The Journey to a Better Kenya

4 January 2007

The journey to transform Kenya from third world class has begun with the ushering in of 2007, the year of Great Hope for all Kenyans. It is the start of the political journey to make Kenya a great country and see it join the league of developed nations.

Kenyans are ready to work with any leader committed to making real changes in their country, a leader who understands practical plans for economic and social development to benefit all Kenyans. The ODM-K, government in waiting, has the capacity and know-how to institute and implement social-economic policies for ordinary Kenyans. Most Kenyans know exactly what the Kibaki government should be doing to make Kenya a great nation; however this government has refused to listen to the screams from the public to change course and serve the ordinary people. This is a government that should have known better and honor the promise of service to its people. It was elected on very high hopes, high promises and great expectations. The least this government should have done (having abandoned the ill-fated political MOU) was to keep the unwritten, unsigned and un-negotiated memorandum of trust and memorandum of service and commitment to serve the common Kenyan. We elected you on big promise of a new constitution, to eradicate corruption and give us some sense of security.

Kenyans care much more about their daily survival and much less about the rosy number games played by the current government. Economy growing at 5.8% has no meaning to any ordinary Kenyan who is struggling for the daily bread, life and death medicine, rent, fare for matatu, school fee etc and is not gainfully employed. With the rosy economic numbers one would expect this government to cope better with: flood washed roads, emergency relief for flood victims, catastrophic healthcare issue, orphans, or fairly well distributed education opportunities for all Kenyans. It is true that government treasury is the single most direct beneficiary of the rosy economy but please do not waste it on tripling the salary of the president; he does not really need it. Kenyans are waiting to see when the government will use the famed rosy economic boom to subsidize their core needs ugali, school fees, hospital/medicine, matatu fare, petrol etc.

All Kenyans (spare a privileged few) are hard hit economically, including farmers who are torn between keeping or selling season's seeds. The increased hardship spared no one; even the working class which can no longer make ends meet. With a rosy-economy (let's pretend inflation was in check!) some beneficial effect would be expected to trickle down to the ordinary Kenyans; flood victims would get some government assistance, healthcare for the poor would improve, that farmers would get access to fertilizer, cotton growers would get free seeds.

Kenyans have been persistently subjected to a class division where privileged few in government have done very well for themselves. Leaders like Hon Koigi wa Wamwere have gone as far as seeking the mandate of parliament to rob the treasury. It sounded like a big joke to propose giving a Kenyan president a raise much higher than that a US president. Even more alarming was the suggestion by the same Honorable Koigi that no one in a privately held sector should earn more than the president. There is truly deterioration of the mind from the Koigi I used to admire.

The number game of Steadman polls hurt Kenyans not because of the results but because of the insinuation by Chief Statistician, Dr. Wolf, that we Kenyans do not have the ability to comprehend statistical analysis and interpretation of survey data, even when that data is about Kenyans themselves. The Steadman Group and Dr. Wolf should know that we understand what statistics can be used for and its limitation. Statistician can fit any vacuum with numbers, so please stop playing the number game.

The number game of increasing number of MPs is clear indication that these leaders do not know where the priority should be and they have touch with reality. Any such increase in the total number of MPs is irresponsible, unwarranted and is fiscally un-sustainable; even if the true economy was to grow at 5.8% every year. We need a leaner, smarter and efficient government with few cabinet members and ministries but big in service delivery to the people. We don't need an MP for every village.

The government must deliver basic services and take responsibility when that expectation is not met. The minister of education Hon Beth Mugo should not blame local politicians on poor performance of schools be it Nyanza or Central province schools; this is her full responsibility. Blaming area politicians for the pathetic failure of her ministry will not buy her any political mileage. Politicians do not teach or assign teachers or equip schools. Hon Beth Mugo needs to formulate and implement strategies that would ensure better performance in all regions of Kenya .

Kenyans will always have quest for higher education. Kenya is a young country by any scale of formal learning institutions around the world. The ministry of education must take lead in aligning curriculum with country needs, and ensure that students get education they can utilize upon graduation. The government must protect Kenyans from extortion by the mushrooming scrupulous scam colleges.

Kenyans have resolved not to expect employment from the mainstream government ministries and in fact any government is not expected to employ any significant percentage of graduating college students. However, it's the responsibility of a government to create economic development opportunities in the private sector to absorb job seekers. The government must identify niche industries and maximize those key sectors.

The present government has used every opportunity to promote ethnic division as opposed to unity even where such tensions never existed before. A government whose agenda is to label every opposition a tribalist while preaching and practicing tribalism in every aspect of its machinery including senior appointments is a failed government.

A government that: can not respond to flood victims because of their tribal identity; would rather feast than repair impassable roads washed by flood in a region; can not support an industrial development because of where it is located; Appoints senior staff from his ethnic group and does not consider merit or qualification; blames local politicians for poor school performance is government of failure and has no commitment to honor memorandum of service for all Kenyans.

A government that has taken four years to deliver a new constitution has no commitment to deliver one, even if given another five years. A government that recycles old politicians at the expense of young ones is a sign of failed government.

A government that only reacts after public out-cries for help is a reactionary government with no planning. And when it employs international thugs to breach security and terrorize innocent Kenyans, it then has completely lost any right to preach public security. A government that goes around buying other political parties and uses its machinery to register them in haste has signs of a government desperate for survival. A government that supports an illegal military gang (Mungiki) and allows such a gang to control the streets is similar to a government with no police force to enforce the law.

A government that uses an old sickly former president to gain political mileage is hasting the death of a sick former president (his heart will give way when political tempo heats up). Such a government may be liable for manslaughter. Dear Raisi Moi, please step aside and leave politics alone. I know it is hard but accept the reality that you had missed the perfect opportunity to groom your sons for political career. Let them stand on their own. Take a lesson from Mzee Nyagah and re-retire gracefully.

A government that is not willing to re-assess the cost vs return/benefit of "Ringera team" performance can not preach anticorruption. Such a government should not be expected to eliminate corruption in the country. The Ringera team is wasteful and has done little to show for it and must be disbanded immediately.

A government that hosts 'beach fest' while floods disaster is all over the country has lost touch with the humane face. Such a government must start packing for retirement. May be the common Othayan may then see some trickle down benefit in a retired President Kibaki than the beach boys.

A government that makes former President Moi and his henchmen look like Saints and Nyayo era look like the golden years has truly failed. The contract of such a government must be revoked in 2007, the year of a new beginning for Kenya.

The End.
George Omburo, PhD