by Omar A Ali
________________
The first woman in history to ever hold the position of United States House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi visited the Middle East and among other countries and made an official visit to Syria. Pelosi who is the highest ranking Democrat in the United States had a meeting with the Syrian strongman President Bashar Assad in defiance of the United States president. This trip to Syria, a country considered a rogue state by the US President George Bush, was made despite the White House objections.
The visit and the meeting with the Syrian leader was an attempt by the head of the legislative branch of the US government to push the Bush administration to open a direct dialogue with Syria, a crucial step that the White House has rejected. Congressional Democrats who now control the Congress, insist that the U.S. attempts to isolate Syria have failed to force the Assad theocratic government to change its policies. Whether Mrs. Pelosi, third in line to the US presidency, and her high powered Congressional delegation to Syria will bear any fruits, the jury has just been sent out to deliberate. Pelosi trip emphasized the theory that you don’t make peace with your friend but with your enemy.
How does this issue relate to or have anything to do with Kenya, one might be tempted to ask? That would be a legitimate question. The answer is pretty simple. It is an important lesson to Kenya’s politicians where in a clear-cut scenario demonstrates the true separation of powers between the executive and the legislative branches in practice. This is not just in the books and or theory as is in many other democratic societies. In the world’s richest nation and the only superpower, each one of the three organs of government are separately empowered to check each other. When push comes to shove, the respective heads of the three organs, the President, the Speaker and the Chief Justice comfortably exercise their power and no one get hurts.
Now let us see, would such a scenario ever be envisaged in Kenya. The truth of the matter is that, such a setting would and could never happen in our country, ever. There is no way that the Speaker Francis X. Ole Kaparo despite his rhetoric talk and sometimes obnoxious defense of the House and its members dare to visit a country without being sanctioned by the State House. Traveling outside the country visiting a friendly nation, let alone a foe, without the permission of the Head of State through the PS, Secretary to the Cabinet and Head of the Civil Service, Francis Muthaura, will never ever happen. One minute please, I am singling out Mr. Kaparo. I am just using the former MP from Laikipia district as an example since he is the sitting speaker of the National Assembly. My point here is that, we can talk of democracy and the constitution as it relates to the three branches of the government pertaining to our specific situation until the cows come home without reaching anywhere. The fact of the matter is that what we have in Kenya is an all powerful presidency with dictatorial powers and authority.
As we stand right now, it will be inconceivable for the Speaker and the Members of Parliament to defy the country’s sitting president, should he stop them from traveling despite their supposedly independence form the executive. This would be despite the fact that such a trip would be beneficial to the country as is the case with Speaker Nancy Pelosi vis-a vis the United States foreign policy towards Syria and other Middle East countries.
Kenyans have time and time again been hearing opposition leading lights calling for minimums reforms in the pretext that they are seeking to level the political playing field for themselves. I have said this before and would repeat it here again today that the “minimum reforms” calls have more to do with the opposition leaders’ personal (either ‘individually or as a group) gains and very little to do with the average Kassim, Kamau, and Kavulu. The reason being that, whoever hopes and dreams to become president one day, they also want to enjoy the same benefits the Kenya’s defacto ‘imperial presidency’ bestows to the State House resident and his family.
The reforms which could make Kenya a better government, where the three branches are poised to be empowered equally is pretty simple. Let the reforms empower the Parliamentary Speaker have equal powers to that of the head of state and the judiciary. In addition let the reforms give our National Assembly the powers to vet some of the presidential appointments if not all of them. For instance, there is compelling need when it comes to the Judiciary branch, the appointment of the Chief Justice to that of the Justices of the Court of Appeal and the High Court Judges ought to be scrutinized and or vetted. Ambassadorial posts and chairmanships and or managing directorships of government corporations also need to be vetted by the legislature.
To put it simply, as a nation we will not advance where we have a situation where the Chief Justice of the country becomes the instrument of the executive who is out there to advance the interests of the executive as opposed to that of the nation. The US Attorney General Alberto Gonzales is a perfect example wher instead of being the country’s AG he is seen behaving as if he is President Bush’s legal adviser.
