A time to tear down

Entropy is the tendency of all systems to move to a lower energy level. It is?a scientific concept, as well as a measurable physical property, that is associated with a state of disorder, randomness, or uncertainty. Entropy is?a sign that the old order is changing. Nairobi county and its neighbors, in a bid to grow concrete towers, have descended into a certain level of disarray. From the hitherto leafy suburbs of Westlands and Muthaiga to the dusty plains of Kamulu and Josca this phenomenon is endemic. Overnight, trees, and social amenities give way to bricksmortar and flashing lights. Footpaths are dug up and their construction stops. Kiosks cover all pedestrian pathways, vendors of poor quality goods are in your face competing for your shillings and triggering your buying impulses.

Vehicular traffic is disorderly with or without traffic lights. Policemen man intersections at peak traffic hours more often to extort bribes rather than to monitor miscreants.

Pedestrians mill onto the streets and highways. Barriers and pedestrian bridges are meant to discourage this behavior. They don’t always work. Politicians are very vocal but not always logical. Civil servants are more interested in serving their own and their political masters interests than they are in serving the taxpayers that pay their salaries.

Despite this gloomy picture and the slide to lower energy levels good things are happening. The human population is getting younger, more resilient and innovative in response to the entropy that they may not perceive since they don’t have the benefit of hindsight.

I want to suggest that systems start to decay the minute they are established. Considerable effort is expended in keeping new systems chugging along but then technology, life and changing mores happen.

Clogged roads like the Kangundo Road will be replaced by Highways, Bypasses and Expressways.

A new generation of Kenyans will take us to new levels of efficiency in service delivery. They will always be innovating new solutions to the problems that we will face. They will negotiate with other nations to our mutual benefit. A more egalitarian, ethnic neutral and meritocratic society will emerge. A society which will work hard, pay their taxes and make their elected leaders accountable.

I imagine an African renaissance. New Mansa Musa’s and Shaka Zulus will emerge. They will lead us on to prosperity for all and an end to our enemies of progress.

It is possible. The drivers of this change will be changed mindsets, changed actions and behaviors which will enable not hinder progress. It will take faith, hope and love and the greatest of these is love. Are you ready to love your fellow countryman beyond your myopic lenses of tribe and pedigree (read colonial and postcolonial privilege). Do you have what it takes to ride out this season. As Ecclesiastes 3 :1 reads "There is a time?for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens including verse 4 which reads "a time to tear down and a time to build".