I have been talking to quite a number of “horseless” (don’t belong to any political party or tribe, at least in their thinking) free thinkers in recent times and I have to admit a lot of what they are saying has started making a lot of sense to me.
Currently the ODM and PNU arms of government are trying to reach common ground over controversial parts of the constitution. ODM wants both a president and Prime Minister with no clear final authority. They want a powerful parliament that will be more or less the final authority.
For starters such a system of government will NOT work. It has NEVER worked anywhere else in the world. It is really bizarre that a country where the current constitution has not worked is confident that a hybrid system will work. HOW????
Have you ever heard of any organization that has no clear hierarchy of authority? Can you imagine a company with a figurehead managing director and a powerful general manager? Where does the buck stop? When the board demands an explanation the MD will just shift blame to the GM and vice versa and nothing will ever get done because nobody is accountable.
In other words our current grand coalition government system is much better because although we have two principals we all know who the real boss is don’t we? Still the truth is that they have had lots of problems. Now you try and imagine a constitution that has given both equal powers? Chaos!!!
Secondly if you were a rich millionaire and wanted to bribe your way through the system, which system is easier to compromise? A powerful president or an entire parliament? Now before you rush to draw your conclusions let me warn you that you have to be a Kenyan who understands our system well to answer this question correctly. To an outsider the answer is obviously one individual, the president. To Kenyans who know better and have carefully observed what has been going on behind the scenes with both the last parliament and the current one, the answer is different. Firstly a president is very difficult to access. On the other hand parliament is sooooo easy to access. All you need to do is show them the money. If you doubt what I am saying just do your careful investigations and find out how Ruto defeated a censure motion against him. Secondly it is much easier to nail a president who was compromised than it is to nail an entire parliament that was bribed.
Let me cut to the chase. The international community is convinced that all we need in Kenya is a brand new constitution. They have spent millions to sell this idea to the Kenyan public and the result is that today the ordinary mwananchi on the ground now believes that all their problems will disappear magically and overnight if a new constitution is enacted. Do you guys know that when Kenya got her independence most Kenyans were sure that they would move from Korogocho to Muthaiga right away and many things would be free? I kid you not. The donor community had better start allocating cash for dealing with the dangerous hopelessness Kenyans will end up with after the passing of a new constitution assuming that one is passed.
The bottom line is that the ruling class in Kenya is already designing ways to beat the new system. So in fact things will be a lot worse if a new constitution is enacted.
My suggestions is that if we must have a new constitution, then retain a powerful president and get rid of the Prime Minister nonsense. Reduce the powers of the president if you must by getting parliament to approve key appointments and big decisions. Otherwise what is best for Kenya is to retain the status quo. It is our best bet for dealing with the ruling class.
P.S. For democracy to prosper we have to deal with poverty first. Democracy cannot come before we have dealt with poverty. Read history. It did Not happen in Britain and it certainly did NOT happen in America. So what makes you think it will happen in Kenya? Carefully examine the great emerging economies of today like Singapore. They did it with a strong benevolent dictator ready to make tough decisions. How the hell do you make the kind of tough decisions we need in Kenya with democracy and a bloated system of government where nobody has the final authority?
Chris,
ReplyDeleteYou see how clear things become when you redeem yourself from molasses worship?? While his choir boys who suprisingly have Mwarangethe on their side to make them sound educated are busy preaching constitutional hot air on the assumption that their paper king aka raila will be the PM.
If we enact this draft that was put together by a panel of garbage experts, there will be anarchy that will lead to mutiny.
Be afraid Kenyans, be very afraid!!
A scenario of one powerful individual will easily lead to 'our turn to eat' politics. Let's disperse all powers into different zones, and make the presidency less attractive.
ReplyDeleteA powerful CEO will lead us into the same 2007 doom.
I think we are different nations glued together by historical circumstances rather than by choice? And just that makes me prefer an all-powerful parliament.
Kenya’s political parties are based on personalities and not any political ideology. They are formed for a particular election after which they disintegrate. CoE erred drafting a constitution tailored to suit personal interests of Raila. Parliamentary democracy Raila favours as shortcut to power functions in countries with strong political parties.
