The price of convenience in our politics

As we await the Supreme Court full judgement that led to the nullification of the 2017 Presidential results, some of us are keen to see the findings that informed the decisions. The integrity of the electoral process matters just as the outcome.

Of interest are the developments we have gone through in the last five years. The country is politically vibrant and hence our economic performance is thus related to the same. Competition for political supremacy has largely defined our social fabric. 

My one desire is the day the country will go beyond the ethnic factor and agree to pursue interests with common benefit to all. Every single citizen is concerned of the rut we are in, poverty and mediocrity affects all of us. 

Our Political System

Whereas we gifted ourselves a constitution in August 2010 that seeks to create working systems that will serve all of us. We have taken an unpredictable path of politicizing everything. This is dangerous. From general observation the space for professionalism and objective criteria in Government has remained shallow.

With observation it baffles me how, when it’s convenient for us, we have taken to defending what is the opinion of our political leaders, even when the position may not be objective. A good observation is the remarks of our recently elected leadership and interested parties on furthering the position of their preferred side of politics as opposed to the right and objective position. Ours are politics of convenience. 

On reflection, I’m of the opinion that we have become people who are going to act on convenience. What is convenient becomes right. This does not create stability in our society.

If the law is for all of us, why are we failing to invest ourselves heavily in creating pre-determined laws (as the supreme law requires us to) so that we can then remain safe within the law as opposed to remaining safe in convenience?

The electoral disputes

As law required, political leadership in the country will be attained through competition in an electoral process with the majority carrying the day. The process to achieve that is now proving a liability to the country and we are handling it to our convenience.

The last seven years have seen us form an electoral body, gone through an election that has left us badly divided and conveniently dealt with the outcome from it. 

The two major political players are not helping the situation either. Their actions have not been for the interest of the nation but their own.

Whereas we for good intent did laws establishing the electoral body with independence, we in the years last two years went against the law and acted in convenience in dismantling it. 

We took a political process (for convenience) leaving the law intact in handling our dissatisfaction with the conduct of the electoral body. We had all the time since the elections in 2013 to deal with the electoral body on the account of its breaches, some which were proven. If we were objective we would have done it well for the interest of longevity starting with the 2017 elections.

We did set a wrong precedent that we can set the law aside and act in convenience. Kenya Shall we all say “Mea culpa, mea culpa, mea maxima culpa”  indicting our leaders, The President and the opposition leader failed to honestly follow the law in handling the disbanding of the IEBC. 

Our unfaithfulness to the general requirements of the law has opened up issues that should be disturbing to all those who are genuine patriots. We have been treated to secessionist talk. The judiciary has been thrown mud at for not agreeing with the executive and the majority in legislature may be used to smear more mud. Will we be looking at political or convenient processes to undermine other rights and institutions? These conveniences are costly. 

The two competing sides have different positions as to how we should conduct the elections. The incumbency favouring the status quo as the law requires on the conduct of elections while the opposition is looking at having a reformed referee before the repeat poll. What is the most convenient way of solving this impasse? 

The country awaits the repeat of the presidential elections. As a Kenyan looking at the economic outlook of the country we are fatigued and cannot afford to have a lot of time in anxiety. We need the elections as soon as now so that we can move on with our lives.

What lessons should we learn from the situation we are in? It does not matter how many times we reform the laws and regulations in the conduct of elections, what we perhaps need to review are our credibility parameters as a Country, Individually and collectively.

Kahugu Muiruri

September 17, 2017   

As We Vote

I have over a number of months been looking for materials documenting my country's history, political and economic. Few of present day persons I have spoken to give consistent account of the political struggle for independence. Some tend to align it with the modern day politics. Ours being a polarized nation, I hope to one day get objective information.

We are going into the sixth general election as a multiparty state, and a second one in a devolved system of Government. We are a nation seeking to determine ourselves through democratic processes.

In the beginning

A century ago the British having established our commercial viability declared Kenya a protectorate. An order that was ruthlessly enforced, land taken away from us and commercial exploitation on the same started under white settlers.

