Nairobi County askaris arrest a Mwiki city bound matatu tout for allegedly flouting traffic rules on Moi Avenue in Nairobi, Kenya on June 21, 2016. PHOTO | FILE | NMG
The following are stories that have dominated mainstream media in recent times. Fake fertiliser and attempts by powerful politicians to kill the story.
A nation of bribes, and the government ministries and corporations where the vice is so routine that it has the semblance of policy. Irregular spending of billions in Nairobi County.
Billions spent in all counties on domestic and foreign travel. Grabbing of land belonging to state corporations, a scam reminiscent of the Kanu era when even public toilets would be grabbed. Crisis in the health and education sectors.
Tribalism in hiring for state jobs. Return of construction in riparian lands and natural water ways. Relocation of major businesses because of high cost of power and heavy taxation. A tax regime that is so punitive, it squeezes life out of small businesses. Etc, ad nauseam.
To be fair, these stories of thievery, mismanagement, negligence, incompetence and greed have been present in all administrations since independence.
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However, instead of the cynically-named “mama mboga” government reversing this gradual slide towards state failure, it is fuelling it.
Alternately, it’s campaigning for 2027 or gallivanting all over the world, evoking the legend of Emperor Nero playing the violin as Rome burned.
A government is run on the basis of strict adherence to policies and laws. It appoints the most competent personnel, irrespective of tribe, to run efficient departments which have clear-cut goals.
It aligns education to its national vision. Its strategies to achieve food security should be driven by the best brains and guided by innovative policies. It enacts policies that attract investment and incentivize building of businesses. It treats any kind of thievery or negligence as sabotage.
Government is not a political party. Government officials should have nothing to do with political party matters. In fact, they should be so engaged in their government duties that they literally would not have time for party issues. Government jobs should not be used to reward girlfriends and cronies.
Government is exhausting work undertaken because of a passion to transform lives, not for the trappings of power. Government is not endless campaigning to win the next election. To his credit, Mwai Kibaki left party matters alone until he had to run for re-election.
We have corrupted the meaning of government. We have parliamentarians beholden to their tribes, not to ideas.
We have incompetent and corrupt judges. We have a civil service where you bribe to be served. Police take bribes to allow death traps on our roads. We have urban planners who plan nothing except how to line their pockets. We have regulatory agencies that regulate nothing, including the intake of their fat stomachs.
We have advisers who advise on which tenders should go to whom. There is no central organising ethos at the heart of government. There is no sense of national purpose. We have flurries of national activities, policies, legislation, appointments which don’t lead to meaningful growth. We just run on the same spot.
Tee Ngugi is a Nairobi-based political commentator
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