ReplyDeleteBefore Raila convinces us how Parliamentary democracy can work in Kenya, can he tell us how many parties Raila has built and discarded since 1992? Presidential system (with strong checks and balances in parliament and judiciary) will retain Kenyans right to choose their CEO and not greedy MPs. Kenya’s stability and future far more important than Raila’s greed for power.
Investors put their money in stable countries, businesses flourish and tourists flock a stable country. Mudavadi told a press conference last week that the law will be changed to allow mayors to be voted by Kenyans and not greedy councillors. That’s modern democracy.
The same Mudavadi presented ODM views to CoE wanting Kenya to be ruled by PM elected by MPs! If we want modern democracy in councils, why take away Kenyans right to vote for their CEO? Raila and ODM want Kenyan elections to be turned to fiascos like when illiterate councillors elect mayors and council chairmen. The contestants for the seats use a lot of money to buy the councillors and seats, including taking them hostage in a hide out. Is that the “democracy” Raila wants us to adopt? Who can trust MPs when we know they vote based on tribal, monetary and personal convictions and not on any ideology or the country at heart?
Kenya needs one centre of power – a pure presidential system. Why should Kenya experiment on suicidal system Government to sooth Raila’s greed for power. Let him market himself and if he garners majority votes, then he can rule us. Raila and ODM shud forget shortcuts to power. We are not making constitution for Raila for 2012. Two centres of power Raila favours, as he eyes executive PM, recipe for chaos. Power struggles btn PM and President to drive away investors.
Anonymous said...
ReplyDeleteChris,
While his choir boys who suprisingly have Mwarangethe on their side to make them sound educated are busy preaching constitutional hot air..
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If you have been a careful reader, since this constitution came out, Mwarang'ethe has not commented much on the executive powers issues. He does not believe that where the beef is as such.
Instead, we have commented on land and money. And, more seriously, we have forwarded a proposal to the COE on these two issues.
Having said this, let us repeat, or make clear what we have said so many times here. And, to do so, we will borrow from George Marshall, he of the Marshall Plan, the most successful development plan in human history.
In his Speech at Harvard when outlining the Marshall plan, he dealt with CERTAIN TYPE of PRODUCTIVE STRUCTURES that are necessary for modern civilization. He gave three insights.
The First insight was that:
"There is a phase of this matter which is both interesting and serious. The farmer has always produced the foodstuffs to exchange with the city dweller for the other necessities of life. THIS DIVISION OF LABOR IS THE BASIS OF MODERN CIVILISATION. At the present time it is threatened with breakdown. The town and city industries are not producing adequate goods to exchange with the food producing farmer."
What Marshall was saying is simple. It is common knowledge to those who are alert (unfortunately, very few are alert) that during the formation of the European nation states that, DEMOCRACIES and CIVILIZATION were, and are, both products of CERTAIN ECONOMIC STRUCTURES associated with cities.
Thus, to cut long story short, Kenya lacks CERTAIN ECONOMIC STRUCTURES to become a democracy or a "civilised" nation. It is that serious.
And, if you wanna test the hypothesis above, ask yourself, on what basis, is circulation of our elite based on?
To answer the question, we can say that, the circulation of Kenyan/African elite is based ON NON - PRODUCTIVE STATIC RENT - SEEKING activities, and not based on Schumpeter's version of elite circulation based on industrial wealth creators.
There, lies the problem and not the constitution. The constitution would only help if it put structures that are appropriate for these certain economic structures to emerge. Unfortunately, we have not see that in the Draft Harmonised Constitution and Kenyans seem not to understand. Woe unto you!
Speaking of new constitution, here is the real meaning of Majimbo:
ReplyDeleteCoast residents including Kaya, youth and women leaders stressed that upcountry people should keep off from their region’s regional assembly elections.
They stressed that any person with his or her roots outside the province should not either vote or contest any seat once their region’s assembly elections are called.
http://www.nation.co.ke/Mombasa/-/519978/822860/-/obdf7w/-/index.html
if you understand that this constitution is being drawn to help a political loser access power through the back door, then the irrationality of it all will make sense.
ReplyDeleteChris
ReplyDeleteYou are right. Actually ODM-R are not adopting the proposals of COE on executive. They want all the powers currently enjoyed by prezo transfered to PM. They dont even want prezo to chair security council. So basically their proposal is to change the title of the CEO and how he/she is chosen. The agenda appears too obvious.
