Kenya: NASA issued yesterday on progress of NASA Technical committee (06.04.2017)

MBS Espisu defends Secretaries role at rallies; Is the Secretaries role to be loyal to the President or to the People?

It isn’t everyday there is election and that the Spokesperson for the Presidency of Kenya are benign and default by the values of governance and who the government are. Therefore, the defense from the spokesperson proves how little they care for accountability and transparency, as the Cabinet Secretaries and Permanent Secretaries takes parts of Election Rallies in Kenya, as the Jubilee Government doesn’t care about their neglect of opposition and that they are supposed to represent all Kenyans, not just the voters of the Jubilee Party. But hey! Manoah Esipisu the spokesperson is clearly seeking a pay-rise and bonuses for his loyalty to Uhuru Kenyatta and Deputy William Ruto.

The Kenyan Public Service Act of 2015 says this in the Subsection 8 (1A and 1B):

“Transparency and provision to the public of timely accurate information

(1) A public officer shall not—

(a) give information that the public officer knows or ought to know to be inaccurate; or

(b) unduly delay the provision of any information where required to provide that information” (Laws of Kenya, 2015).

Why do I start with that enacted law of Public Service, since the Manoah Esipisu, feels like it is okay that the ones in Public Office, as Principal Secretaries and Cabinet Secretaries attending the Election rallies, as they are still giving away information that counters with the Public Service Act of 2015, would that be justified by the Spokesperson of the State House. Please take a look at his genius reasoning!

Public servants participating in politics

Second, Let me respond to your questions on whether public servants are playing politics by speaking at public barazas or interacting with citizens and talking about the direction our country is heading. First, public servants, including Cabinet Secretaries, Principal Secretaries and other senior staff cadre have a duty of accountability to the Kenyan people. They have to account on the progress the administration of President Uhuru Kenyatta has made since taking office; they have to account for the trillions of shillings in taxes collected from the Kenyan people and invested in infrastructure development and other services; and they have to account for the confidence invested in them by the Kenyan people. Why are they supporting the President and the Jubilee administration, some of you have asked? Because they are accountable to the President who appointed them in the first place, and whose vision of service to the Kenyan people it is their duty to operationalise. And why would they appear to be directly campaigning for the President? No, they are not campaigning. They are merely describing the investments made under President Kenyatta and the impact thereof, and why therefore it is important for the President to be re-elected to continue with the task of transforming Kenya. For us, it is really a question of accountability. It is precisely because public officers are speaking more that the country acknowledges that Kenya is irreversibly transforming” (President.co.ke, 2017).

I agree with the State House Spokesperson that the Cabinet and Principal Secretaries has to account to the citizens. That is necessary and is expected. Therefore, they have other duties than standing on stage and promoting their jobs, instead of working tireless for the citizens. It is hard to say they are not campaigning, when they are taking parts and participating at the rallies. Are the appointed secretaries fish out of water? Since they are swimming in the sea, but not feeling the water. That is the reasoning of the Spokesperson, wouldn’t they defend Kenyatta and Ruto on the podium in Eldoret, Nakuru or Thika.

The disrespectful idea that they first have to be accountable for the President and therefore has to show up at rallies, is what he said at one point. A point he used before “no, they are not campaigning”, still they are firstly representing the people, secondly their appointed by the President. The President is also representing people and gotten his place because of the citizens. So they are all not really playing their parts, as secretaries as they supposed to be there as civil servants and not as subjects under the President.

As the Constitution of Kenya of 2010 Stems for Section 152. (3) says: “A Cabinet Secretary shall not be a Member of Parliament”. With this statement in the law, means that the Cabinet Secretaries nomination as all a favor of their merits and their judgment in their field. If they we’re qualified, the President wouldn’t appoint the person. Therefore, the decision to take part of the rallies, show they are more loyal to the President, than to the Kenyan people.

Because if they take part of Jubilee Rallies only and not even parts of Cord/NASA rallies, than their respect as representing all citizens of Kenya is gone, than they are just loyal subjects to Kenyatta who appointed them. Is the message the Kenyan voters needs to know months ahead of the coming elections? That they are not obligated to inform the Cord/NASA electorate, only the Jubilee? Isn’t that the mere effort and effect of having the Cabinet Secretaries and Principal Secretaries attending rallies, to show flex and have the strength that the opposition parties doesn’t have?

I have to ask a very stupid question to the Spokesperson Manoah Esipisu, who pays the Cabinet Secretaries and Principal Secretaries? Is the President and his Political Party or is it the State Coffers and the tax-payers monies? Since the initial loyalty shouldn’t be to only the man who saw faith in you, but also to where the paycheck comes from. The Secretaries are paid by the guidelines of Public Service, means they are serving the public first with needed services. They are not existing because Kenyatta needs people to greet and pose with at Voi, Kitui or Lodwar. That could happen, but shouldn’t be their sole mission as public servants.

That the Secretaries has a mission to the state, as effect of the works of the ministries, because of that be accountable to the citizens, is clear-cut, since they represent the people in the works and their efforts at their respected fields. Still, they shouldn’t be participating in partisan rallies for either the ones seeking re-election or the ones trying to force them out.

