South Sudan needs to focus more on seeking Peace and less on exploiting Oil

It doesn't matter if the very earth you’re walking on is soaked with oil or that one can fetch oil by simply turning on a tap. Without a peaceful nation, visionary leadership, respect for rule of law and order, credible institutions backed up by a robust constitution, all these resources are simply nothing! South Sudan has none of these and the crisis unfolding in Juba must therefore not come as a surprise.

The case of South Sudan following a successful referendum to secede from the North is akin to gifting an amateur with a car and still expect them to drive passengers competently to their destination in a highway full of ups and downs.

The problem(s) of South Sudan dates several years back  when the country was still a monolithic state with Arabs dominating key government positions while the southerners - consisting mainly of the blacks - fighting this dominance in an attempt to restore what they called justice. Rebel groups like SPLA/LM led by the late Dr. John Garang have been at the forefront of this struggle which culminated in the signing of a comprehensive peace agreement popularly known as the CPA brokered in Kenya in 2005 and ratified by both the current president of the Sudan Mr. Al Bashir and the late Garang himself. As part of the pact, SPLA/LM was supposed to share power with the Khartoum government, with the issue of autonomy and cessation to be determined at a later date in a referendum. As things stand, southerners overwhelmingly voted for autonomy which led to the formation of the current government which is less than 2 years old.

So when exactly did the rains start beating South Sudan? In my opinion, since day one. The Juba government is a victim of its dark past. Majority of its leaders are former guerrilla fighters who spent years in the bush fighting the Arab-dominated Khartoum government. When the South officially broke away from the North, there were no structures or institutions in place to guide government operations; therefore, with the assistance of foreign organizations, the Juba government haphazardly set up some structures to get the government going while they put their house in order. The army was largely constituted of the same guerrilla fighters who – by their current behavior - only seemed to have changed their uniforms to official fatigues yet their allegiance is still divided and pledged to an individual. The current president Salva Kirr Mayarndit maybe the commander-in-chief but it appears he doesn't control the whole army battalion. The former vice president whom he sacked back in July Mr. Riek Machar from the minority Nuer group, appears to be controlling at least half of the soldiers. These are the same soldiers accused of staging a coupe following his sacking and the subsequent disarmament operations targeted at the soldiers perceived to be loyal to Machar.

What South Sudan needs is a fresh start. For starters, the leadership ought to ensure peace and stability is restored pronto as a matter of priority.  The country also needs to recruit and train a fresh, professional and disciplined army, devoid of blood in their hands. Where these army would come from I don’t know but what I know for sure is that as long as these rogue soldiers who fought in the bush are still part of the national defense apparatus, instability will remain part and parcel of the youngest nation in Africa at least in the foreseeable future.

Secondly, the country should invest in institutions and structures and not individuals. Reforms targeted at the judiciary, the civil service and a professional police service should be expedited. The government should also open up space for political parties and democracy to thrive. The civil society should be allowed to grow in order to ensure checks and balances while keeping the government accountable to the people of South Sudan. The education system should be reformed and made accessible including technical institutes which will allow especially the demobilized soldiers acquire new skills in order to tame the temptation to return to the bush. Once all these things are up and running, South Sudan can now begin to focus on exploiting oil and other resources in the country in a massive scale.

Stirring up the Hornet's Nest: The Kenya Civil Service

Over the years, the civil service in Kenya has been an item previous regimes have been using as a dangling carrot and bait to prospective voters in order to ascend to power. People vying for various seats; from the lowest in the county assembly to the highest office in the land occupying state house, the campaign slogan had been well rehearsed. Elect me to the office and i promise to protect your interests as a community and employ your people to key government positions.

This was the genesis of a bloated civil service in Kenya that took place the moment the colonial government left our country and the first African leader took over the reigns of power. Successive regimes perfected this act in order to gain and cement loyalty from certain parts of the country. 

Cabinet ministers in charge of various ministries, ensured they lined up their tribesmen/women in those ministries-the lower academic qualifications notwithstanding- from the messenger running errands to the tea girl and directors of various projects. Each ministry therefore came to symbolize the dominance of certain ethnic groups to the utter exclusion of others who supposedly failed to tore the line and in stead voted for the opposition. This trend was also witnessed in terms of the skewed developments that took place in various parts of the country. Some regions received funds for constructing good roads and hospitals while others lack even a single kilometer of tarmacked road or piped water.