Miguna miguna is daft. Ati he thinks western countries are successful because of their constitutions. The UK does not even have a written constitution. And who told him Morroco is a failed state? The Italians have been surviving political instabilities because of their strong civil service, which can govern the country without policians. We dont have a long history of modern government. If we have a parliament as chaotic (ours would be worse) as the Italians normally have, the yearning for stability would make the millitary unable to resist stepping in.
Ethiopia has a CEO with the title prime minister. Meles Zenawi is no different from the other thugs governing african countries.
ReplyDeleteAnonymous said...
ReplyDeleteEthiopia has a CEO with the title prime minister. Meles Zenawi is no different from the other thugs governing african countries.
12/16/09 1:47 AM
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Some, like Chris believe one seat of power will do us good. Some, like Phil, think "two centres of power" will do us good.
Well, both camps are sincere. But, they are wrong in their analysis of the situation. Thus, both camps miss what the doctor ordered and the result will be ZERO.
Let us start from the Good Book. In the Genesis 13:6, we are taught that:
"But the land could not support both Abram and Lot with all their flocks and herds living so close together."
There we are. The great law of DIMINISHING RETURNS is laid bare before Adama Smith and others.
Let us now take a real example.
The most efficient producers of baseballs for American sport are the Haitians. They make 30 US cents per hr or thereabout.
On the other hand, the most efficient producers of golf balls are Americans using machines. Doing this, Americans earn $ 9 an hr.
Here, we can see that, Haiti exports 30 hrs. of labour (baseballs) in exchange for 1 hr of labour (in golf balls). Think about this.
In accordance with these arrangements, Haiti has a very large share of the baseball market in the world market.
From this example, we can see that Haiti has been locked into a comparative advantage of being POOR and IGNORANT.
Thus, looking at Kenya/Africa, we can say this. We are locked into a comparative advantage in ECONOMIC ACTIVITIES (resources - based economic activities) which are subject to Diminishing Returns as our population rises. Thus, as we get more vaccines from the West which increase our population, we are getting even poorer.
Therefore, we are locked into an economic activity that yields less and less as our SPECILISATION in RESOURCE BASED ECONOMIC ACTIVITIES deepens.
Flowing from this, the more we produce specific resource product, THE POORER WE BECOME and the MORE THE ENVIRONMENT SUFFERS (do you recall Mau forest and tea factories owned by Moi?).
Thus, we are now in a DOUBLE TRAP OF RESOURCE BASED ECONOMY whereby:
(a) our poverty and economic degradation increase as we sink deeper into our specialisation in accordance with dictates of comparative adv. of so called international trade.
(b) we are locked into tribal zero sum game societies fighting over static and diminishing rents.
(c) flowing from (b), due to lack of PRODUCTIVE ECONOMIC STRUCTURES:
(i) personal wealth must come from siphoning off rents from raw materials extraction (remember timber in Mau?), and
(ii) from international aid industry which clouds rent seeking in industrial activities (remember loss of money for primary schools?).
All this leads to CORRUPTION as an ENVITABLE and INTERGRAL part of Failed, Failing and Fragile states.
U may choose whether Kenya is Failed, failing or fragile, but, thats where we are where we specilise in being POOR and IGNORANT.
To pull Kenya/Africa from this mess, will require more than battles over executive powers. Good luck.
Phil,
ReplyDeleteI will face you today and address your conscience. I have read and followed the debate on the executive and here lies the brutal part of our harmonised draft. It came as a surprise to read that you and team have taken a different route. I know the Executive PM and the thinking behind is that all the time ODM will always galvanise some communities over one community and this position will defacto be ODM. This is an assumption (ass-u-me). It happened in 2007, it may happen again but it will not happen all the time. It could work with Rao but not any other person hopefully in the near future.My very considered opinion is that lets have the country's executive ( either PM or President) directly elected by the people and lets have parliament as a check. Parliament in Kenya is on hire and will only require an assertive and an opinionated leader like Aguabo to manage them otherwise you can imagine Ruto, Kalonzo or Uhuru in the position - it will be chaos. They hold no position of their own and most of the times contrary to the population.
I know for sure you have power of influence and your arguments in this blog though more inclined to Rao have been sensible. Do what you van to get Kenyans from the frying oil for a second time. This may consume you and all of us at the same time.
