| This is a must read. Congrats Bro. RIGHT OF REPLY In the wake of the Matuga debacle, I am instructed by common sense to highlight the problem with our politics and the root cause of our failing leadership. The Kenyan electorate for the most part remains a misguided and ill informed one. Looking for all the wrong things in the wrong places, voters fail to ask the right questions and hire the right candidates. We have become a nation of sorry choosers, always suffering acute buyer's remorse. On the morning Mwakwere wins in Matuga, we wake up to news of voter's card buying in Lugari. No prize for guessing who the culprit buying voters cards is. Poverty, desperation and misinformation have led to confusion and disillusionment of our people. That an elitist, arrogant non performer like the Matuga MP can be reelected shows you how far we are and how deeply ingrained in us the culture of mediocrity is. But there is a section of Kenyans, -a minority though they are- that are about a different agenda. Most are youthful leaders in various sectors from corporate to the NGO world and Civil Society. They are about and embrace wholesome change. You can expect them to be loudly and proudly saying YES in social places, championing the passage of a new constitution and progressive change. They are educated, enlightened and secure in many ways, never exhibiting the phobias and fears being stoked by the church. These young minds are the antithesis of KANU and yesteryear, appreciating politics and public service as a privilege to serve not a right to exploit and extort. And this is where Ahmed Nasir got it all wrong in his article last week. That he thinks the protests in Nairobi last week against MPs went on so smoothly because it's a "well oiled government machine" means the winds of change are not sensed by some, even journalists and lawyers of the stature of Naser. The good news is this progressive voice is finding resonance with many Kenyans, and is thus growing fast. The fact of the matter is that most Kenyans are struggling every day to make a living. The numbers speak for themselves. 55% of our country lives in poverty. Our struggling economy has a weak record of creating jobs. And 12% live in fabulous opulence. Our hospitals are in dire need of medicine, qualified staff, equipment and resources. Our road network currently under construction and repair badly needs expansion while the conditions that police work under are pitiful to say the least. The argument that parliamentarians have mortgages and help their constituents does not wash. That their pay is very large vis-à-vis Kenya's small and weak economy is the crux of the matter. The MPs of the 10th parliament are exhibiting an absurd lack of sensitivity to the plight of most Kenyans and are indifferent to the suffering of the masses. Why are they behaving like the members from the 9th parliament? Well we have been making choices the wrong way as a country. Politics in Kenya has become about big money and little morals. We don't ask where people have gotten wealth and we don't care. It is enough if they show up in a new Range Rover and tell us a story. On their part, MPs many of whom have never held down a job or done business want to go to parliament to become rock stars. Not to serve. They go into leadership for all the wrong reasons. To drive a big car, get allowances and work few hours a day. Now with these warped values, is it any wonder that there is such a disconnect between the electorate and the leadership? How many Kenyans given a chance to go into Bunge would behave differently? We need to search ourselves as a Nation and reorient our path. During the Carbonari- Italian revolution of 1848- the leader Mazzini believed in and fought for autonomy from Austria encouraging hard work and Nationalism. As a leader, he lived in humble abode and spent most of his salary donating to hospitals, encouraging excellence and preaching resilience. Today Italian goods are top quality, never mediocre and that's not by accident. Section 104, the recall clause provision in the new draft constitution provides a key tool for the departure of Kenya from electoral and governance mediocrity. If a member is sitting idle and not furthering the agenda and interests of those who elected and sent him to Nairobi then surely he must be recalled and a replacement sent forth. That is accountability and it's about time we stopped giving our leaders a blank five year cheque! So the anger you see in the street protests, peaceful though they are is not from a 'well oiled government machine'. It is from a generation of Kenyans that is philosophically opposed to the hijacking of public resources for selfish gain. These are noises from a youthful, energetic crop eager for complete change and a fresh start. You will see this march throughout the country and the message is simple: We disapprove the conduct of our MPs, it is shameful to say the least. This is the beginning of great changes in our thinking, our psyche and our politics. Coming to a town near you. Benji Ndolo The writer is a Communications Consultant for the National Civil Society Congress (NCSC), a Civil Society Organization under CLARION. --- On Wed, 7/14/10, Mr BENJI <me_benji@yahoo.com> wrote:
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