Fury over veterans much ado about nothing

Former Prime Minister Raila Odinga. He has called on Africa’s leaders to put greater emphasis on a continental unity that promotes respect for human rights and dignity, economic prosperity, national unity and homeland security. Photo/File  

In Summary

• If the cacophonous din caused by the recent parastatal appointments is anything to go by, then I fear for the elderly office-holders”

By Hilary Muthuma

Traditional African society venerated age and elders were held in high esteem. They were seen as the repositories of communal wisdom and knowledge.

Indeed, the Council of Elders was the supreme legislative, judicial and executive authority in practically all African communities and their decisions were final and binding. Being designated an elder was the highest honour one could achieve. But that was then.

If the cacophonous din, especially from the digital generation, caused by the recent parastatal appointments is anything to go by, then I fear for the elderly office-holders.

One gets the feeling that it is almost morally reprehensible for these ‘dinosaurs’ to even be seen hovering around the corridors of power as though they are angling for appointment to public office.

There seems to be the mistaken belief (yes, mistaken) that the elders have nothing more to contribute, that they should just idle away their remaining days regaling their grandchildren with tales of their past glory, or better still, writing their memoirs.

But our national dialogue, if one can call it that, should be focused on the ability to deliver rather than the age factor. Many world leaders such as Mandela who began his presidency in his 80s did a sterling job. Jomo Kenyatta began his in his 70s and Kenya did prosper under him.

This is the same absurd logic that informs the calls for Raila’s retirement from active politics, yet age has not rendered him less of a reformist!

Most board chairmen in the private sector are actually in this category. The digital generation must be disabused of the belief that they have a monopoly on knowledge!

The Lapsset project, for instance, was conceived by President Kibaki with his fellow octogenarians — I suppose Mr Francis Muthaura was among them.

The tough traffic rules that brought some semblance of sanity to the matatu industry were introduced by John Michuki in 2004 at the age of 72, before he passed on at 80 in 2012. (Show me anyone in the digital generation to match him!)

Besides, the appointments are for chairpersons which — I stand to be corrected — are non-executive. One hopes the CEOs, who are the ones who actually run these parastatals, will be younger and reflect regional balance among other concerns.

There is a sense of entitlement among a section of Jubilee supporters, and therein lies the problem. That candidates of their choice were not appointed is the cause of the howls of protest and outrage.

Patronage the world over is a reality in politics. Jubilee may have boxed itself into a corner with its promises of generational change, but the President and his deputy must contend with realpolitik; they must reward even those election losers and retirees because they stood by them in their hour of need.

I suspect they will be much more alive to the criticisms directed at them in their next round of appointments. It would, however, be naïve to expect them to revoke the ones they have already made.

Mr Muthuma is an editor with Focus Publishers (hilgits@gmail.com)