My Dream for Kenyan Leadership

The law of the lid dictates that a group can only rise to as far as the leaders goes…

“In the first law–the law of the lid, John Maxwell intended to tell us that there is a lid on a person’s leadership ability and this lid determines his level of effectiveness. The lower a person’s ability is to lead, the lower the lid on his leadership ability, and the lower his effectiveness. On the contrary, the higher the leadership ability, the greater the effectiveness. Your leadership ability always determines your effectiveness.”

This intrigued me and made me try to find why this would be so…
So I decided to look at it from this angle; if you are to lift a weight you can only do so for weight that is so much your body size. So how do you get to carry this weight? There are two possibilities, you can either get some muscle or cut the weight that you have to carry. Now cutting of the weight seems like an easy alternative but in leadership it’s not always the case.

Now gaining some muscles is a little bit complicated because it is more or less a natural phenomenon, it involves putting in extra time in exercising, it basically just involves work which most of the time we are lazy to put in.

So we back to shedding off weight…this is either involuntary or voluntary. Voluntary would be where you work on your package and kick some weight off it; involuntary would be where as you lift or as you go on your normal business some weight just falls off your package. Now for as leader that’s just challenge right there…selecting what weight goes and what remains.

But have you for a moment thought what if that weight had a destination and it had to get somewhere intact? What if the weight was a whole unit you get it all delivered or you mess up the whole project? What if the weight was a nation in dire need of change and direction?

I put it to you in order for the package to be delivered we simply need to develop muscles as leaders, we just have to get off the bad diet get rid of our favorite food of corruption, nepotism, tribalism, any other …ism that would mess up the goods on transit.

But then again what if the weight knew its destination and could therefore determine when and how to get there? What if we as a people decide not to be so dependent on the leaders and chart our own route leaving them as mere guides and not ultimate truths?
What if at the grass route level we decided what we want and drove the agenda to the leadership rather than let them decide what’s on the agenda? If we delivered the agenda what that means is that we give them the road map to our destination, to our future, to our plan for Kenya.

My Dream for Kenya
By Norman Ondego, for Kenya

Speaking in Faith is easy; it’s Inherent, Its Life changing

We are created in the image of God. I choose to believe that image calls for the exact replica, a sample, a direct portrait of another. Hence when we profess salvation we are in essence agreeing that in us we have the very traits of God. 

The bible says “But to all who received him, who believed in his name, he gave power to become children of God” (RSV), children born not by the will of man but the spirit of God himself.

And God speaks by faith he calls things that are not as if they are and if we have been given everything that pertains to life and Godliness then we have the power to speak by faith as well for that is a Godly trait. Faith is God’s characteristic and may I remind you that you are a son of God in layman terms we will say you have the genetic make up of God, through salvation.
God activates his Faith by speaking it. The bible says “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen”. {Substance: Or, ground or, confidence}(KJV)

When we hope most of the times it is a mind thing, its unseen. And out of hope comes thoughts that generate into speech. Basically if you leaving by faith through hoping, by the time your thought generates into speech you are already activating your faith. That is why the bible says that as Christians we live like people who have a hope always ready to give a reason for the hope you have in Christ.

I submit to you today that my reason for living in hope is because before I speak its already manifest through faith in God for as it says in his word we have the mind of Christ and if not we have the chance to renew our mind … (Romans 12:2) be transformed by the renewal of your mind and live as people not of this world.

Let’s look at it from another angle. When you fall in love with someone it is a life changing experience. You end up taking on the form that the other party likes. You find it easy to do things that they love and appreciate and hence you are under the influence of the person. Now if we say we are born again we basically say we love God and that is essence means we are subjecting our lives to the influence of God. This involves his manner of speech. Faith is the signature of God’s speech. It therefore is expected and required of Christians (which means Christ like) to speak in Faith for in it they know and believe and trust that they have the very backing of God himself.

I would like to also submit to you that anything that brings improvement in life is easy to partake of. When you as a Christian walk in Faith you are activating the creative genius of God within you and that comes with it power and results. So why wouldn’t you walk in Faith when all around you there are reasons and reasons why its not difficult to do.

It’s a no wonder the word says faith without actions is dead for with faith comes results that are truly visible. Take a step of faith because as a child of God Faith is so inherent, it comes naturally its second nature and there’s nothing stronger in this world than nature. Embrace it.

