KAIKAI'S KICKER: Donald Trump - Our ‘character development’

On my Kicker, there is something Kenyans call ‘character development.’ And do not be mistaken here—the English meaning of character development is not the same as the Kenyan meaning of character development.

Those two are worlds apart. In Kenya, ‘character development’ is a description of a difficult situation. It is akin to being in deep trouble.

To put it in context, for example, a Kenyan would say that this week, U.S. President Donald Trump put the entire world through ‘character development.’

A Kenyan would further illustrate this with images of grounded vehicles belonging to the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), the giant donor agency that ground to a halt courtesy of Donald Trump’s Executive Order.

Kenya and the African continent have been sent reeling by the sudden decision of the United States president. With the stroke of a pen, thousands of jobs were lost, and countless non-governmental organizations revolving around the USAID orbit came to a standstill.

For years, USAID has been something of a lifeline for some sectors, if not entire countries. But Trump, whose mantra is ‘America First,’ cut off the gas suddenly, saying that resources previously directed into donor pipelines around the world would now be redirected to American taxpayers.

As a Kenyan would put it, it has been a week of character development—proper! In characteristic Kenyan fashion, we never waste time pouring salt on any gap.

Well, a Kenyan watching that would say that is a truly profound observation from a President Kenya never had!

Irrespective of that, Donald Trump has kicked up an important conversation in Africa. You see, African nations, including Kenya, have since independence been dutiful recipients of foreign assistance. The culture of dependency on foreign aid has become so entrenched in Africa and in Kenya that it is factored in as a revenue stream in the crafting of national budgets.

Altogether, it has been an undignified run since independence, and the indignity is expected to manifest itself in brutal ways as USAID and related partners close shop.

Foreign aid is Africa’s and Kenya’s soft underbelly. Foreign aid was instrumental as a bargaining chip in the 1990s when the donor community pressured Kenya to implement reforms, including the introduction of a multiparty system of government. "Change, or we turn off the tap." We changed.

Foreign aid has also been used as a very effective tool of blackmail. "Adopt our ways, or we turn off the taps." Some of us adopt.

Then came Donald Trump, invoking common sense and "America First." It is shock therapy for African aid recipients, and I belong to the corner of those who say this is good for us as a country, a continent, and even a race.

Donald Trump is merely inviting us to grow up. If his policy is "America First" and yours is "Kenya Kwanza," what is the difference? Why are you wincing about USAID?

This is the shock Kenya and Africa needed. Because in this shock, we shall turn around to look deep into the full potential of our own resources.

In this shock, Kenyans will demand accountability from managers of their resources, and they will pay attention to every coin to ensure it ends up not in the pockets of greedy political leaders but in hospitals, schools, water projects, and sewage lines that used to function courtesy of donor funds.

After sixty-plus years of independence, Donald Trump may have just suddenly ended both the breastfeeding and bottle-feeding programs of foreign aid. Now we are left with two options; we either cry and kick or grow up.