A LOST, FORGOTTEN & YET UNCARING GENERATION

A LOST, FORGOTTEN & YET UNCARING GENERATION Immediately after joining the University of Nairobi (long known for its notorious students and occasional stone-throwing incidents), my beloved papa, the late David Naibei Silas Cheruo, used to remind me of their old good days when he was a student of Animal Health in Kabete in late 70s and early 80s. Then, university students were considered to be the best brains in the society, thus the source of comfort in bleak days. Many a man and a woman in campus had known their country to be BIGGER than any one; be it shrewd politicians, corrupt government officials or even the emissaries of the then dictatorial regime. He used to lament about my generation whose girls show off a lot of their flesh with gusto, automatically become sex addicts as soon as their mangoes starts fighting with their blouses and are more than willing to suffer for years on end in the expense of a few years that demands seriousness and in effect, can lead to a healthier, merrier and a much happier life someday. More so, young men like me are into drugs, partying, and sexual affairs and have since perfected and crafted a life coated with a lie after a lie. It’s been over sixteen months since he passed away now, and he was right anyway…almost four years now in the University of Nairobi, my heart is echoing his cry for what has become a forgotten, lost yet uncaring generation. Today, sexually transmitted grades and degrees are being awarded to dozens of insensitive, yet perfect brains of the society indeed! Lecturers have been known to blackmail us and exploit our vulnerability, yet we hardly come out strongly and say ENOUGH IS ENOUGH! Many a night and many a day, I have witnessed a fleet of expensive vehicles owned by C.E.Os, M.Ps, top government officials and the lucky few Kenyans whose problem has never been cash heading to Female Hostels. In exchange of a fat wand of notes, they are sure to trade-flesh, know happiness and experience a new sphere of ‘love’ denied by their wives back in their dark dungeons. It is heartbreaking to note that such has over the time graduated into the rule rather than the exception. Afraid of the mighty and wealthy, cowed and cajoled we’ve been led endlessly to the slaughter like meek sheep. We’ve seemingly succumbed to a cruel fate so soon and even though we’ve numerous avenues out, we are going to dare not lift a finger in protest! We have shamelessly chosen to live a lie a day at a time, suffer in silence then inevitably, endure a slow, gradual and equally untimely death! The cream of the society is nowadays common in our roads – going on rampage, injuring motorists and burning vehicles. I am tempted to wonder if learning institutions, essentially intended to tame, nature and produce valuable Kenyans someday; are instead creating future monsters that will rather destroy completely, other than construct peacefully. Unlike in the old good days of my late papa, who used to agitate for positive change in governance, nowadays, shy and giggling like amateurish lovers, we always whisper names of shameless Kenyans whose fathers and mothers stole our wealth with such an awesome generosity (are still stealing even this very minute), killed those who dared to point an accusing finger at them, crippled those who walked shoulders high while denouncing their evil acts. There was hardly hooliganism .They ensured that the government served the interests of the Kenyans. Today, smoking, gambling and drinking is the order of the day in the once respected institutions of higher learning. Ironically, we will undoubtedly remain tight lipped as old boys mess up with our bright future and misgovern our parents’ blood and sweat. Slowly, a conspiracy of silence is eroding the “comrade power” and in effect, we will ever remain a lost, forgotten yet uncaring generation for many years to come lest we make an about-turn and set the record straight once and for all! By ©Cheruo Levi Cheptora