By Antony Oyugi
DEAR RAILA ODINGA
It’s over one year since the famous handshake with your brother Uhuru Kenyatta. As is common practice in business and education circles, we ought to do a report card on the returns of this handshake
As you and your brother have consistently said, the handshake was about uniting Kenyans, fighting corruption, addressing Kenyans’ plight especially the cost of living and other issues. Let me do my assessment
National Cohesion and Unity
Are Kenyans more united after the handshake. Methinks this unity is more of a mask. We’re hiding behind some realities. We just shifted goal posts. Most of your supporters moved into the national unity singing bandwagon but don’t sincerely believe in this charade. They sing national unity just to mock William Ruto and his supporters. As your supporters sing national unity, Ruto’s supporters have shifted into a fragmented Kenya. State jobs are still being dished out based on ethnicity. We needed a cleansing of appointments. Not trying to strike a balance by ignoring one tribe in new appointments. The latest appointments are particularly embarrassing!
Has the cost of living been brought under control
I fear that the cost of living is going higher. Remember that you were at the forefront supporting further taxation. You gave Uhuru certain conditions to be met within one year. We’re about four months to that deadline. He hasn’t met any of the conditions and you’ll do nothing about it. We’re borrowing more and you’re starting to identify yourself with this extravagant borrowing. You’ve actually endorsed the SGR project which you previously opposed. Economically speaking, the economy is ‘growing’ on paper. The man on the ground isn’t feeling this growth
Corruption
Corruption remains a problem in Kenya. It’s true there’s some forward movement but it’s quite slow. More action is needed. It’s however disturbing when you endorse fishy deals like Huduma Namba which is being undertaken by a blacklisted company. Corruption at devolved government is also not being adequately addressed. Wastage and outright corruption is still rampant at all levels of government, the legislature and the judiciary
Rule of Law
Uhuru continues to go against the law by for instance getting into loan agreements without the approval of Parliament. We’re yet to see justice for Baby Pendo, Chris Msando and others. I’m also of the view that you forgot about IEBC reforms and going after those who messed up in the last elections. We’re still seeing political party officials holding positions in government and state corporations. State jobs are also being given out without adhering to the principle of national inclusivity
From the above, my assessment is that you’ve scored a D+ if we look at what you and your supporters are gaining from the handshake. Uhuru has scored a B. Basically he has gained more. He has got political goodwill and more numbers support him. He has managed to have you endorse his blunders or keep quiet altogether
In conclusion, you need to sit down with Uhuru and re-evaluate this relationship
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