A drinking nation-Yes we are!

An anecdote by Philip Kagia

The global economic crisis is affecting not only poor nations but even heavy weights such as the United States of America, Japan, Britain, China, Canada among others, have not been left out. Our own Kenyan economy is not an exception.
The government has confessed it and every citizen in our country is feeling it hard.

Everyday many starve and die out of hunger and the general social life is a mere hopelessness. Never the less, a critical survey at our social behaviors and indeed characters sounds ironical, absurd and un realistic as to match the perceived economic situation.

Many case studies on our general social culture have taken me a back to brand Kenyans as “drinking nation” This notion is heart renting and a matter of great concern as I take more time to watch over the struggling poor Kenyans in a gesture to put food on their tables at the end of the day.

At the crack of dawn every Kenyan is ever on the move, up and down, tirelessly hoping to salvage an opportunity for survival. As busy as a bee and as radical in mind like a holocaust survivor, an ordinary Kenyan and indeed even the noble, struggle to make ends meet. Just like president Kibaki encouraged us- to strive to be a working Nation!

Never the less as the day opens up and the afternoons begin to grow old towards dusk, I move around my home town of Nakuru with a mission to observe the drinking habits of my fellow Kenyans. I have picked Nakuru as a case study to represent the whole country because I have knowledge that what happens here is most likely to be happening there.

It is Kenya here and there whether it is Kisumu,Nairobi, Mombasa, Busia or where ,just name it but anywhere in Kenya, it is Kenya. We share so much in common and so much in the market. What we talk about the economy and what we buy from the market are very similar. In other words we are a nation. In my study however I want to brand Kenya –a drinking nation. So read on to prove me right or wrong but I will speak my mind out!

My humble but dedicated survey begins from the CBD of this Rift Valley province headquarters in an afternoon. Off Kenyatta avenue I start meandering from street to one street to another, spotting and counting and of cause piping in any drinking spot that I recognize. I move on from street to street and within two hours I have combed the whole CBD counted and encountered a great deal of alcohol drinking venues and its revelers.

What I saw, where, and more about it will remain confidential in this narration but I guess any Kenyan can have a rough idea of what I experienced. The only important issue to be noted here is that some hard earned cash was being spent somewhere some place! Lest you forget that Nakuru is in Kenya and so I conclude that at this particular time and moment, some where some place in another or other in Kenya,the same is happening.

As dusk appeals it is time to venture the other side of the town. I hire a motorbike taxi and more from one residential area to another with the same mission and objective. The observation is similar and the conclusion remains the same - some hard earned cash is being spent on alcohol and other drugs in filthy venues! We Kenyans are so adamant to change our social outfits that do not go well with the current economic situation but still cry wolf over the biting economy.

We are not being sincere to decry the bitter economy while we work so hard to spend unnecessarily. From my layman’s understanding the term economy means the ability to plan resources well so as to satisfy needs. Do we as a nation believe that alcohol and other drugs are basic needs to our lives? If yes why? And if not, then why spend our hard earned cash on alcohol and other filthy stuff?

The government indeed has admitted that Kenya seats on a time bomb unless the escalating drinking habits of its citizens is plaid. Government statistics indicate that the Western part of the country followed by Nairobi and Central lead in alcohol consumption.

The reports further reveal that the careless consumption of alcohol derails not only the social standards of Kenyans but also economic endeavors. The point is finally at home-why should we continue to endeavor to be “a drinking nation” while we need the little cash we have to improve our lives?