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【Part 2】
Some 50 years later, the promise of that day still pulses through this country, on the bustling streets of Nairobi, from -- up to Mount Kenya, from the coastal shores of Mombasa to the plains of the Maasai Mara. Once, the wealth of a nation was defined by the expanse of its land, the size of its population or the strength of its army, the abundance of its natural resources. But, now, we know -- and you know -- that the true wealth of a nation is found in its human capital, in the skill, ingenuity, and determination of its people. And by that measure, Kenya -- Kenya is a very wealthy nation. Indeed, Kenya is a rich nation.
You have no oil. You have no precious minerals. But you have built the largest non-oil, non-mineral based economy in sub-Saharan Africa. You have become -- (applause) -- you have become the hub for the transportation for the goods and people that are -- flow through East Africa. And you are the financial capital of East Africa.
Your diplomats have helped solve some of Africa’s most intractable problems. Your military is small in number, but large in stature, helping to bring stability to Sierra Leone to East Timor. You’ve produced world-renowned scientists, geneticists, environmentalists, writers, and a Nobel Prize winner. (Applause.)
At the heart of this success is a conviction that education -- education has the potential to transform a nation -- seven public universities, over 20 private ones, among the most of any on the continent of Africa; a determination to make primary and secondary education available to all, although there’s a long way to go.
Americans know first-hand your commitment to education. Thousands of our citizens have studied in Kenya. And Kenyans have long been among the largest groups of African students at American universities. And today, Kenyans are the largest group of African students at American universities. (Applause.) And that tradition goes back before your independence. One of the earliest pioneers was a fellow named Barack Obama Sr., the father of a man who is now the President of the United States of America.
Kenya and Kenyans have much to be proud of. But the full force of your potential -- as all of you young students know -- has yet to be released. You face daunting obstacles. Kenya is situated in a very tough neighborhood. Somalia’s decades of instability have generated human tragedy and global threats. We recognize the burden it’s placed on Somalia’s neighbors and the terrible human cost that the Somali people have borne.
And I want to thank -- I want to thank Kenya for hosting Somali refugees who have come looking for safety and for prosecuting pirates not just in Somali waters, but increasingly in the vast swathes of East African waters.
Next January, the referendum on the future of southern Sudan envisioned by the Comprehensive Peace Agreement will occur, and it must be credible and it must be peaceful. Sudan is hurtling toward a monumental decision that demands urgent international attention and preparation. And far too many of the people in Sudan’s Darfur region continue to live with unacceptable insecurity. These regional issues are all on your doorstep. They are felt in your communities. They are present, real challenges that we must work on together in partnership to address.
The global financial crisis -- generated through no fault of Kenya’s -- dampened your economy, slowing demand for Kenyan goods abroad and lessened the flow of tourists eager to see Kenya’s natural beauty. Global climate change is not a phenomenon of Kenya’s making, but its consequences affect your forests, your harvests, and your way of life.
Kenya feels the effects of these problems and should, because of your wealth of human capital, be a part of a global solution -- a strong African voice on the international stage. But that voice has been muted by internal problems -- problems that have held you back from making an even greater contribution.
Too many of your resources have been lost to corruption, and not a single high-level official has ever been held accountable for these crimes. Too many of your institutions have lost the people’s confidence. And too many times, Kenya has been divided against itself, torn apart by ethnic tensions, manipulated by leaders who place their own interests above the interests of their country. Too many young people have found nothing but dead ends as they seek opportunity and the path to a better future.
The crisis that gripped Kenya in the wake of the 2007 elections revealed just how dangerous these forces can be. They are dangerous, but they are not immovable. Change is within your grasp. And that change will be realized when government is transparent, accountable, and participatory; when corrupt officials are called to account in a court of law, instead of meeting only the indifferent shrug of impunity; when political power changes hands peacefully, but the will of the voters, and those who did not prevail decide -- and decide that their efforts should be moved to constructive opposition; when Kenyans have confidence that the courts and the police are honest, and are committed solely to the pursuit of justice; when the members of the political leadership represent a range, a wide range, of viewpoints reflecting and responding to the needs of Kenyans everywhere.
Your coalition government has agreed to a reform agenda that would bring about the fundamental change that Kenyans are seeking. If implemented fully, corrupt officials will be finally held accountable. The judiciary and the police force will place the pursuit of justice above the pursuit of personal gain. Land rights and ownership will be governed by the rule of law, not by the whims of the powerful. Kenyan women and girls -- the most untapped resource of this nation and almost every nation in the world -- will be ever better positioned to contribute to their communities and their country at every level. And a new constitution will put in place a framework to accelerate those reforms, including reducing executive power by building up the checks and balances of your parliament and your judiciary.
Folks, in my experience of 36 years on the world stage, stability ultimately rests on the separation of powers --no power, no branch of government should go unchecked, including presidential power. The truth is, better governance is not just an end in itself, it is your path to a lasting democratic stability and your ultimate stability. And, I might add -- presumptuous of me, as an outsider, to say -- it’s the best route to economic prosperity, sparking job creation, opening up opportunity, and improving the way of life for Kenyans everywhere.
As I said earlier, the real strength of Kenya is your human capital. And you have so much potential, with two-thirds of your citizens under the age of 25 -- two-thirds under the age of 25. That should be an incredible sense and source of strength that should be mined, that should be nurtured. But it requires creative and productive outlets for the energy and enthusiasm of the youth in your country.