This trend gave birth to what is now a hot issue among public servants related to inefficiency in service delivery in the public service and an ever increasing public wage bill with little output to show. This brings to mind the structural adjustment programs popularly known SAPS that were spearheaded by the world bank in Kenya in the early 80's. According to the Central Bureau of Statistics, the SAPs were aimed at restoring efficiency in all sectors of the economy with the end goal of raising economic growth rate. One of the hallmarks of SAPs was to restructure the public service which included taking drastic measures like retrenching people and focus government resources on development. The consequences of SAPs were short term and dire with some economic pundits pegging the runaway inflation, crime rates and unemployment rates experienced during that  time as a byproduct of these measures.

The jubilee government has been at the forefront in sorting out the mess that is the civil service in line with its manifesto of restoring efficiency in government services. This follows a recent pronouncement by the vice president to the effect that the government cannot achieve its development objectives if it continues to spend over 70% of its collected revenues on recurrent expenditure(basically paying salaries) while only the remaining 30% left for development. 

In order to restore efficiency, the government has adopted ICT in its operations which has seen some improvements in the public service. The next step which involves cutting down the public wage bill will either be achieved by reducing salaries or retrenching a huge number of redundant workforce. The latter option would obviously make economic sense though not a panacea to the problems bedeviling the public service.

Hard decisions and choices would have to be made with huge political ramifications to both the president and his deputy considering the fact that a huge number of the public servants hail from communities that traditionally enjoyed power since we gained independence. 

The Modern Day Hero

NELSON 'MADIBA' MANDELA

(1918 - 2013)

Dear Madiba,

Your legacy will remain for generations and generations to come. You've left an indelible mark on many people's lives and we will cherish that forever.

 You've fought the good fight; You've finished the race and You kept the faith.

Rest in peace!

The Lacuna in Nairobi Leadership

Are the nude photos of the Nairobi senator Mike Mbuvi aka "Sonko" together with his female counterpart, friend, ally and even "sister" Nairobi women representative, Rachel Shebesh aka "Manzi wa Nairobi" genuine or they're simply a figment and creation of the sophisticated graphical software programmes like photoshop?
Who posted these photos and what were their motives?
Should we care as a nation and people living in Nairobi, that people occupying such key leadership positions for a city of global reputation - and which as a matter of fact, ought to be setting the pace and trend for other cities in the continent - would be found in such controversial position?
Since coming to the limelight following the 2010 constitution making process, the life of one Mike Sonko has been mired in  controversy after controversy. The folks he presents however, see him as nothing but their hero. A man who would pay their bills and go to any lengths fighting for their rights. From the blings, weird hair-cuts and casual dress code in parliament, Sonko has redefined the new crop of leader of this country should brace for. The free spirits who aren't afraid to express themselves in whatever way or form  they deem fit.
Shebesh on the other hand has been a fiery politician during her days in ODM before decamping to TNA in the months leading to the elections following the euphoria.
The two leaders have been at loggerheads over the recent past both before and after the March 2013 elections before being reconciled by Hon. Kenyatta, the de facto leader of TNA at the time. The recent born of contention has to do with allegations of Shebesh's encounters and communication with the former prime minister and CORD leader Raila Odinga. Grapevine has it that Sonko is accusing Shebesh of spying on behalf of CORD on the deep secrets and strategies of the Jubilee government. While this hasn't been confirmed yet, the allegations are pretty damning and have the effect of complicating her position in the party. In fact, in what appears to be a consequence of this, Ms. Shebesh is said to have resigned from all her positions in parliament on behalf of her party.
As a Kenyan, the goings on within political parties aren't exactly my concern, especially after exercising my suffrage. I pay taxes and i expect results. That's the bottom line! As a matter of fact,  whatever happened or did not happen between the two Nairobi politicians within the confines of their private space or wherever they were when these photos doing rounds were captured is none of my business. It only becomes my business when the photos appear on the screen of my computer, phone or tablet and i have to question whether the people bestowed with the responsibility of steering this city to a prosperous future really have the moral authority to do that.
There have been calls all over in the social media for the two politicians to resign for "acting" in a manner that compromises the stature of both the parliament and the senate. While these two organs aren't exactly the compass or conscience on moral issues, there is consensus out there that as a nation, we ought to have a set of irreducible moral standards that anyone aspiring to be a leader should live up to.
On chapter six of our constitution, on leadership and integrity, a state officer - which i believe Mps and senators are part of - should at all times act in a manner that "brings honor to the nation and dignity to the office and promotes public confidence in the integrity of the office". The constitution is however silent on the moral grounds that would compel any member of parliament or senate to resign. This therefore means that these leaders and others who engage in misconduct while in office will remain there until the next elections are held. By that time, Kenyans will have forgotten the issues and vote the same people back in office.
The cycle continues...

