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A new survey shows that 90 per cent of the current MPs will Not retain their seats. I say that this is not good enough. All Kenyans should rally behind a campaign to ensure that we vote out the entire lot (100%) come this December.
I will give just 3 solid reasons;
i) While the rest of the poverty stricken country starved, this parliament not only passed hefty remunerations allowances and benefits for themselves (including free house grants), but they went ahead and enjoyed it oblivious of what was happening in the rest of the country. Meanwhile ordinary Kenyans have seen unprecedented price hikes of many basic food commodities and some of these hikes have been engineered by greedy businessmen who have manipulated the distribution of products like sugar and have pocketed certain legislators to ensure that their evil plans to fleece the ordinary Kenyans go through. As I write this most Kenyans can no longer afford a soothing cup of tea of nothing else at the end of a long hard day. No single MP even one day offered not to receive their huge immoral salary in protest...
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Kenya along with Brazil,Colombia and South Africa has an unacceptable level of economic inequality. This is a country increasingly loosing its middle class. One can argue, with some good measure of accuracy, that you are either rich or poor in Kenya. I am sure I do not belong to the former group. I am closer to the second group and so I can never defend the rich for te sake of doing it. I am a hundred percent sure that neither I nor any of my close relatives has acquired a penny irregularly. That's how blameless I consider myself to be.
ReplyDeleteHowever, I think we have continued to level unfair criticism to members of parliament. I hold no brief for anyone but,just like in my earlier posts, I maintain that we should avoid wholesome condemnation of any group of people. I am happy my views in this blog have consistently taken this path rigt from the days of kikuyu bashing. Some people may consider me an alien from mars but I am not one. I am just a guy who is not afraid to take an unpopular stand. What Cris is proposing here is akin to burning a whole house just because there is a snake inside. In my opinion, it makes more sense to smoke the invador out. In trying to whip up emotioins, Chris has published untruths.
One, it is grossly wrong to say that members of parliament get free house grants. That is not true Chris and you know it. What they get is a kshs 8M mortgage which they pay at a 3% interest rate. I am not defending that rate but let us write the truth here. This in itself is not acceptable but please let us not exaggerate. On top of that they get a Kshs 70000 house allowance which is included in the Kshs 750000 we so much like to quote. Again,this is lavish and I am not defending it.
Chris has gone ahead and said that these mps do not offer at least part of their huge salaries to the suffering poor. That is not true because the rural mps who happen to make over 75% of the whole house literally share their salaries with the folks. I have always maintained that we dont need mps in urban centres because there is nothing for them to do. Mps in rural areas pay hospital bills,school fees and are chief guests in atleast three fundraisers every weekend. Of course there are those who never go home. To the people in those areas, U have yourselves to blame. One of the factors responsible for this is the powerlessness of te people in electing their own leaders. If a leader knows that he owes his parliamentary seat to none other than his constituents, he will be submissive to them. Until such a time when people understand what leaders are for and the importance of making your own independent choice, u will continue to be taken for a ride. When mps help the poor, they dont need to call a press conference to tell the world and 99% of the time they dont. One example of a time when mps exposed their human side was December 2005 when Paul Kibugi Muite lobbied each member of parliament to contribute kshs 50000 towards the famine kitty. Of course the likes of Kibaki, Awori, Raila and other national leaders contributed far more than that. Let us once in a while give credit where it is due.
Now why should we vote the entire house out? Can someone tell me why they are convinced Jebii Kilimo, Raphael Tuju, Wangari Maathai, Christine Mango, Adhu Awiti,Mwangu Ivuti, Kyalo Kaindi,Kaluki Ngilu,Zaddock Syongo and a few more others are supposed to be voted out? Let us stop unfair attacks.
I have defended the Kenyatta siblings, Yvonne Khamati, MPs and many other unfairly villified groups. I am willing to continue doing that.
I abhor the MPs' decisions to give themselves a huge raise whenever they get a chance,and in some cases backdating their allowances to several years back (in reference to the fuel-guzzling vehicles' allowances) and of a kind the ordinary Kenyan only hears about (entertainment allowance).
ReplyDeleteHowever, I think it is very naive to propose radically voting out the entire parliament (even Raila, yawa!). This is why:
1) Effectively, you are proposing getting people into parliament who know very little in the way of governing. We need a smooth transition, sio siasa tu for the sake of siasa.There's a plac for that, and then there's where logic should rule.
2) Everyone has a right to vote for whoever they wish. Don't infringe on that right.LET THE PEOPLE DECIDE.
If the remaining 10% includes Raila and excludes Kalonzo ‘11%’ Musyoka, I’m happy. Sadly, not that it takes sophistry to complete poll questions or that the average Kenyan voter is unlikely to answer frankly, if history has anything to do with it, a large number of these chaps will find their way back to parliament. Hata mukilia machozi.
ReplyDeleteThat said, PKW is partly right; while I believe there must be some type of continuity document in place (in the event some characters on this blog make it parliament), I cannot imagine a house of entirely new faces. I differ if the insinuation is that the current crop know what they are doing. Our parliament is a shame the world over when it comes to house business.
How I wish this were true.
ReplyDeleteKalonzo, Raila and Kibaki were all in Arabia, sharing a
crate of booze (Of course Kalonzo was sipping fanta, the orange one) when, all of a sudden, Saudi police rushed in and arrested
them. The mere possession of alcohol is a severe offence in Saudi Arabia, so
for the terrible crime of actually being caught consuming the booze, they
are all sentenced to death! However, after many months and with the help of
very good lawyers, they are able to successfully appeal their sentences down
to life imprisonment. By a stroke of luck, it was a Saudi national holiday
the day their trial finished, and the extremely benevolent Sheikh decided
they could be released after receiving just 20 lashes each of the whip.
As they were preparing for their punishment, the Sheikh
announced: "It's my first wife's birthday today, and she has asked me to
allow each of you one wish before your whipping."
Kalonzo was first in line, he thought for a while and then
said: "Please tie a pillow to my back." This was done, but the pillow only
lasted 10 lashes before the whip went through. When the punishment was done
he had to be carried away bleeding and crying with pain.
Raila was next up. After watching Musyoka in horror he said
smugly: "Please fix two pillows to my back." But even two pillows could only
take 15 lashes before the whip went through again and Agwambo was soon led
away whimpering loudly (as he always does).
Emilio was the last one up, but before he could say
anything, the Sheikh turned to him and said: "You are one of the greatest
presidents in the world and your leadership is propelling Kenya to be the
best economy in Africa. For this, you may have two wishes!"
"Thank you, your Most Royal and Merciful highness", he
replied. "In recognition of your kindness, my first wish is that you give me
not 20 lashes but, 155 lashes."
"Not only are you an honourable, intelligent and powerful man,
you are also very brave". The Sheikh said with an admiring look on his face.
"If 155 lashes is what you desire, then so be it. And your second wish sir"?
"Tie Raila to my back."