By We admire success but run from the work it takes to get there.
Here’s why that needs to change → #OwnIt #BeThechange
Is Kenya Raising a Generation That Fears Responsibility?
By [@DanteK1]
We don’t talk about it enough, but we see it everywhere. In the home. In schools. In workplaces. Even
on our roads. There’s an unsettling question quietly sitting at the heart of our society:
Are we raising a generation that fears responsibility?
Before you roll your eyes or think I’m just here to criticize, hear me out. This isn’t a rant about “today’s
youth.” It’s bigger than that. This is about all of us. Parents. Leaders. Teachers. Employers. Elders.
Influencers. What we teach—both by what we say and how we live—is shaping Kenya’s future in ways
we may not even realize.
A Culture of Blame
Let’s be honest—owning up to mistakes has never been one of Kenya’s strong suits. We’ve perfected
the art of shifting blame. Politicians blame previous governments. Parents blame teachers. Teachers
blame parents. Workers blame employers. Employers blame the economy. Everyone blames “the
system.”
But here’s the thing: blame is easy—responsibility is hard.
Responsibility means admitting, “I didn’t do that well, but I’ll fix it.” It means carrying burdens that don’t
come with applause. It means staying late to get the job done. It means saying, “No, I can’t go out
tonight; I’ve got work to do.”
Yet in many ways, we’ve made responsibility look like a punishment instead of what it really is: the
doorway to growth, influence, and freedom.
Who Taught Us This Fear?
The truth is, we didn’t invent this problem. We inherited it. For years, many of us have watched leaders
refuse to take ownership of their failures. We’ve seen people rise to positions of power not through
merit but through connections. We’ve watched as people who play by the rules get sidelined, while
those who cut corners get rewarded.
When that’s the lesson on repeat, why wouldn’t people start to fear responsibility?
If mistakes are met with shame instead of learning, people will hide. If accountability is seen as
weakness, people will fake strength. If leadership is just about perks and not service, why would anyone
genuinely step up?
The Danger of Avoiding Responsibility
Here’s why this matters:
A nation that avoids responsibility doesn’t just lose progress—it loses trust. It raises citizens who dream
big but act small. It raises leaders who want the title, but not the work. It raises workers who expect
salaries, but don’t expect to contribute.
And when that happens, everything starts to fall apart, from the family unit to the economy.
So, What’s the Solution?
The solution isn’t in pointing fingers—it’s in changing the narrative.
Let’s normalize accountability not as a punishment, but as a mark of maturity.
Let’s teach children that mistakes are not something to hide, but something to learn from.
Let’s celebrate not just success, but the quiet daily acts of responsibility that keep households,
businesses, and communities running.
And perhaps most importantly, let’s model it ourselves. Responsibility isn’t taught by speeches—it’s
taught by watching others take ownership of their lives.
It’s not too late. Kenya has some of the most talented, creative, and resilient people on this continent.
We’re not short of dreamers—we’re short of people willing to do the daily, unseen, hard work of turning
dreams into reality.
If we can raise a generation that loves responsibility—not out of fear, but out of understanding—we’ll
stop waiting for change, and start becoming the change.
What do you think?
Is this fear of responsibility something you’ve noticed around you? How do we break the cycle? I’d love to hear your thoughts—let’s have this conversation, together.