Phil my very considered plea - please let the team you lead take the courageuos step of uniting Kenya and posterity will forever be.
Hope you've heard my cry!!!!
Mzee wa Kijiji
Both the Kitonga document and the proposals put forward by the ODM people regarding who should govern Kenya are not only insincere and treacherous, they are an affront to democracy. And the authors of those proposals know it!
ReplyDeleteLike someone posed above, if we must elect city mayors through universal suffrage allegedly to curb electoral corruption, why should we change our position when it comes to the election of the country’s chief executive? Clearly, this points to a realization by some quarters (And it is ironic Mr. Mudavadi, he of ‘mayors must be elected by the people’ reform mantra, was the guy ordered to present this suggestion to the CoE) that executive power may prove eternally elusive through the ballot.
The ODM people are yet to convince me how more democratic a Parliamentary system is than a Presidential one. Someone has not told us exactly why the right and duty of the Kenyan people to elect the man or woman who heads the government collecting and administering our taxes should be taken away from us and instead vested with Joshua kuttuny, Simon Mbugua or Olago Aluoch. Why should I cede that noble obligation to these buffoons?
This is a straight forward issue; If you want to govern Kenya, seek our votes! The back door is closed. Our President or whatever else you want to call him must be elected by us and not by the cousins he has helped join Parliament. The nonsense about ‘imperialism’ can be checked by a clearly written parliamentary code of operation and other functional state/government institutions like the judiciary.
In Kenya, we elect individuals, not those tribal gangs they assemble and present to us as political parties. Nobody voted for Ford Asili in 1992 or the DP, NDP, SDP, Ford Kenya in 1997. Those who voted for these groups were seeking to put the candidates fronted by them to State House. That is why these voters migrated with these candidates after they abandoned or sold their parties to the highest bidder. And that is exactly why anybody nursing dreams of being Kenya’s CEO must directly ask me, the voter, for that opportunity!
Mwarang'ethe either you are a comic or a complete psycho. Never in my life have I seen an individual so delusional. Your self aggrandisement and egotistical propensities are both pitiful and laughable. Don't you ever have and idea of your own?? Jumping up and down like a bouncing ball, quoting(and may I say INCORRECTLY) the bible and reggae songs as if they are the same!! Mwarang'ethe only exists to respond to other peoples ideas and comments. His mind is basically blank. Others have to comment so that he may oppose.
ReplyDeleteWhile at it, just imagine that the ODM ploy was to have Ruto, Mudavadi and any other person contest for the presidency, through a nomination within the party and go for the presidency.
ReplyDeleteSome community could have gone for it hook, line and sinker. They could have won the presidential vote. Then, being the party leader, Raila Amolo Odinga could have assumed the Executive Prime Minister post. That is the ploy many people wanted within ODM.
But wonder much about a person, being the Mudavadi you are, run around the country for votes, then step aside from the greasy pole to allow Raila be your boss?
That one will not work out and I dont regret Kenya missing a constitution. Again
Chris, that is the mess that ODM could have gotten us into or the tragedy that Kenya could have been forced to accept.
The Author is deliberate prophet of doom here to confuse us. Kenya has of 300 plus political parties, mostly with tribal/regional allegience. Not any Dick, Tom & Harry can assemble a national team of candidates and emerge with parliamentary majority in a general election. You may want to turn away, but MPs whoever they may be, are also directly elected by the same voters you give credence to elect the President. Therefore a party who garners majority MPs must as well be deemed to have received the mandate of the electorate. The leader nominated by that party, for that election will be deemed elected by the people to exercise power. That is exactly what happens in civilized democrasies unless you're version is based on Somalia, Togo etc
ReplyDeleteYou folks can castiage Raila as you want, but if you & fellow Gema leaders think it is easy to buy your way to powerful PM, why don't you/keep keep that money and have a go. Fact is your fronted individuals/candidates for power aren't competent nationwide. You want Presidential system of inflating votes from a single source to get to seat of power as it happened in 2007. Not any more!
ochola=miguna
ReplyDelete@Chris:
ReplyDeleteAs the year draws to an end, I hope you are busy compiling KUMEKUCHA'S MAN OF THE YEAR LIST, the various runner-ups, people who mattered and guys to watch in the future. I won't be surprised if your man of the year happens to be Agwambo the guy you love to hate. Come to think of it, what happened to your promise that you will "come out and make a major political announcement" before the end of the year? If you don't stick to your word, nobody will ever take you seriously again.
