Future prospects bleak, but we can’t give in yet

President Uhuru Kenyatta with his Eastern African counterparts, President Pierre Nkurunziza, President Jakaya Kikwete, President Yoweri Museveni and President Paul Kagame. Countries in the East African Community are Wednesday expected to roll out the Single Customs Territory in a plan that could potentially cut down the cost of doing business in the region. PHOTO/FILE 

 

In Summary

• Still others will flock into churches to pray for the country and to thank God for having allowed them to cross over to 2014.
• Taking stock is a positive step towards identifying what should have been done differently or what could have brought about different outcomes.
• Is it any wonder that in one opinion poll, Kenyans overwhelmingly indicated the high cost of living was uppermost in their minds?

A second after midnight, millions all over the world will usher in the New Year with beer, champagne, song and dance in social places, while some of the elderly will sit quietly at home watching the events unfolding on their TV screens.

Still others will flock into churches to pray for the country and to thank God for having allowed them to cross over to 2014.

All will be celebrating the end of one period in their life’s journey and welcoming the beginning of another, and while at it, reflecting on the events that shaped the past year, the failures, successes and prospects for the future.

This introspection is healthy.

Taking stock is a positive step towards identifying what should have been done differently or what could have brought about different outcomes.

But it can also be painful, which explains why people make New Year resolutions to do better and try harder.

However, the events of this past year do not give much hope for a brighter future, although, to be sure, it would be premature to give in to despair just because things did not work out quite the way they were expected to when Kenya embraced a new Constitution three years ago, and went into a successful election early in the year.

To be sure, the year started on a high note when there was a peaceful change of guard, ushering in a relatively youthful team.

However, the new leaders seem to have started floundering right from the word go by giving in to blatant blackmail by MPs demanding obscene salaries and perks.

What this meant was that the MPs became bolder and now seem bent on tyrannising the rest of the country and other institutions of governance. This should never be countenanced in a democracy.

Another seeming failure is that members of the Judiciary spent an inordinate amount of time bickering with each other or with the Executive, and a lot less on comprehensive reforms promised by the Constitution.

The huge perks the Judicial Service Commission assigned itself in sitting allowances only served to erode its image further.

Sword of Damocles

On the economic front, a major mistake was made with the passage of the VAT Bill, which, as a few economists had repeatedly pointed out, would have the effect of pushing up the prices of almost everything.

Is it any wonder that in one opinion poll, Kenyans overwhelmingly indicated the high cost of living was uppermost in their minds?

Nevertheless, this is still a young government, which has been buffeted by weekly crises.

If it is not one group of employees after another agitating for higher pay, then it is terrorists mowing down innocent people in a shopping mall or on matatus.

And then, of course, there is the International Criminal Court cases that have been hanging over the heads of both President Kenyatta and Deputy President Ruto like the Sword of Damocles, ensuring they have little time to concentrate on solving the country’s intractable problems.

All in all, the verdict on the government so far is not very encouraging, but if the leadership can avoid the obvious mistakes they have been making by endorsing self-serving amendment Bills, there is still hope for a much brighter 2014.