Nairobi, Feb.12, 2025: Ah, Kenya—the land of sun, savannahs, and an inexplicable urge to solve everyone else’s problems while forgetting about the ones on our own doorstep. It’s almost as if the moment we cross the border, we sprout capes and become global peacekeepers, but the moment we land back at home, we forget where we left our own security systems. There’s something quite poetic about offering help to Haiti or the DRC, where the rain dances on their rooftops, while our own citizens are left to dodge raindrops—and kidnappers.
Here we are, the champions of SDGs—yes, Sustainable Development Goals. Not to be confused with “Slightly Distracted Goals” or “Sometimes Deflected Goals.” But surely, if charity begins at home, shouldn’t we be waving a flag that says “Kenya First” before trying to restore peace to places thousands of miles away?
It’s like throwing a party in your neighbor’s house while your own kitchen’s on fire. “Hey, come to my party, I’ve got everything under control,” you shout, while the fire department’s waiting outside your own door to help. Meanwhile, your guests are too busy wondering why the drinks are warm, and the snacks are a bit… off. So, we send security officers to restore peace in far-off lands, while back home, we can’t quite seem to restore a sense of safety to a community that’s not even able to walk down the street without looking over their shoulder.
It gets better—because apparently, the true essence of nativity has nothing to do with keeping your own people safe. Nope, the real meaning of being “native” is making sure that your own people can watch from the sidelines as you gallantly march off to save the world. When locals shout, “Help! We’re losing lives here!” the response? “Sure, but have you seen the state of Haiti’s peace agreement? We’re on it!” It’s a beautiful thing to see; nothing says “I’m truly concerned about you” like an airlifted delegation with freshly pressed uniforms ready to tell the world about the state of global peace while their own country is stuck trying to figure out who took the last loaf of bread.
All this is for the greater good, of course. Peace is a noble cause, no doubt. But maybe, just maybe, before we don our capes and gallivant to distant lands, we might consider putting a little more focus on those who are at risk on our own turf. If only our efforts at international relations were matched by a bit of that attention at home. Because, my friends, in the end, the greatest security we could offer might just be the one that starts with a little less global gallivanting and a bit more looking inward. But hey, that’s a thought for another day—or, perhaps, when we’re not too busy “spreading peace” in places where the rain falls… somewhere else.