@Miguna Miguna
Shame on you for tossing your heavy bags to your personal assistant like a colonial master then stuffing your hands in your pockets (captured by a KTN cameraman last week). You should at least have had the courtesy of handing over the bags politely and even assisted him in carrying one. Ama umefika? Careful my brother, it's a small world. The bigger they come, the harder they fall!
@VIKII
Welcome back kid. Hope they didn't fire you after the botched KKK marriage made in hell. You should at least have done it like Moi and floated some balloons in the air to test the political heat. An alliance with Waki suspects will obviously collapse like a house of cards.
Thanks Kumekucha commentators for making things even clearer in my mind.
ReplyDeleteI agree that PNU want a powerful president because this has served them well in the past and they think that it will do the same in future (pipe dream). They assume that they will be able to use the large GEMA numbers to influence who becomes president for a long time to come. Of course with their selfish interests in mind.
ODM want a powerful premier because they believe that by continuing to sustain anti-Kikuyu sentiments amongst the other tribes they (ODM) will always get majority MPs (from the other tribes) and thus their premier to govern the country with real power (another pipe dream based on what has been happening recently in Kenyan politics).
None of these jokers are interested in the welfare of Kenyans or a constitution for posterity.
The only viable solution now is that we stay with our old constitution. Make key urgent amendments as the church had suggested a long time ago. It is our only hope now.
I envisage campaigning for Kenyans to reject this draft constitution because with such vested interests ruling the proceedings, consensus is unlikely. And besides without a clear centre of power, it spells doom for Kenyans.
Hybrid system is like asking a guy who has failed to ride a bicycle without falling to fly a plane, before even driving a car. It won't work, pure and simple.
-Chris-.
P.S. Somebody (a reliable source) claims that ODM have already made a deal with PNU and they are currently just squabbling over fine details but will soon agree. That nipende, nisipende, Kenya is going Hybrid.
Well, if this is true we will see about that. I will campaign until my last breath for Kenyans to reject the draft constitution once again.
Since we cannot agree on the issues of Presidential powers, Prime minister powers and parliamentary powers why don't we go and check other issues, which are still important.
ReplyDeleteThen once we discuss on the rest, amendments can be made on the constitution to have only what we have agreed while the rest can be discussed later meanwhile as we use the current clauses on those contentious issues.
lol! Ati "up-country people" or "wale wabaraah"? The funny thing is that most ngozi nyeusi natives who live in the coast area are so ignorant of the historical terminalogy with regard to "up-country people".
ReplyDeleteThe Arabs have always used that term in reference to any black (skinned) native residing on the islands of Mombasa, Malindi, Lamu, Pemba, Mafia, and Zanzibar.
That's one reason why most African (black skinned) natives were allowed to access the islands at dawn and leave (begone) by sunset.
The only black (skinned) natives who were allowed to remain behind on the island when evening came, were those who lived in their masters' (owners') quarters as slaves or indetured servants.
It's amazing that after some hundred years or so, some very misinformed People (kettle) living in the coastal region are now calling Kenyans from different geo-polical regions, black pots ("outsiders").
Ignorance is bliss, since most of these blind folks have never figured out that there is a big difference between being "African and Muslim" versus "semi-Arab and Muslim."
Let some of them try living in the Middle East and they will soon discover who they really are as a people (black skinned natives).
Thank heavens for small mercies, we have a competent and unbiased committee of experts writing this thing for us, and not our 'learned friend' Chris Kumekucha!!
ReplyDeleteI shudder to imagine Barrister Chris acting in the position of one Atsango or Kitonga.
The bottom line is that the main CoE referendum draft will not vary much from the current zero draft.
I knew this separation of executive powers would be a contentious issue and assume a life of its own. It is as if constitutions start and end with the executive. This is why I did my peace immediately the draft was released. At least readers know here what the truth is. Understanding parliamentary versus presidential systems of government appears to be something even Chris seems to be struggling with. At MD na GM!
