HAVE LIVING STANDARDS IMPROVED FOR THE WHINING KENYAN?
On the one hand, the Kenyan proudly tells his neighbours that he lives in a country with strong institutions, systems that transcend governments, impressive infrastructure, a relatively stable economy and commendable literacy levels.
He will tell you that our hospitals serve the elite of the region, and that even an unknown accident victim can receive emergency care before his next of kin is traced and alerted.
Yet, when the government reminds him of these gains, he lights up the room with banter and indignation. You would think he lives in a failed state, with nothing to show for decades of investment and progress.
Perhaps we have become so accustomed to what we have that we no longer see it.
There was a time when serious lack taught people the value of the simplest things. A banana and a cup of strong, hot tea could constitute a perfectly respectable meal. A decent road was something to celebrate. Access to a hospital was a privilege. Education was an opportunity not to be taken for granted.
Progress has a peculiar way of becoming invisible once it becomes normal.
This is not to say that Kenya has arrived, or that we should stop demanding better governance, better services, lower taxes, more jobs and greater accountability. We should demand more.
But perhaps, in our endless whining, we should occasionally pause and ask ourselves a simple question: Have our living standards actually improved? If the answer is yes, perhaps we should complain with a little gratitude—and demand even better with a little perspective.