Kenyan communities were crushed and forced into restrictive lives . This led them to coalesce and resist the British rule in their own ways. Over time it led to rising dissent to force the British to listen to their issues. The main agenda was to get their lands back. The Maasai are said to have opted for legal means. Kalejins and Gema communities went for open violent resistance.

Negotiations for land return or representation of Kenyans in legislative establishment was hard to come by since only numbered Africans got the chance. The British did pass laws to legitimize their occupation of the country.

After years of struggle, torture, deaths and losses we finally got our independence. Our self rule started fifty plus years ago.

The same letter of the law that legitimized the land grab by the whites was used by the Kenyan elites in position and with means then to acquire and retain lands to themselves. How we dealt with question of land there after is debatable, it however remains emotive to date.

The national psyche

Various administrations have had to determine our politics and economic direction. We have over time coalesced as communities behind enigmatic figures who have galvanized us into tribes to the detriment of our nation socially and economically.

Our unity and engagement efforts are all tribal informed.

Our common problems despite our ethnic diversity are basic and similar. It's the economic challenge. Our potential is largely hindered by our tribalism and leadership.

The 2017 general elections campaigns have exposed several notable issues. There is a serious need for Civic education on our identity and aspirations as Kenya.

Our political competition has been shown to be pursued for personal economic gains. Despite our devolved system of Government, ethnicity is still a dominant factor. You either play the politics of trust and obey, and should you question your tribal leader, your aspirations are dimmed.

Brood of vipers

Collectively, our leadership integrity threshold is wanting. A baggage of known economic and even criminal offences are rendered void if one ascends into office through the ballot.

With the political class knowing the economic depression the majority populace are in, they have promised goodies to attract attention. We have dutifully flocked venues be it churches, open grounds, social halls to listen mostly to ethnic calculation, and aspirants pledge allegiances to “mtu wetu”.

To the politician, promised goodies will assure audience since poverty is common place.

Recent scandals like the NYS pilferage showed us the loot was shared among the two divides of the political formations. The Karen land grab benefited all in the political formations.

The sad reality is that even the leadership too stands on no ground. The brotherhood pledge by two top political antagonists on public forums changes into vitriol on campaign platforms. Who is the lesser evil?

Our national psyche for a better nation has been betrayed by the outgoing leaders from the two formations.

The unpopular choice

Despite our limitations, I think we have a national duty individually. A duty to maintain peace with our real freedom heroes by choosing the right direction as the current citizens and prepare right for the future.

Are we willing to vote ourselves leaders in office who are not afraid of creating and supporting a system of laws and not men? Who will take their responsibilities seriously by acting on good principles and policies to solve challenging questions of our time and nation?

Will we get ourselves leaders willing to embrace the openness of the day to listen and consult all the arrays of interest on matters of public interests?

Will we vote ourselves leaders  widely recognised for their work ethics, industry, integrity, excellence and even handedness?

We fought hard for pluralism, let's raise the bar on the same at the ballot.

God Bless Kenya.

Kahugu Muiruri

SGR experience, observations and my take

June 6, 2017 my hassle was taking me to Mombasa. It was an opportunity for me to save a coin and take the promotional offer to ride on the SGR train. I was at the CBD Railways terminus for a free bus to connect to Syokimau, the Nairobi SGR terminus.
Getting to the terminus was a fairly smooth ride, however it did not escape me that Nairobi CBD inbound traffic had started at Mlolongo. If one is travelling with the morning train be on time otherwise you may miss it as you sit in traffic.

At the terminus getting a ticket is fairly easy. No form of identification was required. They should be able to identify us in a worst case. A lost ticket simply has no owner... The security check is similar to what is at some small airports. However they need invest in a carousel, I found my backpack on the floor among many others. I found the waiting lounge full. The boarding call was made and everyone seemed to be rushing to board. Passengers who had heavy luggage had to struggle with it. Luggage were not tagged.

The train left at 0900 hrs. In the coach the seats are comfortable…. A face me experience…. A group of men next to me are all full of entitlement how the Government has worked so well… one can tell which side of the politics they belong to.

