One of the most thoughtful commentaries that I have read after Westgate mall attack in Kenya.
Like the great 18th Century English Writer Samuel Johnson said “It is unpleasing to represent our affairs to our own disadvantage; yet it is necessary to shew the evils which we desire to be removed.” And that sometimes “Patriotism is the last refuge of a scoundrel.”
I refuse to suck up to this fake sense of Kenyan patriotism.
I grew up reading books on Kenyan history and singing to the tunes of patriotic songs that were constantly propagated by the Kenya Broadcasting Corporation. I went to school in a single party state when there was no difference between government and political parties. I was taught history that was cooked by the curriculum developers to deliberately make me become patriotic to the country Kenya.
At school, I was taught to sing the national anthem as well as recite the national pledge, which at the time, was coined to end up with pledging loyalty and allegiance to the president of Kenya. I was taught that Kenyatta was the Kenyan Jesus. I was taught how to sing for the president, and bow my head in respect.
In church, I was taught to obey and not question authority. I was…
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Rosebell Kagumire 
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