Nairobi Star (Nairobi)
Maina Kiai
3 December 2008
column
Like everyone on the world, our political leaders are scrambling over each other to bask in the glow from Barack Obama. Never has a President-elect generated such goodwill across the world, and leaders are outdoing each other to show they recognize the moment.
Hence the public holiday in Kenya on November 5. Hence the fast, official announcement of the Obama phone call with President Kibaki, in a manner suggesting that perhaps Kibaki receives fewer phone calls than other Presidents (which given his isolation and reclusiveness may not be surprising, and is certainly true for his contacts with Kenyans).
In the midst of all this hubris and clamor, Barack Obama has been constructing his government, in his normal methodical manner, so that, he says, they hit the ground running on day 1, January 21, 2009. And he has been preparing for this for a while: Prospective nominees have to fill in a 66 page questionnaire on issues such as their finances; personal history; opinions; potential conflicts of interest; investments, and other matters that he needs to know to avoid potential embarrassment in his "no drama, Obama" style. And what's more, once the forms are filled, they are then scrutinized and vetted for honesty and omissions! Some potential nominees have even hired lawyers and accountants to guide them through this process so they don't falter!
Even former President Clinton, who is not a nominee, has had to go through this scrutiny so that his work and contacts and issues don't affect the performance of Secretary of State designate Hillary Clinton.
This process got me thinking: What if Kibaki and Odinga were really serious in their excitement and praise of Obama? What if rather than send messages of congratulations and remind us of long-forgotten blood links, they could borrow from him and do things differently? What if, like Obama, they decided to adopt 21st Century governance, discarding the current early 20th Century approach? What if they were to decide that rules are meant to be followed within the framework and spirit of the constitution and abandon those things that hold us back? What if they decided that they owe their first duty to Kenyans, not to themselves, a few select friends and to the political class?
And so I have come up with a wish list for Obama-like things that Kibaki/Odinga could do, to show that they really understand the significance of Obama's election in more than words. But I am not holding my breath on this: The trend is all too familiar and anti-people. But we can dream, cant we, so here goes:
1. Declare that no one will be in their coalition government if they did not pay taxes like everyone else in the country, because they believe that discrimination is wrong, unconstitutional and immoral-even if it is enshrined in any law or practice. That they reject the Animal Farm idea of some being more equal than others.
2. For those others, like Judges, ECK Commissioners, MPs and others, who suggest that their non-taxation is "legal" despite the clear non-discrimination clause in the constitution and in international law, and who have security of tenure-even as MPs--a different tact is required. We have seen certain judges purport to stop Parliament from discussing laws and constitutional changes and we can hardly expect them to make findings that would lead to their taxation. So for these, maybe Kibaki and Odinga can borrow a leaf from President Jakaya Kikwete of Tanzania, who was faced with demands on his election in 2005 for increase in MPs salaries following the outrageous Kenyan example. He simply said that he would take the matter to the people and urge the people to tell the MPs what they thought. That could work for our MPs and once they get the message of discontent from the Kenyan population, which by 90 percent favors taxation, constitutional amendments should be prepared effecting taxation on every Kenyan, no matter their status or position.
3. But taxation is clearly a small piece of the puzzle in these trying times and Kibaki/Odinga should go further. The key issue is that our country, which is in the bottom 25 in the UNDP Development Index, is in the top 5 globally in terms of salaries and emoluments of "public servants!" This is unacceptable and a reduction that cuts the coat according to the size of the cloth should be instituted. This would really be Obama-like. I know there are some who suggest that we need to pay those who control large budgets amounts that don't lead them into temptation. But this is a fallacy. Barack Obama will be controlling the world's largest budget-more than 1000 times ours in Kenya-yet he will make just slightly more than Kibaki as President! Non-corruption is about values, not poverty!
4. Coupled with salary cuts, Kibaki/Odinga should then cut down on the waste and opulence that bedevils public service expenditures, including the idea of purchasing a building to house the Prime Minister at this time. Mwalimu Mati at MarsGroup has the figures to show the waste, which include a massive budget for fuel for vehicles at State House that somehow gets finished each year even though Mwai Kibaki hardly travels outside State House!
5. Then there is the Waki Report that is aimed at ending impunity.
It is good that cabinet has agreed to implement it, but the idea that they want to have local judges, prosecution, and investigators that they can "control" to use the language of some commentators and politicians, rubbishes the entire project. The Waki report essentially showed that our criminal justice institutions collapsed long ago and this is not the time for false pride, and false patriotism that is aimed at subverting accountability. So rather than risk another round of violence, that will clearly be worse than the one we had, Kibaki/Odinga should just do what the good judge Waki recommended and get the expertise and integrity from outside Kenya that these institutions lack.
6. And on this subject of accountability, they could also do what is sticking out as a sore thumb and at the very least fire the Commissioner of Police for incompetence and failure to do his duty. The fact that his public figures of the dead were so wrong, and that he ignored sexual violence, rushing to set up a public relations task force only after the Waki report was published should have been enough to force his resignation. Add to this the tear-gassing of IDPs, the extra-judicial executions; and the public arrogance and it is unclear why Commissioner Ali is still in office. Or does he have something on Kibaki/Odinga that sustains him despite the constant embarrassment he provides the coalition?
7. It is also time for Kibaki/Odinga to vet cabinet members and other high level appointees to office for financial issues, conflict of interest and other matters, including hard-line political approaches that lead to divisiviness and tensions. For instance, the Minister for Trade should not be engaged in trade as policy will be made that assists the private rather than the public interest.
8. Again, in recognition that the country is majority youthful, with 65-70 percent of the population below the age of 40, Kibaki/Odinga should dispense with officers who have reached retirement age, no matter their competence or usefulness. There is no one who is indispensable and this practice of contracting retirees back to "public service" is insulting to Kenyans, especially when these retirees act as though they are the government themselves. Or do they too, like Commissioner Ali, have something on Kibaki/Odinga that we don't know about?
9. Finally, we see Barack Obama beginning the practice of addressing Americans regularly by radio and through webcasts as part of his duty of keeping the people informed. He also takes hard questions at press conferences where apparent contradictions between what he said during the campaigns and his present actions are raised. This mark of respect to the American people should be emulated in Kenya, and not just at press conferences. Holding public barazas at least once every month in different parts of the country would be a clear sign that they understand that Kenyans are the bosses and they the servants.
But alas, maybe I am a dreamer in hoping for these small actions that express pro-people leadership. But I am not alone and the fact that people are now protesting high food prices tell me that most Kenyans want to see Obama-like leadership in Kenya. So let's keep the dreaming going. We will bend these guys to our will, and they will bend whether they like it or not, for these are different times.
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Quelqu'un peut-il réécrire en français compréhensible cette analyse dont on devine la pertinence et le grand intérêt?