What defines a trully red-blooded Kenyan...

In the midst of the confusion, anxiety, utter shock and grief following the attacks by the Al- Shabab  militants/terrorist at the Westgate Mall on Saturday 21st, Sept 2013 morning , i managed to pen down a few points regarding who/what really embodies the true Kenyan spirit, and just who is a Kenyan to you...

God Bless Kenya...

Why those calling for the immediate Resignation of Nairobi Governor would have to wait a little Longer.

On Friday the 6th of September 2013, the flamboyant, outspoken and at times controversial Nairobi women's representative Ms. Rachel Shebesh descended in the offices of the Nairobi governor Dr.Evans Kidero accompanied by what appears to be the city council workers demanding for an explanation as to why their dues and arrears haven't been paid so far by the county council of Nairobi.
To put the matter into perspective.
Recently, Dr.Kidero instituted an audit in the council to establish the genuine staff workers of the city council of Nairobi. From the initial findings, it was established  that the council pays over 11,000 workers salary each month yet it only requires the services of half the number. Further, half of that number were said to be people who never show up for work or have any job description. While this exercise was going on, the Governor's office must have frozen the payment of salaries until a clean list of workers is established. While this may come as a shock to many people, this trend is actually common in many  public institutions  in Kenya where people in influential positions employ their own people and cronies in utter disregard of the laid down recruitment procedures. The result of which has been that these institutions end up spending huge sums of tax-payer's money through recurrent expenditures paying salaries to people who have come to be known as "ghost workers".
Such people at best make technical appearances in the offices where they leave a jacket or sweater hanging perpetually in an office chair while they sneak out to attend to their private businesses in town or elsewhere. Others are in the payroll yet they have never stepped in those offices at all. So when Governor's office decided to carry out an audit one would expect that to be a noble idea embraced by all but apparently he was stirring up a hornets nest. As a result, it was faced by a huge resistance from those likely to be affected.

Back to the slapping incidence.
When Ms. Shebesh stormed Dr. Kidero's office, it didn't come as a surprise to many because if we may all

recall, early this year during the nominations in the period preceding the general elections, Ms. Shebesh in the company of now Othaya Mp Ms. Mary Wambui, stormed the Independence Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) at night causing a scene and supposedly threatened the officers of the IEBC locked up in the office in the full glare of the media cameras. While the IEBC officials chose to lock themselves inside to avoid a confrontation with Shebesh,Dr.Kidero decided to face the bull by the horns by engaging Ms.Shebesh on what appears to have been an exchange of unkind words and finger pointing. The ensuing melee resulted in what appears to be the slapping of Shebesh by the governor. Of course Dr.Kidero being a politician denied that that incident actually happened the camera clip notwithstanding.

The calls for resignation.
In chapter eleven of the Kenyan constitution about the devolved government, the office of the governor is a constitutional one and therefore the law is very clear on grounds and threshold that must be met for the office holder to step down.
Article 181(1) which talks about the removal of the governor from office, the reasons are as outlined:
(a) Gross violation of this Constitution or any other law;
(b) Where there are serious reasons for believing that the county governor has committed a crime under national or international law;
(c) Abuse of office or gross misconduct; or
(d) Physical or mental incapacity to perform the functions of office of county governor.

