Post by Otero on Oct 13, 2005 4:52:45 GMT 3
A Raila Presidency?
By Otero1
We have seen the Pro side with Raila sycophants giddy at the thought of a Raila Presidency. Setting aside for now the improbability of such an occurrence.
Let’s examine some of the cons.
Raila wants to be an imperial Prime minister not a president he is after all in love with all things British and they do not have a President.
Raila’s political party hopping is not just a case of political prostitution it also shows a man unable to work with his peers. A certain lack of musimamo and an unscrupulous quest for power. However we can set that aside and assume (hopefully) that if he becomes President the political promiscuity will end.
Raila is an autocrat and the LDP is really a personality cult not a political party. The leadership of Raila’s home province is dominated by his relatives and Raila brooks no dissent in LDP or Nyanza. Raila has been known to employ the Baghdad boys a vicious Kisumu gang to intimidate his political opponents at one time earning the nickname Mr. Violence. Moi detained Raila for plotting a coup in 1982 so Raila's democratic credentials are pretty thin. He views democracy as a possible tool to obtain personal power after which he would revert to his autocratic self.
Raila is a political stone thrower and historically such volatile firebrands are well suited for opposition politics but typically make poor leaders and managers.Examining Raila's track record he has so far been a mediocre manager.
The repair and reconstruction of Kenya's roads was put in Raila hands and it has stalled. That is despite the allocation of funds for road construction and repair. The Roads ministry under Raila did not use 70% of its recurrent budget for the past financial year and returned the money to the treasury. Considering the poor state of Kenyan roads this is either deliberate political sabotage or gross incompetence.
Cowboy contractors are back doing business with the ministry. Other serious cases of corruption like an attempt to steal Kshs 100 million have been uncovered. The ministry is said to be full of Luos and that Raila is shaking down contractors for campaign money a typical KANU tactic. Nepotisim and corruption hardly make one asuitable candidate for president.
For over a decade Raila has represented the people of Kibera in Parliament yet it remains one of the worst slums in the world. Raila has never brought forward any proposals or lifted a finger to help the people of Kibera. In fact Raila’s contribution to Kibera's welfare was to carry out a brutal program to demolition shacks built on road reserves. The campaign to clear the road reserves in Kibera and elsewhere was carried out so inhumanely that the Pope had to ask Kibaki to reign in the minister and put an end to the madness.
Perhaps we can say that the man is a visionary so let us look at his vision. We do not know what he wants apart from power. Raila has not put forward any plan to help the country. The only idea that Raila champions with any consistency is the concessioning of roads. The concessioning of roads is a terrible idea it seeks to create a two tier road systems in Kenya an excellent road system for the wealthy from which the poor will be barred by high tariffs and a poorer rundown system for everyone else.
The only positive aspect of a Raila presidency would be that his people would hopefully finally be able to stop politicking and we will be able to gauge what they can do. Raila and his supporter’s desperation for power would stop being a destabilizing force and Kenya would probably be able to move forward.
"The Wisdom of the many is your shield against tyranny. For when we turn to one another for counsel we reduce the number of our enemies." Kahlil Gibran
By Otero1
We have seen the Pro side with Raila sycophants giddy at the thought of a Raila Presidency. Setting aside for now the improbability of such an occurrence.
Let’s examine some of the cons.
Raila wants to be an imperial Prime minister not a president he is after all in love with all things British and they do not have a President.
Raila’s political party hopping is not just a case of political prostitution it also shows a man unable to work with his peers. A certain lack of musimamo and an unscrupulous quest for power. However we can set that aside and assume (hopefully) that if he becomes President the political promiscuity will end.
Raila is an autocrat and the LDP is really a personality cult not a political party. The leadership of Raila’s home province is dominated by his relatives and Raila brooks no dissent in LDP or Nyanza. Raila has been known to employ the Baghdad boys a vicious Kisumu gang to intimidate his political opponents at one time earning the nickname Mr. Violence. Moi detained Raila for plotting a coup in 1982 so Raila's democratic credentials are pretty thin. He views democracy as a possible tool to obtain personal power after which he would revert to his autocratic self.
Raila is a political stone thrower and historically such volatile firebrands are well suited for opposition politics but typically make poor leaders and managers.Examining Raila's track record he has so far been a mediocre manager.
The repair and reconstruction of Kenya's roads was put in Raila hands and it has stalled. That is despite the allocation of funds for road construction and repair. The Roads ministry under Raila did not use 70% of its recurrent budget for the past financial year and returned the money to the treasury. Considering the poor state of Kenyan roads this is either deliberate political sabotage or gross incompetence.
Cowboy contractors are back doing business with the ministry. Other serious cases of corruption like an attempt to steal Kshs 100 million have been uncovered. The ministry is said to be full of Luos and that Raila is shaking down contractors for campaign money a typical KANU tactic. Nepotisim and corruption hardly make one asuitable candidate for president.
For over a decade Raila has represented the people of Kibera in Parliament yet it remains one of the worst slums in the world. Raila has never brought forward any proposals or lifted a finger to help the people of Kibera. In fact Raila’s contribution to Kibera's welfare was to carry out a brutal program to demolition shacks built on road reserves. The campaign to clear the road reserves in Kibera and elsewhere was carried out so inhumanely that the Pope had to ask Kibaki to reign in the minister and put an end to the madness.
Perhaps we can say that the man is a visionary so let us look at his vision. We do not know what he wants apart from power. Raila has not put forward any plan to help the country. The only idea that Raila champions with any consistency is the concessioning of roads. The concessioning of roads is a terrible idea it seeks to create a two tier road systems in Kenya an excellent road system for the wealthy from which the poor will be barred by high tariffs and a poorer rundown system for everyone else.
The only positive aspect of a Raila presidency would be that his people would hopefully finally be able to stop politicking and we will be able to gauge what they can do. Raila and his supporter’s desperation for power would stop being a destabilizing force and Kenya would probably be able to move forward.
"The Wisdom of the many is your shield against tyranny. For when we turn to one another for counsel we reduce the number of our enemies." Kahlil Gibran