You cant stifle my dream

Its very uncomfortable to try and stifle a dream. Uncomfortable in the sense that nonsense doesn't seem to be a thing you wanna associate with but the problem is that all around you that seems to be the order of the day.

I am a dreamer and am not about to be apologetic for it. I have come to a point where I hardly wanna share a platform with mediocrity. I keep saying the problem we are experiencing as young guys and the world over is one of mindset.

Even the bible says be transformed by the renewal of your mind...it recognizes this as a critical aspect in the transformation of life.

I think it would be wrong to peg your joy, progress, peace of mind and what have you to the whims of others around you.

You are cut out for greatness and as soon as you realize that it would be all the better for you. Arise son/daughter and take up your mantle,owe no one no apology, just move progressively and may God empower you to prosper.

Its my turn now

I have a deep sitted feeling that its crunch time for most young guys in Kenya and world over. We have seated for a long time waiting for the older generation to hand over stuff to us, jobs, contacts, wives (he he he...still happens) etc.

And I sit back and ask myself what makes it so hard for us young guys to just get up and say this is what i want to do and lay out a plan and go ahead and do it. I think we have often spoken so much about our ideas and have not been executioners.

I have fallen victim enough times when i sit and resit with friends and foe at times to talk over and over about this and that and let the Vision fade. What stops us from just going ahead and doing it?

I believe we have a God who is creative and not idle and when he drops something in my and your heart he has given everything in his power to you to bring it to pass. The bible says he has given us everything that pertains to Life and Godliness...

Everything in Life includes all aspects of life and dreaming is part of life. Awaken Kenya awaken now for its the midnight hour.

I was recently taught in church that there is a difference between an Opportunity and a Moment.
Opportunities come and go and they can be the same. Moments never repeat themselves, the opportunity will reshow the moment will belong to someone else if you let yours pass.

Lets not waste Kenya any more. Lets not forget to dream...its the crunch moment

A Tribe Called Love

I am amazed at the turn of events we have since witnessed in the up to now believed method to salvage Kenya. I am amazed even at myself of how much I came to believe in the negotiation team and forgot that the bible clearly tells us not to put our trust in men. I have seen how quickly we human beings forget; for when the killings were rife we all ran to God and even the leaders were spotted in several churches crying to God to help Kenya. I have come to witness with awe at the quick change of heart of many leaders on both sides of the divide how it has boiled down to we against them with no regard for Kenyans. We have so believed in these guys that we have forgotten that what they are doing is making political settlements.
Who is going to settle the now so homeless? The now so bitter? Them that hatred has infiltrated? The now tainted youth?

I believe the time is now for a Joshua generation to emerge amongst us. Guys who will take the mantle and lead the rest of us. Its a perfect opportunity for new choreographed leadership (for what we have seen hitherto is a selfish leadership that owes no regard to the sanctity of life).
The time is now for leaders who trust in the Lord with all their heart and lean not on their own understanding. Leaders who acknowledge Christ for he makes their paths straight; those who encourage their followers not to worry about tomorrow because God has got it under control.

I have for a long time kept my Faith on the wrong guys and forgot that this battle will be won on our knees.

In conclusion, I believe more that anything, that our future is in the hands of Christians. Christians who will stand up and fight for what is right, without fear of intimidation. Christians who will not turn a blind eye to evil, but will turn the other cheek to persecution. Brave Christian's ready to die fighting for what Christ taught. Christians who are strong enough to say NO when there is injustice – no matter who the injustice is directed to. Be it against someone from their tribe or outside because there is only one tribe: the tribe of love.



Our leaders may fail. Our constitution may fail. We may be frail ourselves at times, but LOVE NEVER FAILS. 1Chor:13.

Keep that picture in mind...

Being vulnerable is not the best place you wanna be in...
I have no better illustration than a picture I saw of a guy in the loo seated minding his business and a wasp flies in through the window to help him mind it...
What would you do?
Now that right there is being vulnerable and helpless.

I tell it to you that the devil operates very much like that wasp. Can you imagine how helpless such a person is and trust me the devil is not shy of such tricks. He hits where you are weakest. I have come to discover that when you feel like crying that is the time you should actually laugh. Because when you give in to that feeling of helplessness what you are telling the evil one is that he has room to come in and torment you just hovering around not letting you concentrate on what matters at the time.

