Michael Mundia Kamau
P.O. Box 58972
00200 City Square
Nairobi
Kenya
8th December 2004
“Whiz kid or just clever boy? Child star speaks out 13 years later”,
Article on Bethwell Mwaura Mbugua appearing in “Outlook”, Daily Nation
of
Monday, 6th December 2004
A retrospective analysis on the high profile Bethwell Mbugua “genius”
saga
of 16 years ago, carried in the “Daily Nation’s” “Outlook” magazine of
Monday, 6th December 2004, should spur extensive soul searching in a
nation
that stubbornly persists in looking to the west for academic and
economic
redemption.
Undoubtedly, Bethwell Mbugua and his father Mzee Paul Mbugua Mwaura
deserve
high commendation for eventually emerging with Bethwell’s Bachelor of
Arts
degree in Biochemistry from Macalester College, Minnesota, in the
United
States. Bethwell Mwaura Mbugua withstood and overcame the tribulations,
trials and handicap of originating from a third world background in
rural
Kenya, adopted and settled in high pace cosmopolitan America at a very
tender and vulnerable age, and returned backed home having attained
what he
set out to accomplish. This is an enormous credit to him, because far
to
many Kenyans, from both urban and rural backgrounds, are hopelessly
holed up
and depressed abroad, having failed to accomplish the objectives that
took
them there in the first place. The situation is no less depressing on
their
families, friends and associates back home.
Where Bethwell Mbugua and his father Paul Mbugua Mwaura went wrong, was
in
their attempt to short change the system, and have no basis whatsoever
blaming anybody for this, be it former President Moi of Kenya, former
Presidents Nyerere and Mwinyi of Tanzania, psychiatrist, Dr. Daniel
Kabithe,
former inspector of schools Tom Sitati, or Edward Karanja and his son
Kangugi Karanja, in the United States. For instance, Bethwell Mbugua in
an
unforgivable manner, ridiculed, insulted, humiliated, scorned and
embarrassed his science teacher in primary school, by terming his class
and
lessons as “boring” in the presence, full view and full hearing of his
fellow pupils. His father, Paul Mbugua Mwaura, also invited the wrath
of the
Kenya High Commission in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, by violating it’s
recommendation that he and his son leave, and save the Kenya government
further unwarranted publicity and embarrassment. These infringements
took
place despite diverse and extensive recommendations that Bethwell
Mbugua
proceed through the education system like any other regular pupil.
There are numerous other brilliant Kenyans who have built their careers
and
stature by being regular students and working their up through the
different
requisite stages of proficiency. These include Dr. Julius Gikonyo
Kiano,
Hillary Ngweno, Professor Thomas Odhiambo, Professor Wellington Okumu
Jalango, Professor Wangari Maathai, Professor Ngugi wa Thiongo,
Professor
Peter Anyang Nyongo, and the youthful, promising and brilliant Leonard
D’Cunha. Paul Mbugua Mwaura and his son Bethwell Mwaura Mbugua were
asked to
follow this age old and proven path, but they defied this and went
against
laid down societal standards. They can blame no one for this.
It is however clear that Bethwell Mwaura Mbugua is on the path to
making
amends with his past, and this is commendable. An education in the west
cannot override all other considerations, and this is a grave mistake
that
Kenyans continue to make. Bethwell Mbugua should use his status and
become
an ambassador at large in advocating reform in our attitudes. While
making
peace with his past, Bethwell Mbugua should use the opportunity to
visit his
former local schools, and encourage the pupils to take education
seriously,
work hard, have broad perspectives, but desist jumping the gun and
advance
their academic careers through the laid down standards. This way,
Bethwell
Mbugua would have truly made peace with himself and with society. His
father
should also dispense with any and all notions of persuading Bethwell to
pursue a Masters degree for now.
Kenyan society in general, must reassess it’s perspective towards
education
and it’s indispensable role in this country. Far too much emphasis is
today
placed on quantity rather than quality and relevance. This is partly
the
reason why too many people today have strings of different
qualifications,
with nowhere to take them and with no placement. This is also the
reason why
standards have badly deteriorated in the institutions that we attended,
because we have failed to inject back support and goodwill. To build
Kenya,
we must first build Kenya.
Michael Mundia Kamau