In addition, let our National Assembly play its important role and not become an exclusive club of members who are only interested in feeding and making their matumbo bigger and fatty by increasing their remuneration. Also, we need to have a House Speaker with real powers and not just powerless but with glorious position.
_________________________
Kenya and the cancer of tribalism:
Tribalism is the melanoma that will always continue to hinder Kenya’s developments in all the spheres. This dreadful cancer we all know was started by none other than the country’s founding President Mzee Jomo Kenyatta. It was then perfected by his protégé and predecessor former President Daniel arap Moi. And sadly, it still continues to thrive under the current President Mwai Kibaki and Moi number two for a decade. Kibaki’s defenders can deny it, but the fact of that matter is that Kenyans are not stupid, dumb and blind. They are seeing tribalism and nepotism being practiced openly in daylight with no impunity.
For instance, is it just a mere coincidence that all top positions in the two key ministries of Finance and Education are manned by members of the president’s community? Is this just a happenstance? What about the Judiciary and the Kenya Revenue Authority? To put it mildly what we have is a systematic exercise (which we Kenyans have perfected) in favoring our respective kinsmen for appointments and employment whenever we get the chance. This is from the State House down to the sole proprietorship business.
It is no consolation that the Government through the State Minister for Public Service Moses Akaranga is seen to have bowed to pressure and supposedly formed a taskforce to look into allegations of tribalism in appointments to the Civil Service and State corporations.
Kenyans have no choice but to wait and see what the task force is going to do. But I can say the supposedly task force will not undo the current appointments nor effect the future appointments and you can take that to the bank. Yes today the Mount Kenya people dominate Kibaki government, tomorrow if Kalonzo Musyoka or Raila Odinga wins the presidency; their governments will be dominated by Kambas and Luos respectively. When will this cycle end, or will it ever end?
Separately I would add that, former president Moi should be the last person to counsel Kenyans when it comes to shunning tribalism. He is in fact insulting Kenyans when he issues his advice on this subject. Listen to Mr. Moi talking: "I need not tell you what tribalism can do to a nation. It is dangerous and you need to be careful." Keep on listening: "Let us be like Christ who loved everyone while he was on Earth regardless of race or creed." Is he repenting or wishing that the Kalengins were in power so that the favors are again bestowed to them.
______________________
University at the Coast
Finally my native Coast province will soon benefit for having an institute of higher learning, thanks in part to the Royal government of King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia. The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia through the Governor of Riyadh has agreed to contribute the equivalent of US$10 million towards the establishment of what is poised to the newest fully-fledged university in Kenya.
During his state visit to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia after attending the 19th Arab league summit, President Mwai Kibaki was able to secure development assistance of more than KShs 6 billion for the country. On arrival from the visit, the head of state said in part: “Foremost is the establishment of a fully-fledged university at the Coast province and construction of the Garissa- Modagashe road.”
The State House based Presidential Press Service in its press release notes in part: “With regard to the establishment of a fully-fledged Coast University, President Kibaki said the Saudi Fund will contribute 10 million Dollars towards the co-financing of the university, adding that the Kenya Government and other development partners are also expected to contribute to the Coast University project”.
This must have been the greatest news to all the Coast people if not the entire country as the university although to be base in Pwani is open to every Kenyan. President Mwai Kibaki ought to be given credit for making this life long dream for many Coastal natives a reality. Mzee Jomo Kenyatta had fifteen years and his predecessor Daniel arap Moi almost a quarter of a century and they did nothing when it came to improving the education standard in our region and ensuring that the province had a public university. In less than five years, Kibaki has made it possible and it will soon become a reality. And as the Muslims would say, Insha’Allah very soon the region would benefit with the presence of a university within our neck of our woods.
The idea of having a university in my native region is very dear to me. I treasure it because forty years after independence Coast now has a full fledged university or even a satellite campus. The education marginalization (amongst other marginalization) of the region by the governments of Jomo Kenyatta and Daniel arap Moi had systematically isolated its people.
Boldly Speaking:
Time is still on his side with the chance of a re-election. If he can put his house in order, President Kibaki has the potential to become one of the greatest presidents of Kenya and the region. Start by shunning tribalism; take leadership in giving Kenyans a new constitution and deal head-on with corruption by letting the pieces fall as they may.