Many a situation have hit many of us Kenyans and right now many are paranoid. I know for sure I cant go greeting my friends excited in any other language I feel like like I used to do for fear of being victimized. I have to be weary of my surrounding. Its this kind of fear that is driving away the joy out of many people's faces and trust me the devil is enjoying the moment of weakness that we are experiencing.

I have a habit of laughing through any tough situation that I come across. Not because I despise the ordeal but because in it I see an opportunity to be strong because the bible tells us our God is strong when we are weak He says he will never leave nor forsake me. I have come to find that he is able to do immeasurably more than all I ask or imagine according to his power that is at work within me.

Hence I choose to ignore the intimidating 'wasp' and you know what it flies away same way it comes through the window.

REVOLUTION OF THE KENYAN MIND

I am inclined to believe that if the current issues in Kenya are not addressed, Kenya may never be the same again. I am deeply convinced that the current violence being meted at perceived supporters of the government have nothing to do with the elections any more. I am convinced that the violence is a crude attempt to do what the new government was meant to bring and that is equitable distribution of resources.

Why am saying that is because the three top contenders all talked of this subject but none was in touch with the common folk on this issues as ODM was. It is common knowledge that ODM was seen as having the support of the 'Down Trodden' majority of Kenyans and PNU was seen as the party of the 'elitist' few. Why the ODM politicians have been defeated to calm down their supporters is because the legitimate chance they had to have their issues addressed was very much dragged away from them. Hence they resorted to crudely effect the Marshal plans they were promised.

Let it be on record that I strongly condemn the actions of violence.

One would ask what is the point in all this. Truth be told trouble started along time ago when Kibaki's presidency was seen to have betrayed the Narc dream. The two protagonist why by all means all popular candidates but Raila was seen as the favorite. This is because of the backing he had of all other 5 regions in Kenya that presented the majority of Kenyans who felt the system has always discriminated them.

The crisis we are in I believe has already crossed from political issues to socio-economic and this is what has brought about ethnic tension. Take for example if Kibaki resigns and Raila takes over how is he going to handle the already tense ethnic divisions? If Kibaki continues how is he going to address a people who do not recognize his leadership? Isn't that gonna widen the socio-economic rift already being experienced as we speak?

I see that the re-tallying process will bring us back to this space...
Re-run will bring us back to this space...

The only solution is a middle ground that involves power sharing and in my view not for political reasons but for the sake of reconciliation. Both parties if they were to rule would need a way of reaching out to the other side's supporters which right now they cannot even pretend to be able to do. They need to all effect the equitable distribution of resource that they all promised Kenyans.

It is sad that innocent poor have to die to fight for what the government has the responsibility of providing them. An assurance that their troubles are being taken care of. The middle class settle in an uncomfortable comfort while the elite few – very few i might add- look on with no concern.

If you really want to know that this is about resource and not votes parse then ask why is that only the poor in the slums and other remote areas are the ones that are seen to really fight. The election violence is what was seen in Kisumu on day one - the reckless looting- which was very stupid if you ask me. But that is all over now and what is happening is a quest for justice. Which has been compounded by the belief that their only legal mean was hijacked by a flawed election process.

My point now is that the rift created has been inculcated in the youth which then poses a threat to this country because i had a dream for the Kenyan youth. A people who were to salvage Kenya from the whims of tribalism and usher us to a new realm of togetherness.

I have quit being partisan and decided to be Kenyan.

and i do believe just like the ministry of Jesus (that dealt with one person at a time and today stands firm as the teaching with the largest number of followers) we can start the 'gospel' of reconciliation and hope.

Kenyan youth need to bring change to this country. It was clear at the polls when the elderly politicians were sent home. Let us all try and infiltrate the minds of as many youth as we an. I believe the change that Kenya needs is still in the offing. Its not political liberation that we need but a mindset liberation. We need a renewal of attitude as young people. We have a rallying call that we can fall behind and that is the fact that we still have a massive future ahead of us.
I am hoping to get fellows of like mind and together we can start a revolution of the Kenyan mind, culture and belief.

Long live Kenya, Long live our motherland.

I encourage criticism of this article and further contributions. These are my thoughts hence subject to correction.

regards
Norman Ondego
norman.ondego@gmail.com
nondego2k2@yahoo.com
www.nondego.blogspot.com
+254722504420