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"id": 380677,
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"content": "We have various ways of defining culture, depending on the ethnic groups that we have in the country. There is always a common factor in all cultures. This can be a celebration of a birth where a whole community stops to celebrate. Since we cannot all celebrate all births, we should fine tune this so that all children who are born in Kenya in a particular year, probably on 31st December, are celebrated. That recognition should come from the highest office. This should reverberate down to the counties. We should align our current practices with our culture so that when children of the same age group are joining school, this also calls for a celebration. We should include cultural components where they are recognised. There should be dances or other traditional components that unify us. Communities like the Pokots, Maasai and Samburu still practice their culture and observe their traditions. The negative components of cattle rustling, of course, need to be discarded. Among these communities, there is less drug abuse and other social ills. There is less pornography and disrespect amongst communities that are still observing their culture. But such communities are looked down upon. If you find an old man wearing a skin, it will hit the headlines in Nairobi in a negative angle. Of course, we should not walk naked at this time, but we really need also to pick out the best practices. Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, some Members said that we must have centres in counties where our children can go and learn the traditional practices and history of their communities. I thank Sen. Lonyangapuo who said that our history should be put in songs. The only problem now is that, that song will not be very sweet to the ears of those who listen to rap, reggae, soul, rhythm and blues, jazz and lately the Mexican salsa. I am saying that we should not listen to these kinds of music. I love soul music, but I also think that it would be better if the traditional songs were also encouraged. Right now if I put on the radio and tune to a vernacular station, and there is music playing, I am sure that my son will say: “Could you change that frequency to Kiss FM or whatever?” I have picked Kiss FM because I think that is the station that is most listened to by the young people. I wish the radio stations could actually make listening to our culture a fashionable thing. The radio presenters have a lot of power to influence and change behaviour. As a Senate, we need even to liaise with these people in terms of promoting our culture. As much as we have reggae, rap, soul, rhythm and blues and salsa as the in- thing, we can also now add a new twist to include songs from different cultures and even explain their meaning. Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, I brought this Motion after noticing the current hopelessness in our young people. This hopelessness is based on lack of a foundation. They are now standing on anything that happens to them from radios and television. The traditional communal way of life has been replaced by individualism. So, many youths lack a foundation. A human being who has no foundation will be carried away by the wind. That is why we have a problem of drug abuse and alcoholism. There is a gap that has to be filled by drugs, alcohol and crime. As I said, there is a channel on DSTV known as “Crime.” You will sit and watch how a couple planned and executed a murder and hid the body in the forest, and how the police had trouble finding proof and, therefore, they were set free. Such programmes become the in-thing for our young people. The electronic version of the Senate Hansard Report is for information purposes only. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Hansard Editor, Senate."
}