What the Jalang’os of Politics Don’t Understand

Missing but will be in the online full version:

A common reason many in the opposition give for trooping to State House is they must support the president for the sake of development in their area. This is equally nonsensical. The development of an area or region should not and must not depend on whether the local MP is kissing the president’s ring.

A president once elected and sworn to office is a president for all Kenyans whether they supported him or not. Yes, it would be nice for all elected officials to sing kumbaya praising the president if they find that pleasing to them but that should not be at the expense of playing the proper role they must play in good governance.

To maintain these time proven principles of good governance, the rebel MPs must now resign and seek fresh mandate from their respective constituencies.

Anything less will be a disservice and flipping of the proverbial middle finger against the party that sponsored them, and the voters who elected them.

 

Time for Ruto to Reshuffle the Cabinet

Missing in the column but will be in the online version:

We know many presidents cling to power till death do them part but, in our case, we at least can count on ours leaving office after two terms per our constitution.

A one-term presidency is theoretically possible but don’t count on it.

However, if the president’s cabinet members and others in important positions in government tell the suffering masses they’re on their own and to brace for even more worse to come, one cannot think of better circumstances to have that president rejected at the next polls.

Even if that were not the case, if things have not gone in the direction the president promised as a candidate, it’s always a wise move to get heads rolling.

That time is now for Dr. Ruto.

While it’s not likely for the president to let go of certain members of his cabinet for political reasons, he should at least let go of those who are politically expendable and bring in fresh faces and doers who can help him turn things around.

Anything short of that is wallowing in a state of quagmire through the 2027 elections with a predictable outcome.

 

Ruto’s Opportunity to Change Kenya is Now

Missing in the piece but will be on the online version:

When asked for the reasons why the country is headed in the wrong direction, 89 percent cited the high cost of living while 34 percent cited unemployment.

The president can change all this almost overnight by (a) reshuffling the cabinet and removing deadwood and (b) waging a genuine war on corruption and going after thieves overstuffed with stolen money that must be returned to the coffers.

Yes, he can.

 

Let’s Have a Truce on Stolen Elections

In Let’s Have Truce on Stolen Elections, I make the case why. Excerpts:

Former US President Donald Trump has been singing like a canary bird that his election was stolen by President Joe Biden in 2020. Truth is—and he knows this, the now MAGA cult leader was trounced at the polls by Biden.

There are no buts and ifs about that and if in doubt, check with federal courts in the US, which dismissed all 60 cases Trump and his minions filed to challenge the election.

…

As in 2020, sober independents will save America from going to the dogs in 2024 by once again joining Democrats and rational Republicans in rejecting this person who many of his opponents call names not worth repeating.

Trump shouting from the mountains that he won the 2020 elections and that the elections were stolen from him is hollow and without any basis in fact.

Is the situation in Kenya the same or different? Have elections been stolen in Kenya since our independence? Of course. The only credible, free, and transparent elections we had was in 2002. Every election we have since has been marred with all manner of election irregularities, daylight robbery and in between with the highlight (or darkest) being 2007 following which the country almost went into a civil war.

In 2013, neither now retired President Uhuru Kenyatta nor Raila won the requisite 50 per cent+1 but Raila performed so poorly compared to 2007 the powers that be decided to dispense with round two and simply have Uhuru sworn in as president—and he was.

In 2017 the Supreme Court annulled the first elections of that year citing daylight robbery and other criminality.

In 2022, the apex court went a different direction by dismissing opposition leader Raila’s petition challenging the election of President William Ruto.

…

Given how emotionally and in some cases, how financially people are invested in their political trenches, it is unlikely one can be convinced to switch positions as to whether Raila was rigged out in 2022 or not.

People will continue to believe what they believe until the next election circle and beyond, and circle will likely repeat, unless something is done to end this madness once and for all.

That something is for both sides to call it a truce and let’s have a clean start for 2027, starting with reconstitution of the IEBC and, for God’s sake, at least have an agency that can deliver a credible election for which both winners and losers can say a job well done!

…

It sounds impossible but it can be done, otherwise we shall continue to go through these circles of violence and when there is no violence, absolute stagnation of economic activity owing to bickering and demonstrations that paralyse everything.

Is it worth it?

Let sober minds say no and do something about it.

 

Is Western Kenya the New Mountain?

The piece was truncated for space but here is what’s missing but will be in the full online version:

The recent goings on with State House operatives busy on the chessboard keeping everyone guessing and not getting it right and thinking they have it right but only to be proven wrong is surely something to behold.

Note Who hasn’t featured in this piece thus far? Yes, Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua. Where is Gachagua in all this heavy focus on Western Kenya as though Mt. Kenya is no longer relevant?
From my crystal ball, there is no success formula in Kenyan politics that would relegate Mt. Kenya to an has been, even in its current obviously disunited and disjointed state as we have never seen before.

Here’s a small suggestion I learned from a seasoned American politics long-term insider and advisor: When it comes to politics, pay little to no attention to what any clever politician says. Rather, pay attention to what they do.

Doing the latter will give you all the insights you need to know and figure out their next move in this political chess game we can’t help but enjoy watching from the sidelines.