Nairobi, June 16 -- The Kenyan middle class is trapped in a paradox of privilege. We are highly educated, globally connected, and financially secure enough to afford private solutions to public failures.

When the national power grid falters, we switch on solar backups. When public water systems dry up, we call private bowsers. When public schools struggle, we pay premium tuition for international curricula. We have successfully privatised our lives, but in doing so, we have abandoned the public square.

The grand national ambitions require more than just technical blueprints. They require collective psychological buy-in. Yet, for too long, the primary contribution of our middle class to nation-building has been reduced to digital outrage...