Our proposed hybrid is even better because there are critical checks and balances against all constitutional office holders. In other words, there is hardly any centre of power anywhere - whatever centre of power means!
Mzee Wa Kijiji, do not worry yourself much. Through AGENDA4 items, we have these anti-reformist by the b*lls. Wacha waseme n'gweee!!!
And very well said Sam Ochola. Let you not be distracted by shenanigans like Chris..
Haiya! This ka-blog has shanukad! Bana... this is some sawa stuff!
ReplyDeleteKudos posters, I am Impressed.
Mwarang'ethe, he of the "certain economic structures" er, I think that is the right road to think along.
Back to 2005
ReplyDeleteAre we back to 2005?
with so much vested interest, a new constitution migh be a mirage
With all the hubalaloo about the presidency and prime minister in the current draft, why not have a powerful prime minister directly elected by the people and also who is a leader of the party with the highest number of MPs? And we also elect a non-partisan president? So infact on the day we elect the president we also elect the PM, Mayors, Chief Justice etc?
ReplyDeletecont'd from above (11:15)
ReplyDeleteWhy don't we put the contentious issues on hold and enact the non-contentious ones, with minor amendments we can offer a uniform playing ground for the next elections by empowering the IEC, pass a new constitution (minus the contentious issues) this year and leave the devolution, executive positions as they are in the current form but offer checks and balances via amendments??
If we were still a British colony, we would be far off in terms of development.
ReplyDeleteLook at where Zim was before that Buboon messed everything, look at SA.
Our problems started with those so called freedom fighters who decided to amass ALL the wealth.
As far as the constitution is concerned, I think we should just bring the british back for 50 yrs or so, maybe Tony Blair can be the PM of Kenya as a British colony.
Kenya's problems DON'T come from the constitution, they come from lack of POLITICAL WILL.
Ken
ReplyDeleteWhy would anyone in their right mind be still crying for the flesh-pots of Egypt?
Imperialism was the highest state of exploitation. The difference was that the exploiters were experts at leaving some few drops of blood in the carcasses that passed for colonies.
Beware of what you wish for, you might as well be recolonised sooner or later.
I say wacha warudi.let us be colonized if you can not behave collectively intelligent!
ReplyDeleteIf any of you who wish for re-colonization ever travelled and felt belittled in Europe and America you would think twice about what you advocate.
ReplyDeleteWe may suffer but not have a mzungu back. For crying out loud don't you guys know that the problem with Africa has much to do with outside interference? And who is the outside? Soon China will be eating on the same plate with the BIG brother, yet you advocate for a mzungu comeback. You Newt!
We have proved that we CANNOT govern ourselves. Those so called freedom fighters and liberators only liberated themselves and their families. Look at the Kenyatta's, owning everything while the rest of Kenya goes to the dogs.
ReplyDeleteI would rather have a mzungu any day who will leave the little crumbs for me than have the Kenyatta's, Moi's, Kibaki's, Kalonzo's, Ruto's and Raila's of Kenya who not only DON'T leave any crumbs for me, but cut me open to get the crumbs I had got from the mzungu earlier.
@ ken and Kukaine
ReplyDeletePoor fools yearning for slavery because they cant feed themselves, If you so miss "massa's" whip, how about going to the UK or the US preferably the south and see how "massa" treats black people,
The colonialist did not "offer crumbs" they just fed you enough to work for them and took everything the good roads , hospitals and housing were for the white people. It is not up to the mzungu to make your lives better IT IS UP YO YOU by using your vote intelligently I wonder who you idiots voted for probably clowns like mwakwere and kajwang
Anon 7.11pm
ReplyDeleteAnd who brought the good roads, hospitals and houses? Nobody is calling for recolonization or enslavement. But wazungus do know how to run things. Am not saying they dont steal, but they allow the general population to have some decent lives. If kenya was ruled by wazungus, you would not have seen pokots dying like cattle because of cholera.
During the colonial days there were bore holes with working pumps all over ukambani. Water also used to be pumped from rivers to huge tanks located at some cetral place in settled areas. After the "freedom fighter" took over the pumps stopped working as they were not being maintained. The nyayo bus thing was a very good idea. mzungus donated buses but the buses were not being maintained so the whole thing collapsed.
