Are We Children of a Lesser God?

When I wake up every morning minus a revolution in Kenya
I say my prayers
As I read the papers-- of violence, power-lust and bickering
I say my prayers
That our God saves Kenya

When I hear our leaders talk about themselves
About their salaries, about who will run in 2012,
About Vision 2030, about stolen maize
And witch-hunting and ethnicity and eating the national cake
And forming other parties
And keeping mum about floods, starvation and IDPs
I say my prayers
That our God saves Kenya

God, where did we go wrong?
When did we stand in the path of your anger and vengeance?
God, where have we stirred your patience
and stoked the fires of your retribution?

This is not what we bargained for, God,
About these leaders, about their developments
About our wishes and aspirations and the Kenyan Dream
and the Kenyan Promise
No, No, God, this was not it

For if it was, Almighty God,
They would have saved us from hunger and floods
And pay themselves less and hear the IDPS
For if it was, dear God,
They would have moved heaven and earth
and represent our issues
For if it was, Powerful God,
they would have not sown the seeds of discord
among us
No, God, this is not what we bargained for
This was not it

Whence went our African pride?
Of the green savannaland and steppes and cliffs
Whence went our unity and brotherhood?
Where are the latterday Mandelas and Nkurumah's and Nyerere's?
Whence went the Pan-Africanism spirit?
Kenya, whence went your dream and vision?
Kenya, whence went the spring in your feet and sense of purpose?

God, whence did our pride go?
Whence went our cheer and leadership
God, when did we falter in our steps
To steal, to hide shame, to smear others,
to be indifferent?

When did the ghost enter us
To suffer the tyranny of electing the worst elements
To run our affairs?
When did it start that we elected 'one of our own'
even when they had stolen chicken in village?

God save us, Save us oh Lord,
If it be that we erred, we repent
If it be that we can't run our affairs, guide our leaders
For from soil you created Kenya
Though it be from soil, return should it not to the soil
This soon.

C) Lorot Salem 2010