The PUSA Dream

(Written on May 14 2009)

Ideally, PUSA is supposed to be ingrained in some philosophy. What is its Philosophy? Such a Philosophy should be steeped in the collective vision and ideals of the people. From such a philosophy therefore will spring forth the geyser of fulfilling hope and dreams.

Many a times I have thought to myself how our PUSA could be improved.
This is an urgent task. Let us face it: Our people are dying of ignorance,we have genuine complaints about how the CDF kitty is being run, our people have been given lip service by our politicians whose mouths are dripping with grandiose lies and concealed tricks,as a people we cannot boast of a handful of PHD holders,civic education is below par (that is an understatement),we have not identified issues we can die for as an association, we don't have a common voice (when was the last time we gathered together and gave a press statement about issues that bedevil us as people?)

We have so many fights to fight and many tyrannies to surmount. The average Pokot university student goes to the university, does his exams, graduates and comes back to the community and 'impact it'. He/she works on the philosophy that 'if it doesn't affect me, I can go about my business'. Such has been our dangerous selfishness. Of course, deep in our community we cannot outrightly oppose some things without some umbrella body. Take this example. Who is satisfied with the way relief maize is distributed? I can say this without fear of contradiction: Unless something is done about this mess, soon and very soon we will have a community of a few pot-bellied trunks and a multitude of hunger-stricken,rib-ripping-the-cages kind of individuals. We can condemn the vice together or sink together.

Another point. I believe in diversity and one Kenya and one people. I also believe of one Pokot which is neither East nor West nor Central nor North.We are one people. That said, however, this doesn't mean that we have to 'intrude' into ourselves. What do I mean? I mean our Lelan brothers, what is this scandal cooking about you getting Kacheliba ID's and getting military jobs et al at the detriment of your brothers in the armpit of somewhere between Kopurmayos and Lokitalauywan? Why the bribing of as much as 200k? Have we, as Pokot people, become this corrupt to buy what rightfully belongs to us? There is a rising tide of frustration building in the stomach of those short-changed in Kacheliba.This is not a blame game. I am just wondering where exactly does the buck stop? In other words, my good people, is it fair for bribery to be our yardsticks in getting positions in our society or any other detached from ours? Are we not condemning ourselves on the
guillotine of money?

Of course these are not the only problems we have. They are legion. But the main question we need to address ourselves will be this:
What should be the role of PUSA in all this? I cannot be naive to propose that it should roll out ambitious programmes for the same. I agree that we operate on a shoe-string budget and sadly the 'little charity from our waheshimiwas'. This is what I propose.PUSA should be visible. It should, like a bad flu (I am not referring to homa ya nguruwe),cling on us and us on it. Like a spectre, it should come back to us again and again. PUSA should be our lives, not some one-day affair in a year.

This is how it should work. I am happy of the great steads made in visiting schools. That is commendable. This is just one avenue. What about seeking a voice about the Ortum cement factory and speaking it in a press conference? The thing should go something like this: WE, the Pokot University students, aware of the common affliction of our people working in Ortum cement factory,
angered by the infringement of basic fundamental rights and freedoms of people there, do oppose in the
strongest terms possible....

(Now, that is not a preamble!)

Now, those are the fights we need to engage in. During Luther King's time, it was the fight for equality for the Negro in America, same to the time of Rosa Parks. Closer here in Africa, it was the fight waged by the likes of Mandela and Walter Sisulu for an Apartheid-free South Africa. Here in Kenya, we had the fight for the second liberation and some were tortured in Nyayo torture chambers.

As PUSA, which fights do we fight?

Where is the limit we have drawn in the sand and said should anyone cross this line then battle we declare?

What solid tangible things can we tell anyone straight in the face even if we were to be woken at the stroke of midnight and shout it out?

Time is really running against us. We are behind schedule. We need
to soul-search ourselves and ask ourselves difficult questions. Questions like whether we fight for office positions for monetary gain or for genuine sacrifice for the larger Pokot Dream.

Is it a seasonal tap where individuals gulp from it and when their terms are over they walk away in search of more taps? What should be our legacy?

Could it rest on something like: during the term of person X, we had this for PUSA and were it not for the constitution barring him we could have
elected him again?

These are very urgent things we need to do:

1. Members should own the association. Members should contribute membership fees, be issued with membership cards. This way they will ensure that PUSA works for them. I thank David that this is in operation but most members are not aware.

2. Press conferences should be called regularly. The association should retain its rightful place as the voice of the people. For instance, could there be some grievances that PUSA would want to share out?

3. PUSA should contribute to charity. In the national front, we have the
Mercy Train. So many organisations, persons and groups have contributed.
PUSA should have, in a small way, called for a crisis meeting and do
something. Apart from the humanity bit, this will be a good PR exercise.

4. PUSA should be commended for forming a group here in Facebook where I can share my ten-pence suggestions. I hear coming up with our website is in top gear. Keep up the good spirit.

5. PUSA should address the CDF issue. I have stated that PUSA is well-equipped
to advance the cause of the PoKot students without fear or favour. It
should demand to have the records of the various CDF commitees and if
there be discrepancies then it should seek clarifications. This issue of
some individuals sitting on public reports where public coffers are concerned
should stop. If it be true that the CDF Commitees are transparent, then
it defeats logic when they don't make their documents public. Don't they
think this is an avenue for inviting unwarranted questioning?

6. PUSA should get money, good money pretty fast. I don't know how this
will work. In the past,the politicians have been helpful. We can still do
the same but at the end of the day we need to ask ourselves for how
long will we extend our beggars bowl for freebies? We can choose to go the
Politicians way together with the guilt, compromise and shame that comes with
the package or we can come up with self-sustaining ventures which generate
money for the association. The choice is entirely ours.

Ladies and gentlemen, let us address this issue collectively together with
our able leaders. I believe in sharing my thoughts openly because I believe
PUSA can go places. I feel frustrated if it does not do that fast but
that should not be read as less love for it or even acting 'Joseph the
dreamer of dreams'.