We could hire wazungus for certain key PS positions. The dream team headed by leakey was a good idea. The good thing with mzungu is that he likes to have clear rules which are followed by everyone. And am not a yt lover. Just stating facts.
Anons, I think we don't need mzungu to set these things in motion. What we have in leadership are people who don't have a clue what to do to develop this nation. Am sure we have Wakenya waafrika both in and around the world who can steer Kenya to greater levels of development. Is mzungu the one ruling Botswana?
ReplyDeleteDear Author kumekucha.blogspot.com !
ReplyDeleteIt is a pity, that now I can not express - it is very occupied. I will return - I will necessarily express the opinion.
"For democracy to prosper we have to deal with poverty first. Democracy cannot come before we have dealt with poverty."
ReplyDeleteThis one of the points in Dambissa Moyo's "DEAD AID" book. Recommended reading even if some things she suggests are not neccesaryly a good idea.
Strong rule of law (with no room for impunity for the "big boys" !) and improved personal economical situation is needed for true democracy.
I listened to a preacher in church sometimes last year.His name is Professor Ole Kiyapi( He is also a PS in the ministry of health).He stated that the biggest problem in public institutions is not the office bearers.Rather it is the Kenyan who is so used to deals.As soon as he took office so many Kenyans in the private sector and NGOs who were earger to restablish links would visist him and offer deal proposals.All of them ended at "this is what you will receive if you give me the tender to supply xyz which included air .They would tell him to be smart and make money and not be a pumabvu".
ReplyDeleteThe biggest problem in Kenya is that we are greedy and naturally corrupt.We blame leaders,police and civil servants for being corrupt yet we fuel the corruption.
Kenyatta is the pioneer of corruption in Kenya.He used his position to influence resource misallocation and all the leaders who followed him aped him.The current crop of leaders or their siblings know what Kenyatta and Moi did and will not change for the better.They know that their families and generations to come will be rich because of the actions of their fathers(of grabbing and corruption).They will not support change.That is equivalent to cutting off the hand that feeds you!!That is why they will and are sabotaging the quest for a change that could deny them the chance to use their ill gotten wealth to steal elections by manipulating the votes.Once the votes have been manipulated the winner takes all takes effect and the looting continues.
We do not have to follow either the presidential or parliamentary system.When the west was adopting their current systems where had systems worked before? kenya can enact a new constitution that has not worked anywhere and still work as long as it has the good will of majority kenyans and the polititians.The notion that a hybrid system will fail because it has not worked anywhere is a fallacy.
Kenya was the first country in the world to have power sharing. Although the system has had teething problems it is working.
Let us give the proposed constitution a chance.We may amend thye sections that will be found unsuitable
JUVENILE POLITICKING THAT STINKS TO HIGH HEAVEN
ReplyDeleteThe informal noun “one-upmanship” is defined as “The art of outdoing or showing up a rival or competitor, as in exploits, privileges, or honours”.
It is therefore the art or practice of serially outdoing, outshining, out-manoeuvring, out-flanking and outwitting a competitor.
The term is of fairly recent coinage, 1952, the year of the beginning of the State of Emergency in Kenya. It was first used in the title of a book by one Stephen Potter, and quite a mouthful at that — One-Upmanship, Being Some Account of the Activities and Teachings of the Lifemanship Correspondence College of One-Upness and Games Lifemastery.
It was the sequel of a book published in 1947, The Theory and Practice of Gamemanship (or the Art of Winning Games without Actually Cheating.
As the reader can already glean from the jesting titles, one-upmanship is usually a tongue-in-cheek enterprise aimed at not taking life too seriously. In the modern workplace, it is a tool of interoffice politics.
However, on the Kenyan political scene, it would seem that some key players have not only taken one-upmanship to unacceptable lengths of politicking, but hope to elevate it to a political ideology and a tool of policymaking and governance.
But it won’t get far. The President of Kenya is no longer a rival of the man who is now Prime Minister. They will never be locked in a life-and-death contest for the Presidency again. Is this why the PM is invoking the President’s name and authority (as well as enjoining the entire Government yet no Cabinet decision has been made) in makeshift strategies aimed at scoring one-upmanship points at any prospective Presidential candidate rivals and, or regional vote bloc barons?
This is puerile, juvenile politics and it stinks to high heaven. Spare Kenyans this nonsense!