While there's credible reason to believe that Dr. Kidero actually violated all the above except (d), this can be challenged in any court of law and the outcome could go one way or the other.
The catch about all this lies in sub-article (2) which states that "Parliament shall enact legislation providing for the procedure of removal of a county governor on any of the grounds mentioned in clause (1)." This has so far not happened according to my knowledge but considering the fact that Ms. Shebesh hails from a party that controls both houses- the Senate and the Parliament- passing it into law would face very little opposition from the CORD coalition, the party that sponsored Dr.Kidero to office. Some of the CORD members affiliated to the former Prime minister Raila Odinga could also use this chance to punish Dr.Kidero over his recent dalliance with the Jubilee government when he formed part of the delegation accompanying the president on his recent tour to Russia and China to woo investors in to the country. The other issue that could delay the crafting of a bill and eventual enactment of the same to law  relates to the ICC issues which have engrossed the minds of the Jubilee legislators who are fighting hard to ensure Kenya pulls out of the Rome Statute.
All these factors could work in Dr. Kidero's favour in the interim but only time would tell how long that would last.

The politics of “One of our own” in the cabinet

Does it matter really if one of your own- whatever that is - made it to the cabinet list? The answer to  this question  is both yes and no. If the furore created after the president and his deputy announced names of people they nominated in the cabinet lineup is anything to go by, then the answer is yes. But assuming we are so shallow to extent that we expect our people as a whole to benefit from such appointments, just how many will benefit?

Historically, the post of a cabinet minister has attracted a lot of attention and interest to the extent that there were rumors to the effect that some legislators went as far as issuing bribes and kickbacks to power brokers in government in order to secure that coveted post of a cabinet minister. Those were the same days when, upon receiving the appointment letter from the head of state, a minister had a free hand to run the ministry as a personal pet project as he/she pleases, employing people from his/her  tribe beginning with the tea girl, secretaries to senior managers. The result of this was that, government ministries operating on tax payer’s money were reduced to miniature communities a microcosm of their ethnic cocoons with workers communicating in mother tongue while spending half of the day reading newspapers or gossiping with no results to show at the end of the day.

These are the same days when you visited a government office, you’d find a jacket hanged on the chair with lights on yet the owner hasn't been in the office for quite a number of days. To that extent, one can say that having one of their daughters or sons in the cabinet is indeed an issue treated with a great deal of seriousness. This is the same path that saw many government managed industries and parastatals collapsing due to lack of funds as the money meant to serve the public was embezzled by officers from the same government in shoddy transactions.

The other area where people benefited tremendously, is  by having one of their own is on the procurement and tender process. This is perhaps arguably one of the biggest motivations in the sense that the minister in charge benefited from kickbacks as long as he/she ensures that certain companies won lucrative government contracts. Perhaps not surprising, the same minister had stakes in the same companies taking part in the tender process further complicating the process. These were the days where wheel barrows and hospital equipment were procured at 3 to 4 times their actual market values.

Regarding the nay answer, the issue of having one of our son or daughter in the government, doesn’t translate to benefits to the entire community at least as far as the situation stands. When Kenyans overwhelmingly voted for the new constitution back in the year 2010, they wanted – among many other things - to address most of the issues enumerated above plus many others in order to restore professionalism and excellent service delivery in the public service. Among the key issues that surround cabinet appointments, the lineup should be such that it meets the constitution 1/3 gender representation plus regional representation, over and above the professional qualifications and experience.

The cabinet lineup proposed by both the president and his deputy, have given an indication that there’s a desire by the government, to walk away from the past way of doing things. Both men and women who have made it to the list have distinguished resumes with illustrious careers both in the public and private sector. The politics of the day however,  couldn't just seat back and watch the situation as it unfolds. Leaders from various communities have come out to express their displeasure concerning the lack of one of their own yet they have numbers. The same sentiments are shared by many Kenyans who find it convenient to discuss about such issues in the dinner table.

When all is said and done, what matters to the hoi polloi is that, they want a man or woman who will deliver on the promises made during election time. Such men and women should have impeccable credentials and integrity to match with it. Anything to the contrary is utterly unacceptable!

A letter to Hon. Uhuru Kenyatta

Dear Mr. Kenyatta,

I am among the so-called undecided voters; the kind of people belonging to the 43^rd tribe in Kenya. Our lingua franca evolves everyday which makes very little sense to the older generation but that is where our strength lies coz it allows us to communicate with anybody and connect instantly without looking at each other with tribal eyes.

