It seems like nothing can go wrong during Christmas. Even the weather is different over this period. After all the wetness of the season, the rain seems to halt or pause its mission, the sun comes on bright in the now clean and crispy environment. Everything is fine with the world.
It’s tradition for nearly everyone in Kenya to go back to wherever we call ‘home’ during Christmas. The cities, Nairobi being no exception, become ghost towns, deserted, free of traffic, devoid of life. Usually home means to grandparents’ home for the young, to parents home for the not so young. In other words we congregate in the home of the oldest surviving members of the immediate family; it is usual to straddle both the home of one’s parents as well as that of one’s in-laws. It’s a juggling game that must be done this way for the desired effect to be achieved as this is Christmas and everyone is in a jolly and friendly mood.
As much as many, not just in Kenya but all over the world have shunned the practice of faith, yet all seem content to celebrate this most important of all Christian holidays (besides Easter, which holds a place of equal importance, if not more.) Advent, as Christians call it, is a celebration of the fact that God the Father sent His only begotten Son to the world so that He would not only bring the Good News, but also BE the Good News by later dying and rising again to bring salvation to the whole world (Easter). So these two holidays are inseparable in their mission and value as they are the whole foundation of the Christian faith.
We will not go into the down-side of Christmas where the businesses have commercialized everything to do with Christmas to the point of airing Christmas sales Ads that are nothing short of sacrilegious. It is a crying shame that one would lure people to a sale tied to a religious festival through advertisements that corrupt the core values of that very religion. I think to celebrate a religious festival everyone should at least do the bare minimum to respect that religion, or otherwise stay away from any associations with it altogether.
And so it’s another busy season for traffic up-country in Kenya, as most of us head back to the cradle. The few who will remain behind will enjoy much quieter cities, and probably just as boring; not to mention the unending, repeated Christmas movies on TV.
Hopefully this time the drivers, both private and public, will be careful on the roads so Christmas can remain a joyful season, not a period of mourning or tragic memories for anyone.
And hopefully, in the spirit of giving that comes with Christmas, our leaders and administrators will show benevolence to Kenyans and realize how ridiculous it is for us to buy a kilo of sugar at Ksh200, a litre of petrol at Ksh120, and a gas cylinder at Ksh4800. That they will realize the meaning of ‘basic commodities’, and ensure that these are not only accessible, but also affordable to all Kenyans. In their hectic dash towards the next general elections, we pray that our leaders will not forget us entirely, leaving us to the mercy of greedy and merciless corporates, industrialists and business persons.
Merry Christmas everyone!
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