seeds comming home to ROOST now ….
As for TZ and Nyerere !!! Nyerere was LIGHT years ahead of KENYATTA
He founded TZ on JUSTICE,EQUALITY and HONESTY
Thats Why TZ is so cohesive..DID you see KIKWETE lecturing Kibaki during the so called Talks (Thats because Nyerere founded a Nation)
Its just a matter of Time before TZ flies ahead of us economicaly:
Sound Foundation is a must for any institution to progress
Lord
My position on Kenyatta is very clear. It is not based on my being a Kikuyu. It is just an objective observation. I wonder why you fail to see that Kenyatta was under pressure to take a position in the Cold War. He chose the path that he did in the belief that it was the best way forward at that perio of our history.
He has now been dead for 30 years, so why has nothing been done to correct his so-called mistakes?
As for your romantic notions of Tanzania, I suggest you try living there for a few weeks and you will see the difference. In any case, if you have been following Tanzanian politics, you will obviously know that Tanzania has in the last 15 years become one of the most corrupt countries in Africa. Their privatisation programme is one of the most corrupt in Africa. The details are in the public domain and you can check for yourself. However, they have a very strong police and intelligence service which nips all opposition in the bud.
Tanzania is a tragedy waiting to happen.
There is no JUSTICE, EQUALITY and HONESTY in Tanzania. That I can guarantee you.
My main point though is that we should stop blaming others for our own failings. Kenyatta is dead and Moi has been out of power for more than 5 years.
Kibaki and Raila are now in the same government. We should now hold them accountable and ask them to deliver. But is this likely? I do not think so.
Change starts with you – seriously.
I think the key in Kenya is to hope that you get a government that doesn’t interfere with private enterprise. That’s all you can hope for because then, if you are hardworking and entrepreneurial, you’ll at least have a fighting chance (if not at wealth, then at meeting your basic survival needs: food, shelter, clothing).
I also think that this might be one of the main differences between the Kikuyu voters and the Luo and Kalenjin voters. The kikuyu’s just want to be left alone to run their businesses, while the Kalenjin and Luo voters were looking for DIRECT government welfare/assistance. This is why Raila’s message unleashed such violence: These Luo’s and Kalenjins falsely believed that the government was going to just give them stuff(land, jobs, etc, etc).
Kibaki’s message is actually more honest, but very hard to accept. Raila’s message is easy to accept, but impossible to implement in the real world.
Speaking of “African Culture” in general, ever noticed how Africans are great proponents of family, togetherness and warm and fuzzy Africana vibes?!?
Ironically, Africans are prone to attacking THEIR OWN!!! Case in point: Kenya tribalism, SA xenophobia, countless civil wars in West African states, Horn of Africa (Ethiopia-Somalia, Ethiopia-Eritrea, Somalia Inter-clan conflicts), Rwanda, Congo ………
One more thing, ever noticed how Africans are very sensitive to racially-toned slights and statements that insult their intelligence, some aspects of their culture, their foods etc. But yet they are among the world leading exporters of net intolerance in the form of tribalism, racism, gender bias, homophobia……….the list is endless!
Mr/Mrs/Miss KE:
As usual, a general sweeping statement tarring all Africans (or insert other ethnic groupings ) with the one giant brush. Why do you expect anything better than vague generalizations from politicians, when you are doing the same yourself ?
Wahindi Mungiki:
It’s not a sweeping generalization if the evidence against Africa and Africans is overwhelming! AFrica is the poorest, most backward continent in the world today.
Whether you want to admit it or not, there has to be a connection between that backwardness and a people and her culture. Afterall, who else inhabits Africa, but Africans?
The continent has now run out of excuses. First, they blamed colonization, but many Asian countries were colonized and they have moved forward. Then, they blamed “wester imperliast institutions like the world bank and IMF, but again, other countries who also depended on those institutions made progress.
At this point, there is no one else to blame but ourselves and we need to be honest about the backwardness of our culture that has failed to produce anything since it’s inception.
History, background, culture is important. You cannot compare apples with coconuts, which is what you are doing by saying colonization of Africa = colonization of Asia(/insert other place).
Clearly Africa and Asia were dissimilar places (culturally, socially, technologically) before colonization so the impact of colonization and its after effects will of course be completely different.
Post colonial problems are a sum total of all of the above, and not the sole monopoly of a “defective culture”.
