Kenya needs selfless leaders to spur growth and prosperity

• It is clear that the battle to succeed President Kibaki is based on tribal calculations and not national popularity.
• With the rapidly growing population, massive unemployment, tribal divisions, high levels of poverty, weak leadership, and the demands of globalisation, the country needs a strong leader.
• The pay saga put the final nail in the MPs’ coffin. Their character has been damaged beyond repair.

The new Constitution was not meant to be a panacea for many things wrong in Kenya, but to provide sufficient mechanisms for addressing ills that afflict the country. Recent events indicate that Kenya is politically and economically vulnerable even with the new law.

It is clear that the battle to succeed President Kibaki is based on tribal calculations and not national popularity. There is no doubt that Kenya is a highly tribalised country and politicians are cashing in on the vice.

MPs have been emboldened by ethnic divisions among Kenyans to play greedy games at our expense. The legislators’ recent move to award themselves a huge send-off package is a case in point. It was clear that they did not care what Kenyans thought of them and the possible consequences of their greed.

It took gallant opposition from the public, led by the civil society, to stop them in their tracks — culminating in President Kibaki’s refusal to assent to their selfish demands.

MPs’ coffin

Needless to say, the pay saga put the final nail in the MPs’ coffin. Their character has been damaged beyond repair.

The move was conceived at a time when the cost of living is high, poverty and unemployment are rising, and poorly paid civil servants are agitating for better pay. The timing of their demand was unwise, to ay the least.

If the tradition of voting out about 70 per cent of MPs during every General Election is anything to go by, majority of the legislators are unlikely to step in the august House again. How does one trust such leaders to act in the country’s best interest? In a nutshell, Kenyan MPs are public servants who are most detested and distrusted by citizens.

Now matters presidential. The race to State House is building up to a crescendo. Going by what we have witnessed of our parliamentarians, Kenyans should vote for a person who is keen on economic growth, national unity, regional integration, and global competitiveness.

With the rapidly growing population, massive unemployment, tribal divisions, high levels of poverty, weak leadership, and the demands of globalisation, the country needs a strong leader.

We need a bold, no-nonsense leader who is informed, intelligent, and practical. We need a transitionary leader who will re-engineer Kenya to political maturity and growth. This is not easily achievable. It will require the right information, integrity, and wisdom on the part of the voter.

Mr Ikunda is a consultant and researcher