The Kenya I want

With the new constitution with us, Kenya will try to solve the historical injustices that have existed since pre-independence. Kenyans from marginalized communities have suffered through the existence of the provincial administration which was structured to accommodate the divide and rule strategy which was widely used by the British imperialists who colonized Kenya for 67years.

Back in the colonial times chief’s position and that of the headman was reserved for the natives while district officers and commissioners were reserved to the colonialist. So what went wrong at independence when we filled the positions with our own instead of creating a working and people controlled system? The answer is so simple, the founding fathers wanted to cling on to power and that’s why they Africanized the famous provincial administration. Kenya was a federal country the first 4 years (1963-1967), at one time I was forced to believe that the independence constitution was way better than the mutilated document which we replaced in 2010. Am also forced to believe former president Daniel Moi opposed the Wako draft because it was different to the constitution that his regime had mutilated for 24years.

In 1967 the Majimbo were abolished and were replaced by the rather diety provincial administration which did worst than good to unite people. Why should you abolish people elected system and replace it with delegated system?

In the former Machakos District now county for instance we would have DC’s from Nyanza, North Eastern or even Coast province and he brings his authority over the people of Machakos, and to make statements such as “my District” some would go ahead and expel those perceived to be a security threat within 72hours. Since when did the District become his? And when did a DC become a judge to decide whether you are guilty or not. Today Kenyans feel the existence of provincial administration is irrelevant now that we have returned represented leadership that is championed by democracy. We no longer need order from above kind of leadership and that’s why DC’s will be replaced by Governors who are elected by the people.

In 2003, Kenya was ranked among nations who were so optimistic to change and improved economy. Today we talk of Kibaki Legacy, the man who diluted the so called ‘power of a District Commissioner’ he created many districts, now known as ‘Kibaki districts’ to make access of government services in proximity. But today that is gone with the abolishment of the provinces and replacing them with independence 42 districts and creating 5 more districts out of the 42 hence adding up to 47 counties. By all means Kenya didn’t require a provincial commissioner as he did nothing in solving conflicts within their provinces.

Our Counties now are in need of leaders who would steer the development that would end the stereotyping.  We have a power in our hands to make that change possible. Our power is vested in our votes, if registered as a voter take part in the electoral process and we vote leaders who will drive us to Canaan the Promised Land and those who not take us back to slavery of post independence colonization of provincial administration. Let’s not think of the chiefs, Do’s, DC’s and PC’s as our sons and daughters but have in mind that the government will deploy them in government departments and ministries. We may need a chief but not a DC as his office will be occupied by the governor as the law is vivid on the matter as it says the system will be put in place after 5years after the new constitution is in place. The new constitution is going to be fully operational as from march 18^th after the forth president assumes office. Am forced to believe President Mwai Kibaki may be retiring with the provincial administration and wait till 2017 as the law says.

President Mwai Kibaki is expected to dissolve the august house by 15^th January to mark the end of lower house as the only legislative branch of the government. This comes 3 days before the deadline for party nomination process. Kenyans will remember the 10^th parliament as the parliament where there was no identified leader of the minority popularly known as leader of the opposition. It’s the parliament that used to work late in the night to pass bills that were irrelevant to Kenyans. It’s a house that saw president sit as a member of parliament of Othaya constituency and sat in the debate chamber and assumed the leader of government business in the house to pass 2 crucial bills that shaped the face of Kenya. It’s a house that had a lot of drama as it behaved like sheep without a shepherd.

It’s the house that saw the forced political marriage and that had a prime minister in the longest period ever since independence in 1963. This 10^th parliament amended the standing orders and included Wednesday as a whole parliamentary proceedings day and that was sandwiched with prime minister’s question time.

Above all Kenyans hate to remember that they used to pay 45 cabinet ministers and their assistants together with their assistants’ assistants. That was a mere joke of our all time political marriage that had president learn to live with his nuisance prime minister who was a new comer through the national accord bill of 2008 that created the grand coalition government with a skeleton prime minister who was believed to have shared power with the president.

As Kenyans head to the general elections lets remember we, the people president Moi used to call us ‘viongozi wa kesho’ are set to lead this country and there is no other tomorrow than today. Let’s elect youthful leaders and we will attain the millennium goals before 2015 and implement the vision 2030 blueprint in a rather simpler way.

Our youth are among the best trained in Africa, that’s a fact. Why should we deny them a chance to lead this country? Its high time politicians develop some manners and stop using youths to perpetrate politically instigated violence. Surely, this is the Kenya I want. This is the Kenya I have always dreamt of. This is the change that you and I agree it’s possible to attain.