Post by Ed on Nov 29, 2005 19:29:10 GMT 3
Kibaki government: what next?
By Edward Muiru
November 25, 2005
In my opinion, President Kibaki made the right
decision to dissolve the government. Given the
emotionally driven and sectarian voting at the
national referendum, plus perceived low faith in his
government, he needed to make such a decision.
In his new appointments:
1. He should only appoint individuals with whom he can
work with as a team and ones most capable of serving
Kenyans.
2. He must not appoint people whose purpose is to
divide Kenya along any sectarian lines.
3. He should consider his legacy, having been
overwhelmingly elected as the President of the country
in 2002. None of the others were.
4. He must not be too much concerned with 2007 or post
2007. If the government he so appoints delivers
services in good, timely, and cohesive manner, other
things will fall in place.
5. For now, he must not touch the issue of the
constitution. Too much has been lost by his
administration and country due to it. Let him honor
the people’s choice: to remain with the current
constitution, until that time they, or political
environment, is ready for a more honest writing of a
constitution.
6. He must re-energize and invigorate those who
support him and his government. He shouldn’t
necessarily exclude the rest but he must work from his
agenda, which comes directly from the mandate of 2002.
7. He must realize that there is a lot of political
noise and high temperatures in the country and a lot
of it is not necessary, constructive, or truthful. He,
therefore, with the new cabinet, must ignore this
noise and attendant waste, which will only grow with
the new appointments.
8. He now knows much more clearly who his supporters
and well-meaning people are, and the voting patterns
of the people. That ethnicity, low trust in
government, emotionalism, surface approach to issues,
and appeal to personalities are still major issues. He
then must organize his government accordingly.
9. He should see the process and outcome of the
referendum as a show of resilience of the country, its
people, and a process of weeding out wheat from
‘chaff.’ He now knows who he can work with.
10. That, ultimately, the major purpose of government
is addressing people’s pressing issues, all across the
country, and that NO leaders, though they may have
successfully led opposition to the constitution issue,
are unlikely to be elected to the highest office on
land, and more so are less likely to show tangible
results of their three years in government and even
political career. Some are merely protecting their
past.
11. That while his governments’ performance leaves
much to be desired, it took over from a very negative
position, has laid down substantial foundations, and
now needs to move on to the next stage of ensuring
that social and economic gains are seen and felt by
all, all across the country.
By Edward Muiru
November 25, 2005
In my opinion, President Kibaki made the right
decision to dissolve the government. Given the
emotionally driven and sectarian voting at the
national referendum, plus perceived low faith in his
government, he needed to make such a decision.
In his new appointments:
1. He should only appoint individuals with whom he can
work with as a team and ones most capable of serving
Kenyans.
2. He must not appoint people whose purpose is to
divide Kenya along any sectarian lines.
3. He should consider his legacy, having been
overwhelmingly elected as the President of the country
in 2002. None of the others were.
4. He must not be too much concerned with 2007 or post
2007. If the government he so appoints delivers
services in good, timely, and cohesive manner, other
things will fall in place.
5. For now, he must not touch the issue of the
constitution. Too much has been lost by his
administration and country due to it. Let him honor
the people’s choice: to remain with the current
constitution, until that time they, or political
environment, is ready for a more honest writing of a
constitution.
6. He must re-energize and invigorate those who
support him and his government. He shouldn’t
necessarily exclude the rest but he must work from his
agenda, which comes directly from the mandate of 2002.
7. He must realize that there is a lot of political
noise and high temperatures in the country and a lot
of it is not necessary, constructive, or truthful. He,
therefore, with the new cabinet, must ignore this
noise and attendant waste, which will only grow with
the new appointments.
8. He now knows much more clearly who his supporters
and well-meaning people are, and the voting patterns
of the people. That ethnicity, low trust in
government, emotionalism, surface approach to issues,
and appeal to personalities are still major issues. He
then must organize his government accordingly.
9. He should see the process and outcome of the
referendum as a show of resilience of the country, its
people, and a process of weeding out wheat from
‘chaff.’ He now knows who he can work with.
10. That, ultimately, the major purpose of government
is addressing people’s pressing issues, all across the
country, and that NO leaders, though they may have
successfully led opposition to the constitution issue,
are unlikely to be elected to the highest office on
land, and more so are less likely to show tangible
results of their three years in government and even
political career. Some are merely protecting their
past.
11. That while his governments’ performance leaves
much to be desired, it took over from a very negative
position, has laid down substantial foundations, and
now needs to move on to the next stage of ensuring
that social and economic gains are seen and felt by
all, all across the country.