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Kenya: Make These Parties Worthwhile
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Business Daily (Nairobi)
EDITORIAL
11 May 2008
Posted to the web 12 May 2008
Nairobi
There is no hard data yet to indicate whether it is a disposition unique to Kenyans. One craving - that of going home - follows the acquisition of a new asset, elevation in the work place or academia or a change in the social status.
In political jargon this has come to be known as home-coming - the return of a politicians to the constituency following an electoral victory and subsequent appointment to a position in government.
In 2003, such home-comings turned out to be eating and drinking beiges until some first timers in Parliament, led by Maragwa MP Elias Mbau, turned the occasion into moments of long- term social benefits.
They came up with innovations like health clinics where the electorate would turn up, have medics check their health status and prescribe lifestyle and medical solutions for free.
Through the camps several diseases were identified and treated, saving the country millions of shillings. Other ailments were identified and treated, returning the patients to productive activities.
Five years down the line and it would have been expected that the home-coming ideals would have been taken a notch higher, but that does not appear to be the case. It is the number of bulls slaughtered, bales of maize flour cooked and crates of soft drinks at hand that has dominated headlines.
This is depressing, coming in a society where there are so many issues wanting urgent attention. We long for the day when a home-coming will mobilise the community to level a dilapidated road, repair a bridge or even raise funds for needy students.
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Eat and make merry, but make the event worthwhile in terms of taking the development agenda forward. At least Mr Mbau once showed it could have a positive side.
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