Wahindi:
I quote you here:
“Clearly Africa and Asia were dissimilar places”…
Yes, they were and you are really enhancing my argument with the above statement because I am arguing that this “dissimilarity” is couched in culture, with one continent having a much more advanced culture and the other continent having a much more primitive and backward culture.
The evidence is now overwhelming. Africa is the least productive continent in the world today and that is why it’s the poorest. Name one thing that Africa produces, just one.
Also, with the exception of Ethiopia, no other African country even had a written alphabet before colonialism.
And another question: Why is South Africa the most advanced country in Africa today? I want your honest answer on this.
KE:
The defensiveness you observe in many of the posters regarding Africa’s “backwardness” stems from the equation of culture=person.
From an objective point of view there are soooo many detrimental aspects to various African cultures that collectively contribute to this backwardness.
To name a few: witch-craft, FGM, laziness and the reliance on handouts (especially from wealthier relatives), lack of innovation, less emphasis on education, inferiority complex among the masses, preoccupation with sex and beer. Preoccupation with riches and trinkets rather than building actual wealth, over religiousness. The list is endless.
To all contributors: there is a distinction between the African culture and the African person. Culture is dynamic and with enough sustained effort, Africans can learn to be more proactive in developing their countries and providing the necessary growth for their economies.
So, the original premise by KE remains somewhat true in that a lot of the problems facing the African continent can be directly correlated to aspects of African culture.
Wahindi-Mungiki:
Your point also rings true. There is also a direct correlation to racism and the way in which African matters: trade, investments etc are handled in comparison to other developing economies. As strange as it sounds, all racism is not equal.
Weren’t the Indians in Kenya during the railway construction considered a notch higher than the local population despite both countries being under the same British colonial regime?? All racism is not equal and neither is it’s impact on the recipients!!!
KE:
My issue is really with the kind of generalization, simplified discourse that is pushed out by kenyan politicians, and reflected by your blog. A child can make a statement like the one you have made in this post, and many others. I think you need to reflect on why you are still dwelling on toys. I would suggest you begin by reading Fanon or Derrida.
#KE,Wahindi: Sohail
Went to the Museum sometime and was shocked to see pictures of Africans taken in 1907. Hundred years ago
LUOs were naked..literally.
..Kikuyus naked except for grass and tree barks tied arround their womens waist:
KALE,Massai,Turkana Amazingly were the most advanced (Their women wrapped up tightly in a Leather (hairless supple skin ).
Go check for yourseleves: ALL THIS PEOPLE ARE NOW in CYBERSPACE !!! Wow !!! Wow !!!
Wahindi:
I was forced to read Fannon and Arendt in college when I mistakenly and foolishly signed up for a political philosophy class and I must say that their books remain one the most mind-numbingly boring reads that I have ever encountered in my life.
Their books are nothing more than typical academic gibberish and to this day, I fail to understand why Fannon is so acclaimed. I think he remains acclaimed within the sheltered halls of the ivory tower, but not in the real world.
Trying to read Fannon is like trying to read a Toni Morrison book. It’s a weird and strange experience. One that leaves you questioning the mental sanity of the author
You still haven’t answered my question on South Africa. I”m waiting.
@KE, what was that again about South Africa and advancement?
With you on those ‘classic’ reads that send many of us down the wrong path, e.g. socialism and welfare thinking (and capitalism).
Majority of the Kenyans are like most of you in this post. We all blame each other for mistakes that have been made and things that should have been done.
Nobody takes iniciative. Wangari Maathai for example had a vision look where it got her. I am not saying lets all hug trees I am just saying a few more Maathais is what we need to help change peoples mindsets. But of course we require an opinion from abraod to appreciate what heros at home are doing arent we something.
All we need in Kenya are people who are committed and belive in a cause, enough to execute it. Not spectators and speculators who are very educated but choose to do nothing about the education they have recieved abroad. Thats what the indians are currently doing KE as for China they have been at it for a few years Kenya hasnt – so do compare apples to apples if you must
I am sure you have come across this but I will post it anyway
Optimism is a political act. Entrenched interests…encourage us to think that problems can’t be solved, that nothing we do can matter, that the issues are too complex to allow even the possibility of change….Optimism, by contrast, when it’s neither foolish nor silent, can be revolutionary…The strongest force on earth is not an army or a police force or a government or a corporation—it is ourselves, awakened to the dangers we face and the possibilities we are creating. Alex Steffen