Why Kenya needs a new crop of leaders

The forthcoming General Election will give Kenyans an opportunity to take stock of the last 50 years and a chance to make bold and strategic choices heading into the future.

A lot has happened to this nation in the last 50 years; some good, most not so good. We have witnessed corruption, embezzlement and outright theft of public funds.

There are also inequalities where a tiny minority continues to monopolise the instruments of state and live in unimaginable opulence; while the excluded majority lives a life of penury and hopelessness.

There are also missed opportunities, false promises and unrealised dreams.
Many now rightly attribute this to a monumental failure of leadership and it is a logical conclusion then, that we cannot reverse our fortunes as a country unless we get the leadership aspect right.
One of the bold questions that we have to ask ourselves then, is whether there is anything new to expect from those that have served us in the last 50 years. We have to ask ourselves whether there is something they can do for us that they they have not had a chance to do since Independence. If they insist that they still have dreams for this country, let them know that avarice, myopia and greed for power have clouded their judgment to a point where they have ceased to add value to the lives of those they are meant to serve.
If they want to lead so as to help fight corruption, let them tell us what they have done so far to fight the vice. Let them tell us whether they have declared their wealth as is required by the law.
If they want to lead us so they can show us how to make better use our tax money, let them tell us what contributions they have made to the common kitty. Otherwise, 50 years is a long wait for the country and we now realise that we need completely new faces in positions of leadership if this country is to make progress.
It is time the country made bold moves to replace the present leadership with a totally new group of people who understand why we put them there in the first place. 2012 is a decisive year and the general election will be a turning point for the country.

The writer is a businessman.