The Afrika Way

Out of the frying pan and into the fire....meet the best paid politicians

2010-07-02T00:27:00.001-07:00

*
So Kenyans took their political leaders (Members of Parliament) to task a while back demanding that they pay taxes like every other working Kenyan citizen. I was taken aback by the audacity of politicians to blatantly and publicly reject the citizen’s demands. The speaker was quoted saying that those members feeling “sufficiently philanthropic” can pay taxes; otherwise it will not be a requirement. I had to google information on how Members of Parliament are pointed in Kenya. Are they elected by the citizens to serve, or do they decent from the skies on some form of ethereal cloud, complete with a halo?

Now a few months down the line, they seem to have a change of heart (that is what they would have Kenyans believe). The tribunal appointed by the Parliamentary Service Commission to Review and Make Recommendations on the Terms and Conditions of Service for Members and Staff of the National Assembly seems to have yielded to the peoples demand, but it gets better, they are giving members of parliament a pay raise. The tribunal proposes an increase in Mps salaries from ksh 851,000 to ksh 1,090,000 per month. They will be required to pay taxes to the tune of Sh227, 861. The raise is enough to cover their taxes and gives them an extra ksh 12,000 per month.

Forgive my ignorance, but the last time I checked Kenya was a developing country, or did I miss the continental memo? The global economic crisis?Talk about moving from worse to worse. Words fail me today! Here is how a BBC online article articulates the politicians reaction:

"The Daily Nation newspaper reported that one MP described the pay-increase as "a move towards restoring honour to the profession of politics".
One politician was quoted as saying that the amount of money paid to MPs could not compensate "for the heavy responsibility they shoulder in the economic, political and social development of the country".
It also quoted an assistant minister as trying to dismiss criticism of the vote by saying:
"If you feel MPs are being paid heftily, join parliament. [And if you are in parliament] if you feel you have enough, give a chance to your colleagues."
An editorial in the Standard newspaper argued that Kenyans might be able to stomach the huge numbers involved if it meant the selfless delivery of services and an end to corruption."

(my emphasis)*

I am yet to hear one political leader who has accepted responsibility for the post election violence that held Kenya hostage late 2007 - early 2008, and humbly accepts the consequences of their actions. The loss of lives, homes and property. I am yet to hear one homeless Kenya member of parliament who lived in the IDP following the post election violence.

If they are really the kind of leaders Africa needs they should unanimously reject this recommendation.

*http://africanpress.files.wordpress.com/2008/11/mps-eating-abroad.jpg
*http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/world/africa/10476388.stm

Of public and private performances...

2010-07-01T02:42:00.000-07:00

I close friend of mine recently called me to share what he thought was a fascinating sight. He was doing his usual Sunday activity, playing golf at his favourite club, when the sight of a small boy playing with some fish in a fishpond caught his attention. My friend had just finished a game of what he described as encouraging golf (whatever that means), and had decided to treat himself to a nice meal. He watched the boy as he waited for his meal to be served. Then to his amusement, the boy suddenly stood up, unzipped his pants, and aimed his pee right into the middle of the pond.

Everyone who saw him was amused but not embarrassed. The boy had a proud smile on his face. I am not sure whether the boy or my friend was happy with his aim, or with the fact that he was confident enough to pull such a performance while people watched, but my friend as excited when narrating the story. “The boy was just being a boy,” my friend explained with a proud grin on his face.

I have recently been accused of looking at everything through gender lenses, but I am now used to such accusations. I no longer defend myself, I choose embrace such remarks. I could not help comparing this story to that of the girl child. Would the sight of a small girl, lifting her dress, or removing her pants and squatting to shoot a stream of pee into a pool draw the same reaction. Would they have been amused, and simply say, “the girl is just being a girl”?

The girl is trained to conceal/hide even the most natural process like peeing. Maybe it’s because she is required to lift her dress and drop her pants, thereby exposing her body, thus society requires her to do so in private. While the boy only requires to unzip his pants, thereby exposing very little of his body, thus society allows him such performances. *

My point is; such acts are reflective of the socialisation processes in society. They encourage a feeling of conservativeness in girls, and exploration in boys. Do not get me wrong girls can be and are assertive, they can and are explorers; they can be and are seen as active participants in public spaces. However, what I am trying to acknowledge is that even with such natural performances, and from early ages, the destiny of the boy to “move out” to explore to challenge gravity is encouraged. That is why boys are known to have competitions of who can pee the furthest...who can defy gravity. The girls on the other hand or encouraged to respect limits, respect gravity. The achievements of women so far, has involved the demanding and continues to be the demanding of what was initially denied her, thus creating a new destiny for the girl. My worry is will it ever be as natural for the girl as it has always been for the boy? Or will the girl always have to fight against such natural processes? Will the girl one day be able to pull down her pants, balance herself and aim into the fishpond, without someone quickly rushing to admonish and cover her up for exposing herself and acting “indecently”?

