Two Serious Tragedies In Kenya This Week

Two very tragic events have taken place in Kenya this week.

The first tragedy really started happening a long time ago but it was only a ground-breaking series in the Sunday Nation and Daily Nation this week that has brought out the truth. I am of course referring to the Angle Leasing mega-scandal.

The second is the Nyamakima tragedy where a building under construction, at the corner of River Road and Ronald Ngala Street, collapsed killing and trapping innocent Kenyans desperately trying to earn a living in the harsh environment that is the Kenya of today.

Ironically the timing of the second tragedy is a great injustice to the Kenyan people because it has given some breathing space to those in government who were adversely mentioned in the Anglo Leasing report, published by the Nation.

You hit the iron when it is hot and a lot of the outrage over the Angle Leasing saga has died down as all attention has been diverted to saving lives at Ronald Ngala Street. This was clearly illustrated by an incident earlier this week where the Vice President, Moody Awori, who had promised to issue a statement on the Angle Leasing crisis changed the subject of an arranged press conference to focus on the government efforts to save lives in downtown Nairobi.

Even the ODM (Orange Democratic Movement) has been caught flat-footed because you don’t kick somebody in the guts when they are already lying down on the floor (at least no decent human being is supposed to do that). The government is trying to deal with a terrible tragedy and has actually done a commendable job that has saved lives – like inviting the Israeli experts. So naturally the opposition and the ODM have been forced to hold their fire over Anglo leasing over that critical period where it would have had the most effect.

It is the perfect opportunity for the President to slip into his old habits. Which means that no decision will be made on the scandal for some time. In fact a commission of inquiry into the scandal would suit him just fine. The commission will run for months as the impact of the whole thing is diffused. And judging by the way things have gone so far, the government may just get away with such a move.

Have you noticed how there is still no unity in the government even after the exit of the so-called LDP rebels? The cabinet has refused to speak with one voice. Almost half the ministers wants culprits to carry their own crosses while the other half is of the view that they should face the crisis from a unified front.

While it is true that individual crimes should be viewed in that way, it is also unrealistic to start apportioning blame when you are under attack. Better to drive away the fox first then you will sternly warn the hens not stray, later.

In fact in my opinion, these guys are not taking the Anglo Leasing tragedy seriously enough. To many of them it is not even a crisis. The reason is that they knew all along what was going on. This new disturbing revelation to the public is old stale news to them.

And if any minister thinks that they are campaigning for the next elections by distancing themselves from Anglo Leasing, then they are mistaken. Accepting a cabinet post in the Kibaki administration has already done such extensive damage that whatever they do or do not do between now and the general elections matters little.

The problem with this entire circus is that it is postponing a crisis, building up more pressure for a bigger explosion later. The Kenyan voter is angry. Very angry at the moment and feels cheated. Life under the Kibaki administration has been much worse for most. Talk of the booming economy and recovery of the tourism industry has only touched an insignificant percentage of the population. And even the people who should be happy about the tourism boom are bitterly complaining about the strong Kenyan shilling (some have said that they are earning less now than they did when arrivals were much lower but the shilling was weaker).

Attention has also been diverted away from the famine ravaging a huge section of the country.

A very sad week for Kenya