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“One thing you notice when you talk to people about problems in Kenya is that they answer it with, “Africa, Bwana” (pronounced ‘Afreeka, Bwana’).

“Why don’t workers in a construction site wear safety gear?”

“Afreeka, Bwana.”

“Why is there too much trash on the streets?”

“Afreeka, Bwana.”

“Why are there too many power outages?”

“Afreeka, Bwana.”It’s like they use the phrase as an excuse for everything. Saying, “It’s Africa, man,” is like saying, “We’re in Africa. It’s how things work (or don’t), why don’t you get it?” But that’s the thing, we don’t. Just because people live in Africa doesn’t mean they don’t deserve the same quality of life as other people in more modern cities. We all need houses built according to international safety standards. We all need infrastructure that works for us and not against us. We all need proper healthcare.

So “Afreeka, Bwana,” shouldn’t be used as an excuse. It should be the driving force to make people recognize that maybe a country like Kenya might have a lot of challenges to overcome to reach the level of Dubai or Singapore, but it is possible if we just start soon and move faster. In other words, just because the road is longer doesn’t mean the journey is impossible. “