11/19/2003
WECHE MOKADHO
JEXJALUO ****
;
P.O. Box 58972
00200 City Square
Nairobi
Kenya
25th October 2003
AFTER 12.30
It was interesting to see how former President Moi was warmly and wildly applauded at this year's Kenyatta day celebrations on 20th October 2003. It was as much appreciation for Daniel arap Moi's long and useful legacy to this country, as it was spite at the current regime over frustrated expectations. Either way, President Moi was deserving of this show of acclaim.
This is not the first time that President Moi has been accorded such warm shows of acknowledgement in his brief ten months of retirement. On March 22nd 2003, Moi was greeted with chants of "Nyayo !", "Nyayo !", at the burial of the wife of former Democratic Party (DP), strongman, Hon. Njenga Karume ; On August 15th 2003, Moi was also cheered at the burial of veteran freedom fighter, educationist and administrator, Dr. Julius Gikonyo Kiano ; One week later on August 22nd 2003 at Mzee Jomo Kenyatta's memorial service, Moi quickly ducked a crowd that insisted that he address them ; One week later in Nakuru on August 29th 2003, Moi was not so lucky when an adamant crowd chanting "Bado tunakupenda" (we still love you) and "tupe mawaidha" (give us advice), prevailed upon him to address them.
All the above incidents are in sharp contrast to the humiliating manner that Moi was bid farewell ten months ago on 30th December 2002. It appears that it is dawning on a Nation that it acted in haste, emotion and misjudgement during the general elections. 20th October 2003 was a poll of resounding magnitude for the ruling National Rainbow Coalition (NARC) and the legendary Daniel arap Moi.
Disenchantment runs deep. NARC is failing miserably in it's endeavour to transform itself into a movement that will bring change to this country. NARC continues to renege on just about all of it's election pledges. It is however less difficult to forgive unfulfilled promises, than it is to forgive inaction. No effort is being made by the government to explain and remedy broken promises. In place, the country continues to wallow in misery. The government is turning a blind eye to the crippling problems facing this country with the hope that they shall sort themselves out.
The leading local carrier Kenya Airways announced plans to lay off 900 plus of it's labour force at a time when the government is expected to be generating employment. A police helicopter fitted with a powerful floodlight has been doing night flights around the city of Nairobi in a manner that compares to an Arnold Schwarzenegger action movie, while crime on the ground continues unabated. A batch of special bonds worth US $ 32,000,000 contentiously issued by the deposed KANU government last year on 9th December to pay a group of powerful contractors, were quietly listed on the Nairobi Stock Exchange on 2nd September 2003, following instructions from the Capital Markets Authority (CMA). Beneficiaries of the US $ 32,000,000 special bonds include contentious firms that Energy minister Raila Odinga has labled "Cowboy Contractors". A week later on 9th September 2003, it emerged that the cash strapped Nairobi City Council spent a staggering KShs. 3.7 million (approximately US $ 49,333), on departed Vice-President Michael Wamalwa’s funeral. All civic leaders were given the princely sum of KShs. 42,000 each to cater for their accommodation for two days plus KShs. 3,000 each for their cellphone airtime. On 6th September 1999, then President Moi was severely criticised for retaining 27 ministers and 15 ministries in a then much awaited cabinet reshuffle. On 18th June 2003, President Mwai Kibaki increased his cabinet to 27 ministers with the addition of an old confidante to the cabinet. So where is the goodwill and real change in all this ? In 1996 Yoweri Museveni was elected president of Uganda on the memorable platform of "No Change", which is exactly what the NARC government has done.
What's more is that we should brace ourselves for harsher and sterner change. The mood in town is upbeat given the almost certain announcement of resumption of donor funding on 5th November 2003. What we however appear to have forgotten is that the resumption of donor funding has for many years been pegged to amongst other things, a major reduction of fiscal expenditure, part of which includes a major reduction of the bloated civil and civic workforces, the privatisation of key state corporations such as the Kenya Power and Lighting Company Limited, and the Kenya Railways Corporation, and the general liberalisation of the economy to allow for more entrants and wider participation. For the first time since the introduction of Personal Identification Numbers (PIN), ten years ago for instance, the government this year enforced a tax return by all legible individuals, as a prelude to widening the tax collection bracket in line with IMF and World Bank demands. Africa is the last fr
ontier, and these are just measures to further entrench geo-economics. Many of the implications are going to be painful to a Nation that is struggling with it's self-awareness. The NARC government does not at all appear to be preparing the public for this milestone, and this is unforgivable.
This is all the more reason that NARC needs to quickly transform itself into a movement and move around the country creating renewed hope and entrenching change. There is so little time to accomplish the monumental tasks at hand. The president must lead by example and must not be seen to be detaching himself at State House, Nairobi. If the president and NARC found it in the themselves to traverse the length and breadth of this country preaching pre-election anti-KANU sentiments, they most certainly must find it within themselves to traverse the entire country once again and for all, preaching pro-NARC and pro-change sentiments. How can the people of this country suddenly lose value overnight ?
Whatever the circumstances however, Daniel arap Moi is not likely to make a comeback. He is now basking in the glory of a retired elder statesman. It was unimaginable that Daniel arap Moi would one day be spoken of in the same breath as Nelson Mandela and Julius Nyerere, but this is now proudly the case. Daniel arap Moi had inaccurately been compared to Robert Mugabe, Mengistu Haile Mariam, Milton Obote, Siad Barre, Mobutu Sese Seko, Kamuzu Banda and Jean Bedel Bokassa. 20th October 2003 was a well deserved tribute that must have also taken Daniel arap Moi himself aback. It is unlikely that Moi's legendary patience contains the rather menial figure of 10 months. 20th October 2003 proved for one and all that there is life after 12.30 i.e. December 30th 2002. Daniel arap Moi has made his peace............the question is, have the rest of us ?
Michael Mundia Kamau
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orni
Akelo nyar Kager
jaluo@jaluo.com
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iwinjo?
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