Musyoka's funeral speech triggers Kivutha's take on future of Akamba
By Kivutha Kibwana
Recently at a burial in Kaiti, Makueni County, Stephen Kalonzo Musyoka ( The Standard, March 29, 2024:8) was reported as taking " a swipe on Ukambani leaders allied to the Kenya Kwanza government asking them to stop swaying locals with government goodies".
Further "he said the few who joined the government should be voted out." He "put on notice Ukambani politicians who have aligned with Kenya Kwanza government."
Also the former Vice President promised that a political storm similar to Kenya's of 1963 and 2002 as well as the recent Senegalese Faye/Sonko tornado is brewing and he, Stephen, "will make William Ruto a one term president for the sake of this country because he even acknowledges I will be facing him."
I wish to respectively point out the following as a response to Stephen's recent strident message to his community.
In a democratic society once leaders - from the ruling group and the opposition - are elected, it is their constitutional mandate to engage the ruling government so that it can efficiently deliver public services to the leaders' constituencies. The government and the opposition are not meant to be at war.
Parliamentarians and county governments from Ukambani and Kenya in general must lobby and work diligently with the government of the day to guarantee development equity to any region and the country at large. This principle is basic in political theory and practice.
It is not the legitimate function of an opposition to block a national government from accessing any area of a country or the leaders thereof for developmental engagement. This would be tantamount to partial secession.
Since Stephen has worked closely with Raila Odinga ( And I believe Odinga will be a valuable asset for Africa at AUC), he must have noticed that even as leader of the Opposition the former Prime Minister worked, even under heavy criticism, with Moi, Kibaki, Uhuru and now Ruto for purposes of, inter alia, ensuring the government of the day had no reason to allege it had no access to areas politically controlled by him.
Since Azimio has conceded that William Ruto is the President until 2027, that means all Azimio leaders should not appear to block him from doing development in any part of the country. If he fails to deliver by 2027, it must be crystal clear he failed without any political impediment from the opposition.
Ukambani's population is one tenth of Kenya's inhabitants. Historically it continues to be one of the country's most marginalised regions. Even North Eastern and the Coast are now surpassing it ( And I wish them the progress they are making and deserve). The two mega projects in Ukambani i.e. Konza & Thwake have been in gestation for decades. Major roads in the region remain unpaved. The numbers of senior public servants are dwindling by the day etc etc. The region is atrophing politically, socially, culturally, economically and I dare say spiritually. The youth, absent any advocacy, are wallowing and wasting in the cheap drug muguka.
Due to the deficiency of the negotiation skills of Ukambani leadership from the times of Ngei, Mulu and now Kalonzo ( including all other key leaders), the community's profile and development dividend have been gravely compromised.
As a leader of Wiper Party, Stephen should free all his elected and party leaders to work closely with the government of the day so that they are not encumbered by intimidation and manipulation. These leaders must also subject the same national government to strict accountability as demanded by the constitution.
The South Eastern Kenya people deserve compensatory and luxuriant public services and goods from the national government just like the same government makes available ( as well as to other retirees) pension, health benefits, home support, transport, office space and security services to Stephen Musyoka Kalonzo as a former MP and Vice Persident.
Stephen is on record affirming that the national government makes available funds to counties including those his Umbrella Party controls. The Wiper Party must also be held accountable, just like other parties countrywide, for the performance of the counties they control. All those who are elected from both government and opposition parties who don't deliver must be voted out within the context of a democratic election in 2027. Hence if elected leaders are prevented from working with the government thereby occassioning a shortfall in development, they personally risk losing their positions due to non delivery.
In 2027 every Kenyan has a right to choose their political path. Working with the government of the day to facilitate smooth delivery of services does not mean that a leader will be forced to change his/her political affiliation. Stephen as a co-leader of the NADCO process recommended the position of leader of official opposition. He must be knowledgeable about how an opposion should perform in a democratic system.
The Kamba community must introspect and ultimately insist on a change of course to end its self isolationary culture. Her professionals, intelligentsia, civil society, faith and business leaders, senior public bureaucracy, the general middle class, the youth etc must work towards re-orienting the community towards a new political ethos, ideology and direction in which the community ( just like the rest of Kenya) agitates for a plump stake in national development. An examination of the country's budgets beginning 1963/1964 to 2023/2024 will reveal Kenya owes the community a lot.
A soul searching conversation of regional leaders who are both in the national government and the current opposition is an important starting point; indeed a point of departure.
Stephen Kalonzo Musyoka has an inalienable right to vie for the presidency in 2027 just like any other Kenyan who meets the constitutional and legal threshold. Usually a contender does not warn opponents way in advance that he will reduce them to mincemeat unless the message is simply directed to one's community voters. An aspirant diligently prepares for the political wave so that ultimately opponents are caught unawares and thrown off balance as recently happened in Senegal.But this is a minor point.
The major point is; If Azimio splinters into two or three parts: a) Oparanya/Joho/ Wandayi/ Wanjigi group; b) Kalonzo/Wamalwa duo; & c) The Mt Kenya leaders, William Ruto's 2027 victory, especially with the likely exit of Raila Odinga's candidature, will be near certain absent unforseen circumstances. Hence any serious Azimio presidential hopeful must work hard to assure the Coalition's unity. Fights with Karua are unnecessary energy sapping.
One of Stephen's endemic problems is that he is yet to garner significant support outside Ukambani. Many times he has said he will seriously traverse all over Kenya and that fails to happen. How does one earnestly remedy that? In 2022 Stephen did not clinch the Azimio deputy presidency slot due to such actuality. Perhaps if Stephen freed his Wiper elected and non elected leaders to mingle with other leaders across the country, this would be an important strategy for gaining national aroma and hence momentum. The more Stephen emphasises language of isolating his backyard from the rest of Kenya, the more a trust deficit regarding his leadership will germinate countrywide.
Stephen should consider going back home to plot for a genuine community dialogue (including with those he has partially 'destroyed' over the years since 1985) about the way forward as 2027 and beyond beckon. How will the community be integrated into the rest of Kenya? What does Stephen want to be his Legacy?
Nairobi, March 30, 2024.
