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| Mt. Kenya |
It is not easy to like Kenyan politicians. All of
them; irrespective of party, ethnic, religious or racial affiliation, are irredeemable
bloodsuckers who neither care for or about the country nor the people who elect
them into office. Media reports indicate that during the last Financial Year Parliamentarians
received a whooping Ksh. 3 Billion in allowances for their local and foreign
travel. Governors and MCAs were not been left behind and their local and
foreign travel may have consumed even a greater fortune. So far 8 foreign countries
have reportedly banned Kenyan MCAs from visiting their capitals due to what has
been termed as unbecoming conduct and irritating demands. These new village
tyrant are now threatening devolution; the very essence of our new constitutional
dispensation. You can imagine all this opulence in a country where there are
reports of deaths resulting from starvation in several Counties falling under
the Arid & Semi Arid Land (ASAL) regions. Kenyan politicians will
unashamedly use all manner of tricks to attain or remain in power without
regard to the interests of the electorate and the country. Bribery, war
mongering, elimination and intimidation of real and potential opponents, ethnic
mobilization and violence are their preferred tools of trade. But soon after every
general election, these fellows abandon their electorate and hide in the
Nairobi where they resort to making lofty demands on the National Treasury for
personal self-aggrandizement.
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| A section of Mt. Kenya Legislators |
Although political deceit is prevalent in nearly
every part of Kenya, the most despicable lot of local politicians is the one
from Mt. Kenya region as well as their cousins elected in the Nairobi &
Rift Valley Diasporas. Once elected into office, politicians from this region
behave like aliens towards their electorate. Whereas I personally may not need
any assistance from a Governor, Senator, MP or MCA; every so often I encounter
a lot of people who genuinely need their assistance. Needy constituents with
pressing issues which require to be raised as questions in either Houses of
Parliament or County Assemblies. But their “leaders” are simply inaccessible to
the voters. Trying to meet a Governor, Senator or MP from this region is akin
to seeking an appointment with the earthly Regent of God. But this is understandable.
Over 90% of the fellows elected in this region buy their way into public office.
They have little time and no regard for their people. To recoup their election
expenses, the greater majority of them spend most of their time and energy
engaging in nefarious economic activities (they call them deals) which are
injurious to their people and the country. There is palpable suspicion that some
of them engage in or protect the trade in illicit killer brews and narcotic
drugs in their home region. Whenever deaths occur in the region as a result of
people consuming illicit liquor, nearly all these politicians maintain a very
telling studious silence. Even worse, very few of them can meaningfully engage
in a national discourse relating to Policy & Legislation (somebody recently
called them former Councillors; he may have been partially right). Their
contribution in debates in the National Assembly and the Senate is lackluster
and not worth any mention. This poor performance by Central Kenya Legislator affects
the entire country. Despite their large numbers in both Houses of Parliament,
their political influence is negligible; near ZERO! They are the sole reason
their people from humble backgrounds are being subjected to double
discrimination in every sphere of the public service in Kenya.
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| Mt. Kenya leaders addressing a Press Conference |
It is very sad that 50 years after independence; any
charlatan, wheeler-dealer, war monger or drug peddler with money to bribe
voters or buy cheap liquor for idle youth can easily be elected into
“leadership” in this part of Kenya. Kenya will one day change for good but only
when a critical mass of voters changes its mindset. To begin with, the people
in Mt Kenya region and its Diasporas where nearly 100 Senators and MPs are voted
into office in every general election must change the way they elect their
“leaders”. Yes, real change must begin somewhere; the Mountain people need
redemption and Kenya’s political “salvation” will start from the Mountain!
Twitter: @DeCaptainCFE