So I cannot support the efforts made by MBS Manoah Esipisu, who serves Kenyatta diligently, but does not serve his purpose as civil servant. Esipisu shows loyalty to Kenyatta, before the best of knowledge to the Kenyan people. Peace.

Reference:

President.go. – ‘Spokesperson’s Weekly Briefing, Eldoret State Lodge, 2nd April 2017’ (02.04.2017) link: http://www.president.go.ke/2017/04/02/spokespersons-weekly-briefing-eldoret-state-lodge-2nd-april-2017/

Laws of Kenya – ‘PUBLIC SERVICE (VALUES AND PRINCIPLES) ACT’ – No.1A of 2015

 

 

Kenya: Raila answers Uhuru on post- election violence claims (Footage)

NASA/CORD Statement: “the Country is a facing a serious Electoral Debacle and a Constitutional Crisis of moustrous proportions” (22.03.2017)

Kenya: “Re: Termination of Tender No. IEBC/32/2016-2017: For Supply, Delivery, Installation, Testing, Commissioning and Support of the Kenya Integrated Elections Management Systems (KIEMS)” (21.03.2017)

Opinion: Kenyatta’s outburst in Turkana County isn’t worthy of any President, Uhuru should apologize to the people of Turkana!

“My concern is not leadership… My concern is to initiate projects that will change the lives of Kenyans… If you think you can threaten me, look for someone else. I will seek votes from you like any other person… whether you vote for us or not. It will not be the end of the world”Uhuru Kenyatta in Turkana in 8th March rally there!

That the current President of Kenya Uhuru Kenyatta of the Jubilee Alliance Party who is starting the rallies for the General Election of August 2017. The President was in Turkana County as the man with the plan, but suddenly as the Governor Josephat Nanok addressed the government and their ways of taking funds from the County. This is county that has about a 1 million citizens, maybe not Kalenjin or Kikuyu, but still Kenyan citizens. So Kenyatta still represent these people if he likes it or not. The Elmoro and other pastoral tribes still deserve his service delivery.

As the press release after the visit of the county was even saying this:

“President Uhuru Kenyatta has criticised Turkana Governor Joseph Nanok, saying the arid county had little to show for more than Kshs 40 billion of devolved funds disbursed over the last four years. President Kenyatta said the ODM-led county was a shameful example of poor service delivery to Kenyans” (President.go.ke, 2017).

So that he in heated words to the public in Turkana had to even dismiss the governor and his opposition party. That shows that he forget his own place as his government hasn’t really showed that much acts or delivery to the Council of Governors who has even address the lack of funds. Therefore, that his address of Turkana Governor Nanok is weak tea.

That the Turkana people deserved better from their President, is without a doubt. It is the governors wish and will to get more for his county, as much the President wants more his nation when he do deals with foreign nations. Therefore, Kenyatta had to a few years back defended the sugar-agreement with Uganda. Surely, people have forgotten that trade and border trade with Uganda. Still, the Turkana County Governor is only defending his own record and his own county. The President is allowed to do the same, but for someone who is now rallying for his second term, these sort of words sounds out of bounds.

That President Kenyatta attacks a ODM Governor with this sorts of outburst and claims, as well as saying that the citizens and voters of Turkana doesn’t matter is special. Kenyatta saying he doesn’t need Turkana people and the Elmoro, is really disturbing, as he surely would need their resources and oil. The Kenyan government would and should support the county, not only for industry, but for their pastoralism and safety. These sorts of border communities have often been neglected, but now with the Tullow Oil fields. It suddenly matters.

Kenyatta should be on the market and prove his character, which he can provide and make sure the governance of the nation is at a better stat, but with the current fate of strikes in an election year, with the growing state debt and the corruption scandals, clearly is evident of mismanagement. So that Kenyatta feels attacked and under fire isn’t strange, but his baseless wounded soul would redeem himself if he actually took charge and fixed it. Since he is in the midst of the government that has created the environment it is in. Therefore, Turkana County Governor might hit a nerve, that went into his spine and therefore he retaliated.

Kenyatta doesn’t want to be weak, even has the turmoil and the election year isn’t going smoothly. President Kenyatta should take credit where it is due, but not scold governors as the peril and the issues of government is created from the top. If there issues with governance in Turkana, it could easily stem for the brazen disregard of governance from the Central Government, which means that Kenyatta and his administration has collectively created the problems.

Lodwar should be more important for Uhuru Kenyatta as his father Jomo Kenyatta was illegal detained there by the British Colonial Authorities, still he now doesn’t need the locals and the pastoral people. The other major town in the county is NGO capital of Loki or Lokichogio. The other important place in the county is Kakuma Refugee Camp, one of camps that the government plans to shut-down together with Dadaab.

So Kenyatta should act wiser and be more Statesman, instead he uses wild-words and allegations that could easily backfire, as I didn’t need much thinking before addressing him without force or write to anything personal about the honourable President. With that in mind, the President shouldn’t need to personally address the Turkana as unnecessary voters in coming elections, because of what their governor did say. The President should just dismiss the Governor, not dismiss a whole county and region. He should apologize about that and should also show that his emotions went running out of fashion. Then if he wants to say something about the governor and his speech, do that with honour of the elected he is in and with understanding the position the President puts him in.