The visit and the meeting with the Syrian leader was an attempt by the head of the legislative branch of the US government to push the Bush administration to open a direct dialogue with Syria, a crucial step that the White House has rejected. Congressional Democrats who now control the Congress, insist that the U.S. attempts to isolate Syria have failed to force the Assad theocratic government to change its policies. Whether Mrs. Pelosi, third in line to the US presidency, and her high powered Congressional delegation to Syria will bear any fruits, the jury has just been sent out to deliberate. Pelosi trip emphasized the theory that you don’t make peace with your friend but with your enemy.
How does this issue relate to or have anything to do with Kenya, one might be tempted to ask? That would be a legitimate question. The answer is pretty simple. It is an important lesson to Kenya’s politicians where in a clear-cut scenario demonstrates the true separation of powers between the executive and the legislative branches in practice. This is not just in the books and or theory as is in many other democratic societies. In the world’s richest nation and the only superpower, each one of the three organs of government are separately empowered to check each other. When push comes to shove, the respective heads of the three organs, the President, the Speaker and the Chief Justice comfortably exercise their power and no one get hurts.
Now let us see, would such a scenario ever be envisaged in Kenya. The truth of the matter is that, such a setting would and could never happen in our country, ever. There is no way that the Speaker Francis X. Ole Kaparo despite his rhetoric talk and sometimes obnoxious defense of the House and its members dare to visit a country without being sanctioned by the State House. Traveling outside the country visiting a friendly nation, let alone a foe, without the permission of the Head of State through the PS, Secretary to the Cabinet and Head of the Civil Service, Francis Muthaura, will never ever happen. One minute please, I am singling out Mr. Kaparo. I am just using the former MP from Laikipia district as an example since he is the sitting speaker of the National Assembly. My point here is that, we can talk of democracy and the constitution as it relates to the three branches of the government pertaining to our specific situation until the cows come home without reaching anywhere. The fact of the matter is that what we have in Kenya is an all powerful presidency with dictatorial powers and authority.
As we stand right now, it will be inconceivable for the Speaker and the Members of Parliament to defy the country’s sitting president, should he stop them from traveling despite their supposedly independence form the executive. This would be despite the fact that such a trip would be beneficial to the country as is the case with Speaker Nancy Pelosi vis-a vis the United States foreign policy towards Syria and other Middle East countries.
Kenyans have time and time again been hearing opposition leading lights calling for minimums reforms in the pretext that they are seeking to level the political playing field for themselves. I have said this before and would repeat it here again today that the “minimum reforms” calls have more to do with the opposition leaders’ personal (either ‘individually or as a group) gains and very little to do with the average Kassim, Kamau, and Kavulu. The reason being that, whoever hopes and dreams to become president one day, they also want to enjoy the same benefits the Kenya’s defacto ‘imperial presidency’ bestows to the State House resident and his family.
The reforms which could make Kenya a better government, where the three branches are poised to be empowered equally is pretty simple. Let the reforms empower the Parliamentary Speaker have equal powers to that of the head of state and the judiciary. In addition let the reforms give our National Assembly the powers to vet some of the presidential appointments if not all of them. For instance, there is compelling need when it comes to the Judiciary branch, the appointment of the Chief Justice to that of the Justices of the Court of Appeal and the High Court Judges ought to be scrutinized and or vetted. Ambassadorial posts and chairmanships and or managing directorships of government corporations also need to be vetted by the legislature.
To put it simply, as a nation we will not advance where we have a situation where the Chief Justice of the country becomes the instrument of the executive who is out there to advance the interests of the executive as opposed to that of the nation. The US Attorney General Alberto Gonzales is a perfect example wher instead of being the country’s AG he is seen behaving as if he is President Bush’s legal adviser.
In addition, let our National Assembly play its important role and not become an exclusive club of members who are only interested in feeding and making their matumbo bigger and fatty by increasing their remuneration. Also, we need to have a House Speaker with real powers and not just powerless but with glorious position.