*http://www.creativehotpot.com/mizonepeeingboy/mizone-peeing-boy.jpg
*http://www.decalguy.com/images/1057.jpg

Ever heard the story of the boy child.....

2010-06-24T08:23:00.000-07:00

He quickly throws down his bundle of books, removes the only pair of uniform he has, and neatly but hurriedly folds it away. He is not going to wash them; washing will only make them wear out faster. The uniform is only washed once a week, or when it is visibly dirty. He goes out to the shed and picks up his guiding stick. It is a hot afternoon and he has to go out and graze the three cows they have.
*

He is the firstborn of the family and the man of the house. His father is dead; died of some disease. He does not know much about this disease, they told him it is called HIV another said AIDS. He wonders "which is which".
Others seem embrassed to talk about it, they say he had a bad "cold". This one makes him more confused. They told him he is too young to be told more, that he will learn more of this disease when he grows older. But he has heard pupils talk about the disease in school, "dont shake hands with such people" they say, but he is too preoccupied with other things to enquire more. He is the man of the house now.

He does not feel the loss of his father, after all he barely knew him. He saw him once a month or sometimes once in three months. Mother told him father is a busy man, who works in the big city and sends them money, but now father is dead, and he is left with five siblings. He is only thirteen but he is the firstborn and the man of the house. He has always been the man of the house.

He grabs his guiding stick and runs to the field. He has to release his mother from her morning shift. See, they take turns. His mother grazes the cattle in the morning while he is at school, and in the afternoon he takes over. He can’t afford to take afternoon classes. The government says education is free now, but that does not make much of a difference. Mother has to go and look for food for their evening meal, which will also be their breakfast. See now, they can’t afford to have all three, or four, or five meals in a day.

In the evening he guides the cattle back to the worn out shed, which is at the brink of falling apart. He makes sure his siblings have eaten first, “they are young,” he convinces himself, as his stomach rumbles and burns, “They need the food more”.

After everyone has gone to sleep he grabs the kerosene lamp they have and goes to a corner. Careful not to disturb the rest with the light. He brings it closer to the pages, he has to remind himself what he had been taught that morning. The boy has a dream and believes in struggling to achieve that dream, he believes he is the only hope for the family, he believes he is the man of the house.

As he blows out the lamp after reading, and as he crawls on to his bed a sisal mat, he considers himself lucky. He knows there are those worse than him. One can’t help wondering how those worse than him survive.

*http://getcanvasprints.com/images/pictures/African%20Boy-Child.jpg

2010-03-03T01:27:00.000-08:00

Participatoty Governance in Africa

Power to the Grannys

2010-03-02T23:37:00.000-08:00

Watch how a group of Grannys in Kenya, are empowering themselves. Very interesting.

Two men and a goat

2010-03-02T23:27:00.000-08:00

MAPUTO, Feb 26 - Two young men accused of having sex with a goat in central Mozambique are facing criminal charges, and the goat's owner is demanding they make traditional wedding arrangements,
state media said Friday. The young men, whose names and ages were not released, were caught in the act by police and arrested outside the rural town of Mbucuta in central Mozambique, said the website of the state broadcaster.

"One of the young men was naked and holding the goat's head, and the other was having sex with the animal," witness Mario Creva told Radio Mozambique.

District prosecutor Leonides Mapasse said the two will face trial for simple larceny.The goat's owner may also file a civil suit against them, he said.The owner is demanding the young men pay him damages and initiate a traditional wedding ceremony by paying "lobolo", a dowry, a family member told Radio Mozambique.

Mugabe does it again with the indigenisation policy

2010-03-01T22:17:00.000-08:00

“Where are their democratic tenets? Where is their morality? Where is their compliance with the salient principles of good governance?”

(Words uttered by Robert Mugabe)

Zimbabwe is making headlines again with the latest announcement from the now (in) famous president Robert Mugabe. Mugabe has now implemented the policy dubbed the indigenisation policy, which he claims will address imbalances, correct historical injustices, and further economically empower indigenous Zimbabweans.

