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







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
















“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/

WASHINGTON, March 8, 2017—World Bank Group President Jim Yong Kim today issued the following statement on the devastating levels of food insecurity in sub-Saharan Africa and Yemen:
“Famine is a stain on our collective conscience. Millions of lives are at risk and more will die if we do not act quickly and decisively.
We at the World Bank Group stand in solidarity with the people now threatened by famine. We are mobilizing an immediate response for Ethiopia, Kenya, Nigeria, Somalia, South Sudan, and Yemen. Our first priority is to work with partners to make sure that families have access to food and water. We are working toward a financial package of more than $1.6 billion to build social protection systems, strengthen community resilience, and maintain service delivery to the most vulnerable. This includes existing operations of over $870 million that will help communities threatened by famine. I am also working with our Board of Directors to secure the approval of new operations amounting to $770 million, funded substantially through IDA’s Crisis Response Window.
The World Bank Group will help respond to the immediate needs of the current famine, but we must recognize that famine will have lasting impacts on people’s health, ability to learn, and earn a living. So we will also continue to work with communities to reclaim their livelihoods and build resilience to future shocks.
We are coordinating closely with the UN and other partners in all areas of our response. We know that resolution to this acute crisis will not be possible without all humanitarian and development actors working together. We call on the international community to respond robustly and quickly to the UN global appeal for resources for the famine.
To prevent crises in the future, we must invest in addressing the root causes and drivers of fragility today and help countries build institutional and societal resilience.”
Background
A famine means that a significant part of the population has no access to basic food, suffers from severe malnutrition, and death from hunger reaches unprecedented levels. Children under five are disproportionately affected. A famine can affect the well-being of a whole generation. Famine was officially declared on February 20 in South Sudan, impacting approximately 100,000 people, and there is a credible risk of other famines in Yemen, Northeast Nigeria, and other countries. Ongoing conflicts and civil insecurity are further intensifying the food insecurity of millions of people across the region, and there is already widespread displacement and other cross-border spillovers. For instance, food insecurity in Somalia and famine in South Sudan are accelerating the flow of refugees into Ethiopia and Uganda. The UN estimates that about 20 million people in Nigeria, South Sudan, Somalia and Yemen are on the “tipping point” of famine. Drought conditions also extend to Uganda and parts of Tanzania. The last famine was declared in 2011 in Somalia during which 260,000 people died.