President Kenyatta lost it and therefore it has been addressed. Time to man up and carry it as a man. Confess and deliver the truth, not play for the gallery, but be there for all the people. Turkana County and their people deserve it, so does the rest of Kenya. Peace.

Reference:

President.go.ke – ‘President Kenyatta censures Turkana Governor for lack of development’ (08.03.2017) link: http://www.president.go.ke/2017/03/08/president-kenyatta-censures-turkana-governor-for-lack-of-development/

Kenya: Kenya Electrial Trades & Allied Workers Union will soon strike for their CBA by mid-next week (03.04.2017)

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Kenya: Letter – “Re: Investigations into the Kalonzo Musyoka Foundation” (01.04.2017)

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Kenya: IEBC Update on Preparation for the 2017 General Elections (28.02.2017)

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Opinion: DP Ruto misplace the NASA’s will to seek power as he thinks it automatically Jubilee’s to keep!

kenyas-deputy-president-william-ruto-addresses-prayer-service.

If the Deputy President William Ruto was surer of proof of leading and delivering results in the Jubilee government, except if the Jubilee government would see their share of international loans to fill the fiscal funding of the running expenses. Because very few of the promises in the last election has been uphold as the doctors are on strike, running scandals of corruption and issues with the army in Somalia. It is not like the government looks like a well-run machine without any defaults.

Therefore his retort of the news of the official launch of NASA says a lot of the man:

“He said that unlike the Jubilee Party, which he said is keen on developing the country and had the interests of Kenyans at heart, Nasa is only keen on sharing positions” (…) “The difference between Jubilee and the opposition is as clear as day and night. While Jubilee is for [the] development of the country, our competitors are only good [at] empty rhetoric and organising demonstrations,” he said” (Barasa, 2017).

So the reality of the matter is that CORD or NASA has demonstrated and heavy, but it wouldn’t be needed if the Kenyan Government or the Jubilee had showed other ways of expressing their dialogue. This coming from a government official, that needed guards, so they could close the session of amending the electoral laws before this coming election.

DP Ruto is forgetting how he came to power together with President Uhuru Kenyatta. Instead he has to shuffle dirt on the NASA alliance, because he knows that if you just start to dig the surface of the achievement under the Jubilee Alliance you will find skeletons of cartels, mafia and even deep big-corruption. That is been showed too often, that even ghost companies cleaning the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) is an ordinary scandal and not shocking. It would be shocking if the existence of all corporations and agreements between the state and private was actually clean.

There are too many players feeding of the state funds and the borrowed fiscal cash during the Jubilee government. That is well-known and should be that easy to state, but it is it. Like a fish out of water to say it is differently. The Jubilee have thrived on the funds and even groomed the businesses owned by government officials. They haven’t been building stronger institutions, but instead looked for ways to elevate funds out of state coffers. To find honest working key state officials is close to finding penguins in Eldoret or Mombasa. Good luck on your duck-hunt!

That Deputy President Ruto has grievances with Cord/NASA is understandable as they have demonstrated and swayed government on the IEBC and other positions. That must hurt the pride of the head honcho of the prominence of Ruto. Ruto cannot hold his own mantle and shed light on the promises of 2013 as that would hit the people of the significant lacking deliverance of his alliance and parties. The only thing they have done is to keep the upkeep of the alliance and not done anything close to their mountains of promises.

Therefore he has to sigh the utter words of the only point of NASA is the dream of “Power”, the power and reign that is kept by his people, that Power that Ruto and his cliché want to keep by any means. Therefore throwing shade from the glorious place and from the high-power place seems a bit of a stretch. If it was a CSO or a think-tank addressing it, it would be more significant and more of honest approach, but seems Jubilee and NASA are two of the same coin. The one running the ship and the other hoping to take over!

Seems a bit wrong that the Deputy President William Ruto fears the NASA and their only wish is the reach of power, not to govern or do better job than the Jubilee. As Jubilee we’re supposed to do a better job than Mwai Kibaki, therefore the trying of Cord last time was weaken by circumstances.

Therefore, Ruto and his comrades better smarten up, they are high up in the sky and could easily be taken down. Though by they having power they can lose an election if the Cord/NASA shed real lights on the matter and on the scandals. That they go all out and share the information and paperwork on the issues. If so the Jubilee better think twice before they blink twice. Since Deputy Ruto in power should fiercely shed lights on what he has achieved.

So instead of giving blame to NASA, Ruto should show the perspective of their work instead of telling of CORD/NASA before they even said ‘hello’. The reality of the matter and of the justification is not there, as the man targeting the alliance, NASA, shouldn’t be the focus of Jubilee. Jubilee should be better, but you cannot expect anything else. Since the Jubilee has more focused on eating, than actually delivering! Peace.

Reference:

Barasa, Lucas  -‘DP Ruto says Nasa leaders only interested in political power’ (22.02.2017) link: http://www.nation.co.ke/news/politics/Ruto-dismisses-Nasa-pact/1064-3823544-k2ke5m/index.html