_________________________
Kenya and the cancer of tribalism:
Tribalism is the melanoma that will always continue to hinder Kenya’s developments in all the spheres. This dreadful cancer we all know was started by none other than the country’s founding President Mzee Jomo Kenyatta. It was then perfected by his protégé and predecessor former President Daniel arap Moi. And sadly, it still continues to thrive under the current President Mwai Kibaki and Moi number two for a decade. Kibaki’s defenders can deny it, but the fact of that matter is that Kenyans are not stupid, dumb and blind. They are seeing tribalism and nepotism being practiced openly in daylight with no impunity.
For instance, is it just a mere coincidence that all top positions in the two key ministries of Finance and Education are manned by members of the president’s community? Is this just a happenstance? What about the Judiciary and the Kenya Revenue Authority? To put it mildly what we have is a systematic exercise (which we Kenyans have perfected) in favoring our respective kinsmen for appointments and employment whenever we get the chance. This is from the State House down to the sole proprietorship business.
It is no consolation that the Government through the State Minister for Public Service Moses Akaranga is seen to have bowed to pressure and supposedly formed a taskforce to look into allegations of tribalism in appointments to the Civil Service and State corporations.
Kenyans have no choice but to wait and see what the task force is going to do. But I can say the supposedly task force will not undo the current appointments nor effect the future appointments and you can take that to the bank. Yes today the Mount Kenya people dominate Kibaki government, tomorrow if Kalonzo Musyoka or Raila Odinga wins the presidency; their governments will be dominated by Kambas and Luos respectively. When will this cycle end, or will it ever end?
Separately I would add that, former president Moi should be the last person to counsel Kenyans when it comes to shunning tribalism. He is in fact insulting Kenyans when he issues his advice on this subject. Listen to Mr. Moi talking: "I need not tell you what tribalism can do to a nation. It is dangerous and you need to be careful." Keep on listening: "Let us be like Christ who loved everyone while he was on Earth regardless of race or creed." Is he repenting or wishing that the Kalengins were in power so that the favors are again bestowed to them.
______________________
University at the Coast
Finally my native Coast province will soon benefit for having an institute of higher learning, thanks in part to the Royal government of King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia. The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia through the Governor of Riyadh has agreed to contribute the equivalent of US$10 million towards the establishment of what is poised to the newest fully-fledged university in Kenya.
During his state visit to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia after attending the 19th Arab league summit, President Mwai Kibaki was able to secure development assistance of more than KShs 6 billion for the country. On arrival from the visit, the head of state said in part: “Foremost is the establishment of a fully-fledged university at the Coast province and construction of the Garissa- Modagashe road.”
The State House based Presidential Press Service in its press release notes in part: “With regard to the establishment of a fully-fledged Coast University, President Kibaki said the Saudi Fund will contribute 10 million Dollars towards the co-financing of the university, adding that the Kenya Government and other development partners are also expected to contribute to the Coast University project”.
This must have been the greatest news to all the Coast people if not the entire country as the university although to be base in Pwani is open to every Kenyan. President Mwai Kibaki ought to be given credit for making this life long dream for many Coastal natives a reality. Mzee Jomo Kenyatta had fifteen years and his predecessor Daniel arap Moi almost a quarter of a century and they did nothing when it came to improving the education standard in our region and ensuring that the province had a public university. In less than five years, Kibaki has made it possible and it will soon become a reality. And as the Muslims would say, Insha’Allah very soon the region would benefit with the presence of a university within our neck of our woods.
The idea of having a university in my native region is very dear to me. I treasure it because forty years after independence Coast now has a full fledged university or even a satellite campus. The education marginalization (amongst other marginalization) of the region by the governments of Jomo Kenyatta and Daniel arap Moi had systematically isolated its people.
Boldly Speaking:
Time is still on his side with the chance of a re-election. If he can put his house in order, President Kibaki has the potential to become one of the greatest presidents of Kenya and the region. Start by shunning tribalism; take leadership in giving Kenyans a new constitution and deal head-on with corruption by letting the pieces fall as they may.
Sources: Sunday Times
BOLD Scripts column
April, 8, 2007
No comments:
Post a Comment