Up to now I must say that you have displayed a sober and mature campaign save for a few incidences here and there where your adrenaline went over board – something normal in a politically charged ambiance especially  when your opponents hit you below the belt. My problem with you didn’t start when you declared your candidature to be Kenya’s 4^th president - the ICC cases hanging over you notwithstanding - but rather with your uncalled for pronouncement during Jubilee’s final campaign rally at Uhuru Park regarding Mr. Jimnah Mbaru. The statement you made to the effect that Mr. Jimnah Mbaru fore-goes his gubernatorial candidature in favor of the controversial Ferdinand Waititu a.k.a “Baba yao” got me worried about your values; whether you believe in the concept of democracy in the first place. Further, you promised Mr. Mbaru a plum job in the government if the Jubilee alliance wins this election. This kinda reminds me of the former regimes starting with your dad’s and then Moi’s which perfected the art of sycophancy dishing out jobs to their cronies as rewards. Moi’s regime even went a notch higher by institutionalizing it.

Article 27, sub article 3  in chapter four on the bill of rights in our constitution which talks of equality and freedom from discrimination, states and I quote “Women and men have the right to equal treatment, including the right to equal opportunities in political,  economic, cultural and social spheres .” By telling Mr. Mbaru to fore-go his ambition to be Nairobi’s first governor under the new constitution in order to consolidate Mr.Waititu’s votes for Jubilee in Nairobi county goes against the letter and spirit of the constitution and civil liberties we’ve all been fighting for for years.

This is totally unacceptable because you are not only denying one person his rights but consider the men and women who believe in his manifesto and promises. The kind I saw standing every day in Westlands roundabout lifting Mr.Mbaru’s placards and dishing out his fliers while persevering the blistering heat from the sun, not to mention the money and time he has invested in the campaigns. The man deserves at the very least a fair shot at the ballot just like you and the other contestants and no one has the right to stop that.

To the rest of my dear Kenyans; vote with your conscience. You never loose or waste your vote by voting for the less popular candidate who espouses values you hold dearest; and after exercising your suffrage, go out there and work hard coz that’s how our country will be transformed. That’s the only way to achieve the Vision 2030 which is just 17 years away.

PEACE!      

Why Kenya’s first presidential debate won’t change the voter’s minds

Kenya is set to have its first televised presidential debate in a race that has attracted a total of eight candidates – one woman and 7 men - all gunning for the top seat that will see the winner taking over a county government system for the first time in our country’s history.  The candidates are expected to discuss various issues of national interest including the economy, health, security and employment among many others.  Among the candidates in the race is the son of the founding father of Kenya Mzee Jomo Kenyatta who is facing charges of crimes against humanity at the international criminal court at The Hague. Others include the Prime Minister Raila Odinga, Martha Karua, Peter Kenneth, Musalia Mudavadi, Prof. James Ole Kiyapi, Paul Muite and Mohammed Abduba. This election comes as Kenya marks its 50^th anniversary as an independent state with many Kenyans pinning their hopes on the outcome of the polls considering the events of the last disputed election which led cases of violence.

Many people however, have their misgivings regarding the impact of this debate considering the events leading up to it, where top leaders of various political parties have been whipping up tribal sentiments while forming coalitions based on tribal numbers as opposed to issues that affect the common man on the street.

The presidential debates the world over, are meant to expose the voters to the people who want to represent them as leaders. They present them with a perfect chance to interrogate their policies and plans for the country and clarify issues of public interest. In the US for instance, whose presidential debates generate interest beyond their borders, leaders from all the parties including the republicans, democrats, liberals and conservatives are put to task concerning key issues affecting Americans  like immigration, economy, job creation, public health, gay and minority rights  and international policy among many others. While all these parties have an unshakable traditional stand and approach on these issues, the debates help especially the so called undecided voters and swing states to decide on whom to vote for. Republicans are traditionally known for their emphasis on national security and a firm stand on immigration laws whereas the democrats believe in scaling down the military and the federal budget on intelligence while preferring a diplomatic approach with foreign nations in tackling insecurity.  

