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As the President’s State of the nation address drew near, we all were involved in all manner of speculations on what he would focus on as he address the joint house. In many of our lists the fight against corruption was tops – I will get to that later.
What we did not expect was that the president would apologize on behalf of his government and the past governments for the historical injustices meted against innocent Kenyan citizens.
The president received a standing ovation for this.
Historical injustices
As much as we want to be optimistic about this laudable move, we have to remain alive to the fact that wonderful speeches are easy to read, it’s the implementation of the ideas that actually deserve a standing ovation.
Even as the president made this pronouncement that even set aside 10 billion shillings for compensating those who suffered from these injustices, we must not forget that the president recently appointed a former military chief whose involvement in one of this country’s worst massacres was questioned even in the TJRC report. I am surprised his name is not in the list of shame which to me looks very sanitized and aimed at settling political scores.
The historical injustices in this country start and end with land….battles have been fought, communities have been massacred and as we speak a senior member of his administration is being tried abroad in a case that has everything to do with land.
To be seen as being sincere about this whole land issue, the President must not implement the TJRC Report in full as well as the Ndung’u land report and as corrupt people are being asked to step aside, this must be implemented from the top even if it means that it is done from the family of the founding father of this nation who was accused grabbing huge tracks of land for himself.
This must not stop there, Kenyatta’s administration still has people who have been charged in court and found guilty of apportioning themselves tracks of land that do not belong to them serving as second in command only to himself.
Land is not the only form of historical injustice though….
Ethnicity
Something else that the president talked about in his speech was national values and the importance of unity, just wished he had stressed on it as much as he did on other issues.
Ethnicity is one of the most widespread forms of injustice that Kenyans have had to live with since independence. Today in 2015 there are parts of this country that have not seen basic services because the residents do not come from politically correct tribes.
Like I say the president must first walk this talk even with is own appointments. Since 2013 all we are seeing is a see saw between two communities when it comes to public appointments, where the hell is the rest of the 40 or so communities in this country?
All these things we have talked about however just boil down to deep rooted corruption in our systems.
Corruption
Another important element in the president’s speech as expected was his strongly worded statement with regard to the fight against corruption both at the national and the county level.
This too has to be more than mere talk.
Those 7,346 words gave Kenyans hope, hope that they once had in 2003 when Kibaki took power after 24 years of pillage supervised by former President Moi.
For the first time ordinary Kenyans arrested police officers taking bribes but when Kibaki showed no intention of fighting graft, we sank deep into into it again.
Kenyatta has given Kenyans hope that this country can be saved again, what remains of him is to walk the talk that Kibaki would not and Kenyans will help him fight this war.
Kenyatta inherited a corrupt system but by hanging the likes of Ngilu, Koskei, Chirchir, Iringo and Eng. Kamau to dry, he is finally laying Kibaki’s demons that would have haunted his image for a long time.
We must however agree that even with his own appointees corruption continues to be perpetrated in this country and more heads have to roll starting with the office of his deputy.
We are hopeful, we accept his apology for past crimes but now is the time for him to walk that talk.
Here now is Kenyatta’s list of shame:
State Of The Nation #ListOfShame
1. Eng. Michael Kamau – CS Transport & Roads
2. Charity Ngilu – CS Roads & Housing
3. Davis Chirchir – CS Energy & Petroleum
4. Felix Koskei – CS Agriculture
5. Kazungu Kambi – CS Labor
6. Mutea Iringo – PS Defense
7. Francis Kimemia – PS Office of the President
8. Nduva Muli – PS Transport & Roads
9. Patrick Omutia – CS Mining
10. Isaack Ruto – Gov. Bomet
11. Evans Kidero – Gov. Nairobi
12. Alfred Mutua – Gov. Machakos
13. Cyprian Awiti – Gov. Homabay
14. Peter Munya – Gov. Meru
15. Hassan Joho – Gov. Mombasa
16. Nadhif Jama – Gov. Garisa
17. Godana Doyo – Gov. Isiolo
18. Ukur Yatani – Gov. Moyale
19. James Orengo – Sen. Siaya
20. Johnstone Muthama – Sen Machakos
21. Richard Onyonka – MP. Kitutu Chache South
22. John Serut – MP. Mt Elgon
23. Alfred Keter – MP. Nandi Hills
24. Sanjeev Birdi – MP. Nominated
Releasing this list was the first step, walking the talk will now mean that the 125 individuals in this list must be made to feel the pain of corruption by being prosecuted and jailed.
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