1115 hrs we are at Mtito Andei. The Train from Mombasa arrived as well. The countryside is green thanks to the recent rains. We saw herds of elephants, zebras, antelopes and a lion. A game drive it was.

A small cup of tea goes for Sh. 100.

1350 hrs we arrive at the Mombasa Terminus. We find the free transfer bus has left and we had to wait for 45 minutes for it to be back.

The train cafeteria had a Chinese hostess. Among the ushers in the two terminals were Chinese nationals. At the Mombasa Terminus I saw on a display board that by 2027 only 10% of the human capital will be foreign. 2017 has a 40% foreign human capital component. Chinese must be slow teachers or we are slow learners...

Taxis are asking for Sh. 1200 there was no Uber or Little Cab available in the station at that moment. The terminus is largely empty, finishing construction work still ongoing. I never saw a shop where I'd buy water. I pray there will be enough business to keep these stations active during off peak hours. I noted a cartel like behaviour where the cab guys could probably be restricted from the terminus since i tried hailing one and on phone he said I have to meet him at the main road, he did not want to come to the terminus.

The access road to the station is under construction, it goes through an ancient estate that is evidence of neglect. As one approaches the Mombasa CBD the roadside is all littered with heaps of uncollected garbage whose stench was really a discomfort in the hot weather. What do the counties do?

SGR is a new right of way but is running parallel to the century old railway. Same as Nairobi, Emali, Voi and Mombasa, rusty wagons and train engines dot the old railway stations. It begs the question what will we do with the assets of the old railway? Do we have the same hands that run down the old rail doing the errands for SGR?

The Economics … and Politics

Transport both cargo and passengers is key to growth. We were told that we need the train to decongest our main highway, move cargo fast and efficiently, move passengers cheaply and safely.

To do the railway we borrowed USD 1.6 Billion @ 2% for a 20 year tenor with a grace period of 7 years. Further we borrowed USD 1.633 Billion @ 360 points plus LIBOR (total roughly 4%) for a 15 year tenor 5 of which are a grace period. The second loan attracts insurance at 6.93% that was payable as one installment. During the grace period Interests will be payable and the principal spread for the rest of the tenor. (I stand corrected, Government data is hard to collect lately)

The total amounts payable principal, interests and costs at the end of the 20th year will be USD 4.97 Billion. Breaking that into smaller numbers we need to raise USD 0.25 Billion net annually for 20 years. Assuming that the rail is a business concern, that it should meet its costs fully, we should have business giving us Sh. 69 million to pay the financiers. Adding the other running costs and a return to the citizens we are talking of business worth more than Sh. 100 Million a day.

With fares at Sh. 700 for second class and a capacity of 2500 passengers daily that will only generate Sh. 50 million a month. I noted very small numbers going into the premier classes. Even with the growth of the passenger numbers, it's notable that passenger business is just an add on…. Many are in advanced ages and have never travelled to coast. We travel on purpose and holiday is a luxury in the present economy.

Our port has reported handling sightly below a million containers. Assuming we have a half of that on the rail annually at the announced price. Sh. 50,000 will generate Sh. 25 Billion. What are the running costs…. These fares were and remain politically motivated.

The settlements along the railway line is in towns. I do make observations that the towns can grow into small industrial towns. Mazeras doing construction materials, Emali doing Horticulture value addition. We need more of business for this railway even as we borrow more to extend it to Western Kenya.

My experience of Mombasa is that it's hard to come across fresh cabbage or potatoes. I feel for the farmer in Ndaragwa, Nyandarua whose milk and cabbages never fetch him or her a better price owing to transport infrastructure challenges. I feel for the peasant herder whose roof is a plastic polythene along the SGR who is next to a fence to keep him off the rail line, does he identify with this pricey asset?

Madaraka in my little understanding is the right to self determine. Will this project determine our future economically as touted? Or was it a legacy for the political leadership of the day.

My listening to fellow passengers talking about the incomes from one passenger train trip is so much… I think a Million and Billion mean the same to some.

The ride was smooth, I saved time. The business case for the SGR is deep, and not for the minnows in economic thoughts.

Kahugu Muiruri
June 6, 2017