In Kenya, the situation is quite different. First of all our political parties were and still are based on ethnic alliances and convenience as opposed to a lasting value system capable of outliving generations of leaders. Since the days of single party and multi-party democracy, the ruling party has been galvanizing support from various ethnic groups which also reflected appointments to key government post as a reward to loyalists and sycophants. This situation bred cartels within the government who oversaw massive graft and embezzlement of public funds and resources. Communities that didn't a have “one of their own” in the government were marginalized and left behind as far as development is concerned. This situation therefore forced them to coalesce around an ethnic agenda in order to have a piece of the pie. This led to enmity among various communities who felt treated unjustifiably as resources were skewly distributed. People therefore chose to stick with one of their own for survival. This has colored the way we interact and certainly the way we choose our leaders during elections. The sad thing is that young people who are supposed to represent the future and therefore hope for this nation, are also corrupted to the core if sentiments and posts on the various social media platforms are anything to by. The hope of the nation is erroneously said to lie with the middle class who represent the swing vote but the problem is that they are too comfortable to give a hoot. This debate will therefore be reduced to something akin to a football match where supporters from either side cheer on their team as opposed to a job interview that will give us the best man or woman for the greatest job of leading our nation to a promising future. I remain optimistic.

The Tale of a Caveman amidst Legislators’ Extravagant Send-off Perks

Picture courtesy of citizen tv kenya: Otieno the caveman

Otieno is a dreamer just like so many other people in Kenya and indeed the whole world. He left his rural home coming to Nairobi in pursuit of his dream of a better life, but unlike a good number who have either achieved theirs or are in the process of doing that, Otieno’ s story has a totally different script.

Just before he was evicted in the place he called home, Otieno was living in the middle of Ngong forest in the outskirts of Nairobi in a cave- yes you had it right, a cave. According to Otieno, who used to live in the sprawling slums of Kibera, he could not afford the rent demanded by his landlord and therefore to avoid conflicts he decided to vacate the house and look and look for an alternative. As some of you may know, Kibera is a slum where one can secure a single semi-permanent house (mud-walled, wooden, or corrugated iron sheets) with electricity (illegally connected) for as little as five hundred shillings which translates to roughly $5 using the current exchange rates. But this still was too much for him to afford considering that he lacked neither a permanent source of income nor the necessary basic skills to secure him a job. So with his little possessions, Otieno packed his bags and started walking to a destination he didn’t know where he ended up at Ngong forest where he lived with beast and snakes but at least he had a roof or rather a cave over his head and his worries would then be reduced to getting something for his stomach.

While there could be so many other “Otieno’s” out there who probably are in a worse situation, the kind of deplorable life such people are forced to live in is an indictment to the government and a shame to the entire nation.

Mahtma Gandhi once said that the greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated. While this was said in reference to animal rights back in the days; the same saying can even be more resounding when referring to humanity in general. A country that abandons its weakest men and women is as strong as the weakest member of that society and it should be judged as such.

Chapter four of the Kenyan constitution under the bill of rights clearly stipulates the rights of every citizen. Article 43 sub-article 1(b), states that “every person has the right to accessible and adequate housing, and to a reasonable standard of sanitation.” The government of Kenya under the Ministry of Housing in its attempts to adhere to this statute and in line with the millennium development goals, partnered with the UN-HABITAT, civil society, the private sector and the participating communities in what was known as the “Slum Upgrading Program” (KENSUP.) The aim of KENSUP was to develop low cost housing for slum dwellers and Kibera slum where Otieno used to reside was to become the first beneficiaries. The project was later on mired in deep controversy when the beneficiaries turned out to be the rich folks who could afford the rent. This comes in the wake of the statistics from UN-HABITAT painting a grim picture about the status of our slums. According to a report by the UN-HABITAT, Kenya’s slums are growing at an unprecedented rate with the urban population standing at 40% of the total population. 70% of the urbanites are said to live in slums with limited access to water and sanitation, housing and secure tenure (UN-HABITA, 2008.)

While all this is happening, the Kenya’s tenth parliament passed a bill on the last day of its session that would see each one of them take away a hefty pay package. The outrageous bill which is still awaiting the president’s signature to make it legal, will award each MP nearly $110,000 in bonus, an armed guard, a diplomatic passport and access to the VIP lounge at Kenyan airports (Associated Press.) If the president ascends to this bill(which many fear he might considering the enticing perks for him, the prime minster and the vice president), it would mean that the Kenyan tax payer will have to work extra hard and dig a little dipper again into his pockets in order to sustain this lavish lifestyles. It also means that people like Otieno will have to wait a little longer (if they have the time) to attain their dreams and rights which are enshrined in the constitution as the wage bill continues to balloon beyond control.