By Jackson Omondi
In what can only be interpreted as a fitting metaphor emblematic of the national catastrophe that is the Jubilee adminstration, one of their signature ‘Maendeleo chap chap’ projects came down in a rather disturbing fashion. Luckily and by the grace of God, for the innocent citizens of Budalangi, there were no casualties. But in 42 days, political casualties will litter the country as the voters register their displeasure at those who pocketed a cool 1.2 billion shillings including the local bloviator who sang himself hoarse over a project that was not only inflated by way of cost, but rushed for political expediency.
This political carnage occurred on a day that Jubilee misleaders gathered at Kasarani to launch their new set of empty promises. And boy, I must say that as one who puts together political scripts, those tasked with scribbling Jubilee’s so called manifesto had the uneviable task and misfortune of attempting to sanitize one of the worst records in history.
Save for the comfort of pocketing fat taxpayer-funded cheques, this must have been a herculean endeavor. Let’s plough through the political montage that inundated the people of Kenya for close to three hours.
Without batting an eyelid, the president claimed that thanks to his adminstration’s policies and future plans, the ‘Somali’ community were now better off than they were four years ago. And for specificity, he singled out issuance of IDs as a key ‘achievement.’ What he didn’t say was that his adminstration is the most anti-islam adminstration in the history of Kenya. Imams have been methodically eliminated in broad daylight while young men and women together with children have been bundled and stashed away in that very Kasarani that he was speaking from. Leaders like Governor Joho have openly been humiliated and bullied by state agents. To muslims around the country, watching him deliver that statement on Eid must have felt like a sick joke.
Another statement that rivalled a skit in a comedy show was the declaration that they are going to ‘build’ one industry in every county. Yes, they went ‘there.’ Kenyans are still waiting for the state-of-the-art stadia in marquee counties. But that’s besides the point. When the people of Kenya hear the word “building” coming from Jubilee, all they see are the numerous mega hotels being bought by the DP at every corner of the CBD in Nairobi while their own personal finances are in shambles.
They promised to create 1.3 million jobs per year and then delivered what could only be bought by a tourist from Mars – they have been creating 800,000 jobs per year! As a function of Jubilee’s terrible economic policies, banks have been reducing headcount, Supermarkets are going out of business and taking food off the tables of their employees, media houses have followed suit, the entire private sector is struggling thanks to state interference. The list is endless. In short, the 1.3 million jobs per year is a good bedtime story but flies in the face of reality.
The comedy didn’t end there, they actually doubled-down on the issue of education by claiming that day secondary schools will be free. This would be believable if it came from an administration that did not preside over record school closures and shortened school calenders just because they refused to honor the teachers’ wishes!
The talk about food security stung the most. Here was a president talking to a hungry nation about his plans for the next five years, yet, the people of Kenya can’t find Unga to feed their children much less feed themselves! It was a demonstration of chutzpah and sheer nerve.
In the end, those tasked with writing today’s empty and insulting promises tried their best to sugarcoat Jubilee’s pathetic record in order to eke out a more sunnier narrative with all manner of goodies and none-existent accomplishements. Not an easy feat. Unfortunately, the political mosaic left Jubilee looking like a clown in suspenders with a belt on.
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