Kibaki’s Capsizing Boat!

BY: William O. Makora

The President of Kenya, H.E Stanley Emilio Kibaki began his tenure with pomp in 2003. A spirit of gaiety engulfed the nation as the people hoped that dreams which included improved healthcare, education system, unity and security and general welfare would be realized.

Kenyans believed that the anxiety for ‘a dream nation’ would find answer under the coalition of parties in the Rainbow alliance that propelled Kibaki to power. Little did they know that the man at the helm was not ready to do the work; or precisely, did not know to what extent the high expectations could be realized!

He began in earnest and returned Kenya to the infamous Moi Era. His, perceived competitors began to bear brunt of ‘assault by fresh tribal gangs’ oscillating around the President and hopes suddenly noose dived with political leaders drooling instead of working. That became the trend that could haunt him to retirement.

In the first five years of his leadership, the enthusiasm that greeted his elevation to power was enough to change the national GDP from negative growth to positive growth rate. Like the Biblical King Hezekiah, Kibaki has hence used the ‘self sought for’ additional years to bring that dynasty to a deplorable ruin.

In the last five years it has not been easy to tell whether the President is struggling to contain the nation or simply cares-the-less. To some degree, the incorporation of opposition to his rule by National Accord and Reconciliation Act 2008 has served to keep the people’s hopes in the government alive after post election violence thawed the nation and almost threw it into a deep sea. The government has since tried to unite the nation with much unreal signals showing from the State House.

Leader under siege

Today, his principal associates in the government, the PM. Hon. Raila Odinga and VP Hon. Kalonzo Musyoka are busy organizing their campaign teams for the forthcoming General Elections. Seemingly, their partial attentions to the tasks have denied Kibaki the much needed focus. Eruptions against the government have simply overwhelmed the old man from Othaya. He is the leader under siege in Africa today and, like former leader of Egypt, Hosni Mubarak, Kibaki is the man the nation may stand against in the streets and villages of the country anytime in a near future.

Security being one of the major oaths the President took; it becomes his duty to ensure all Kenyans are safe. As per Constitution, the government is duty bound to guarantee security of lives, property, and collective freedoms. This is to realized by detailed bureaucracy put on ground by able arms and agencies of the government (the Executive). President Kibaki is largely absent in the picture. He merely perpetually assures the nation on the subject matter as mass brutality against the citizens and property flare everywhere and continues un-abated.

The streets of Nairobi, Mombasa, Kisumu, Eldoret, Nakuru, enclaves of Mandera, caves of Mt. Elgon, Manyattas of Ilkeek-Lemedung’I, Tana River and other villages! Kenyans live under threats of uncertain vicious attacks! People sleep by the mercies of God and wake up to scenes of horrors. If several fatal explosions are not detonated in Church and public areas, villagers have heads shot, cut off or their houses burnt and their property destroyed. If the attackers are not fellow men, they are wild animals! That is the scene in the news under Kibaki today. That is the scene as Kibaki leaves power. The Kenyan nation that has been held as an icon of democracy and an island of peace is gradually disintegrating and the resultant shells are awful.

Redeem image

The current Tana River massacre where neighbours have spurted the blood of over 100 others in one of the most ghoulish incidents in a period of one month is a reason to fear for what may send off the President to a nightmarish retirement. Sending a paramilitary squad of recruits to the area today is a stitch too late! A nation cannot be led by trial and error!

The two weeks’ old teachers’ strike, from public primary schools to university colleges, that has paralyzed learning in the entire educational system is damning and the nation is not comfortable with the government. The wound opens more when the Minister for Finance, Hon. Njeru Githae, fails to honour calls by Parliamentary Committee on Education to meet and talk with  Education stakeholders on fulfillment of the contentious pay deal of 1997. The deal was arbitrary amended under Kibaki in 2003 affecting automatic house allowance, medical, responsibility, commuter, accommodation and transfer allowances. The teachers do not want to hear about it; and they are right.

As this rages on doctors, through Kenya Medical Practitioners, Pharmaceutics and Dentists’ Union (KMPPDU), begin their strike today to push the government to honour pay deal struck last year as “efforts to seek audience with the Ministers or Permanent Secretaries in the Ministry of Finance and Medical Service and Public Health in the last nine months had failed. Their further grievances include mysterious disappearance of monies released to train doctors and agreement to hire 200 doctors “since last year”.

These alone put Kibaki’s government in a tight corner before oil prices hike and PSV owners strike, thereby paralyzing transportation, etc. In a nutshell, when clouds like these hang closer to the head of a government, the end spells doom. That is not what we would like Kibaki to give this nation. His government must act to redeem its image before the boat capsizes.