By The Banana Peddler
After 2017 polls, President Raila Odinga will inherit more problems than any other leader has done in the world. The problems will become even more complicated when his government begins to fiddle with reforms. I am saying this because I have a premonition President Raila is not likely to be popular at least in his first tenure as President of the republic of Kenya.
The outgoing President Uhuru Kenyatta has sensed defeat. Our economy is at already on the brink and primed to crash soon because the current administration is preparing it to fail. Unemployment and poverty rule the roost in over 80 per cent of Kenyan households today. There is no electricity, no clean piped water, no motorable roads and no quality education for the majority. Our politics is among the dirtiest in Africa – and unsustainable. Only a revolution can reverse the current state of affairs.
The first thing I expect President Raila to do during his first 100 days in office is sack non performing top civil servants who were only employed based on tribe and other considerations and not merit, that will ensure balance regional balance in accordance with the constitution. I also expect my President to slash the salaries earned by public officeholders.
Since Salaries and Remuneration Commission (SRC) does not necessarily require the permission of parliament to determine salaries Raila should work closely with SRC. Parliamentarians, Cabinet Secretaries, Permanent Secretaries, Heads of parastatals and other public “servants” should not be allowed to plunder The Treasury by earning more than their statutory remunerations.
Restructuring Kenya is a task that Raila must carry out. Nonetheless, the job cannot be done with the input of the current national Assembly as presently constituted. The current legislature is the albatross on the neck of Kenya democracy. Raila must lead by example in reforming the system of government because the economy cannot take it. For heaven’s sake, why should 347 Members of National assembly, 47 Women Representatives, 47 Senators, 2400 MCAs – not including the nominated ones – along with their numerous aides, consume nearly Ksh1billion for doing nothing?
President Raila is not likely to perform as he would have done if the current administration were serious with reforms. Nothing gets done when imperative bills are rejected because their sponsors are from opposition. Our lawmakers are redundant and, at best, rubberstamps of the President.
I urge Kenyans to bear with our incoming President and give him time to sweep the dirt that would left behind by the current regime.
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