Can a Nation Prosper without Half its Population? By Mitchell Odhiambo

I was seated in an office on Friday when one of the legal officers read a clause governing a special fund designed by...


2010 0
2010 0

I was seated in an office on Friday when one of the legal officers read a clause governing a special fund designed by the government of KE to facilitate rural development. The clause stated that; more than 50% of this fund should be prioritized for women led households. A sharp argument broke loose on matters of gender which I soon understood was custom here. The gentleman who sparked the exchange began; “How about the man? Why are we so marginalized?”

I took a lot of lessons home from these mature folks. For starters, I didn’t know single mothers were amongst the shujaas we celebrate during heroes day. Congratulations Kenya. A woman for sure is the primary caretaker of every household. Once you empower her you can be sure society will benefit. She will do whatever it takes to bring up her household to the best of her ability, better yet, if she has a good man by her side. Men, I gather, chase after lots of fantasies, family being one of them.

It is very sad what is happening to our sons. One of the women from Kiambu County spoke. Men in her locality rise as early as 7:00 am and they make their way to the bar where they spend the rest of the day only to strut into mama’s house in the evening expecting to be fed. When will they man up she asked? For how long shall we live in a society like this? What kind of precedent are we setting for our children? For the record, she has two sons?

Do you not think if this goes unaddressed, we are courting with fire? Dysfunctional families will remain common place. She said there’s not a woman who does not want to get married. (I didn’t know that, guess I’ve been listening a lot to mainstream media). Our boys impregnate our girls and then they vanish. So many families are living in pain, so many single mothers regret the 8 minutes of pleasure, if only they had been a little more patient to discern the man’s character.

It was then that I realized that as men and women, we ought to put together the building blocks for a prosperous nation. Lay aside our differences, and work together to empower the family unit. Once woven together in love and respect, our moral fabric can then withstand the wiles of this world.   Until we speak again, I am your host Mitchell Odhiambo. Welcome to a man’s world.

Photo credit: http://images.fineartamerica.com/images-medium-large-5/african-mother-janet-mcgrath.jpg

 

In this article

Join the Conversation