Mugabe’s zeal to give power back to the indigenous African was initially admired all over the continent and the world, but it has now grown to be some sort of obsession, that has left many puzzled by his action. He has assumed personal ownership of the country, and worse, he is willing to sacrifice his own people in order to prove himself to the rest of the world.

The Indigenisation policy works almost the same way as the land reform policy. Foreign companies have now been ordered to sell 51% of company ownership to indigenous Zimbabweans, and more interestingly foreign companies have just over a month to report to the government as to how they plan to implement the policy.

What does Morgan Tsvangirai think about this? You guessed it right; once again Mugabe has shown that the power sharing contract is something that he does not respect. The opposition is opposed to this policy and with good reason. However, just as history as shown, opposition whether national, regional or international has never been a problem for Mugabe.

In my opinion the indigenisation policy will only further cripple Zimbabwean economy. The country is not yet economically stable, and had recently begun crawling from the political mess that has lead to its degeneration. The indigenisation policy will only make foreign investors more sceptical of Zimbabwe.

of concern is the level of corruption and further class division brought about by the indigenous policy. who can afford to buy 51% of the companies? You guessed it right again, political leaders, my guess is mostly ZANU PF leaders. So who is really going to benefit from the policy?

On Homosexuality in Africa....

2010-02-25T23:34:00.000-08:00

I was recently watching a documentary that addressed lesbianism in one of the townships in South Africa. I was shocked by the conviction of the young men, as they boldly looked into the camera, declaring that the only way to “cure” lesbianism is to make the women have sex with the men. RAPE! is basically what they were prescribing as a "solution" to lesbianism. They described lesbianism as unnatural and a means of undermining/emasculating the men.
The young women looked vulnerable as they shared their horror stories of the discrimination they face because of their sexual orientation. Nonetheless they were as determined to exercise their right. Ironically, this struggle is unfolding in a country where homosexuality is legal. (See the following story: S.A School closses down dorm after lesbian kiss)

I could not help compare this with the latest situation in Uganda, where homosexuality is being discriminated not only on a grass root level, but on a more public and national level, and has escalated to levels of life and death. (See the article: Fear grows among Uganda’s gay community over death penalty draft law. For those who have not yet read Uganda’s actual law on Homosexuality click here).

When I think about both cases, I realise that this is more than just sexual orientation, the inability to recognise change and diversity in Africa, in the name of protecting African culture, stagnates development in Africa, and hinders to right to exercise rights. This is what I was talking about, when discussing access to education in a previous post. Beyond public policies, we should remember to address cultural issues at the grass root level, because in some cases individuals at the grass root level are more concerned with basic survival, and are unaware of the existence of policies or even how different policies affect their lives. Some recognise their culture, and respect it more than public policies.

Fellowship for African Women

2010-02-24T23:31:00.000-08:00

There is a call for applications from African women interested in peace, security and development studies. Click on the link below for futher details. Please note that the deadline (31st March, 2010).

King,s London College: Peace and Security Fellowship for Africa Women

Who is the "Devil" in this.....

2010-02-24T01:34:00.000-08:00

Niger’s political crisis has recently made headlines regionally and internationally. When I saw the “Breaking News” as dramatically presented in one of the international news stations, I became puzzled as to why such a country with one of the highest poverty rates, would be in such a mess with the presence of sought after minerals like uranium, which with good leadership can be used to develop the country. Or is this the Afrikan way?
This reminds me of a conversation I had with a close friend who was concerned that “they” may discover oil in Kenya. I was puzzled by her reaction. “But that would be good for the economy. The country would be developed”, I emphasized and she replied, “That would mean corruption, and war in the country. That’s the problems with African countries and African leadership”. Anyway this is a debate for another post, I was talking about Niger.

While trying to gather information for personal knowledge about the coup d’état in Niger I came across a press release made by WAELE, an organisation that campaigns for the "sustainable emancipation of the African Woman". Naturally I was proud of the fact that the women were quick to respond to the crisis not just for the women but for humanity regardless of sex and gender. As I devoured the article, keen to learn of what my fellow women were saying about the crisis I became aware of Dr. Basirati Nahibi’s appeal to leaders to respect the country’s constitution and the need to strengthen democracy.

On the most basic of levels I agree with Dr. Nahibi, a country’s constitution is the highest law and needs to be respected, and democracy is what everyone should strive to maintain both in the public and private sphere. However two issues continue to nag my mind:

• Which constitution is Dr. Nahibi referring to?

• And why did she not speak out earlier?

In my opinion there are two coups d’état that have occurred in Niger in recent history: one in 2009 the other in 2010. The only difference is one was not physically violent. However, though there was no loss of life in the first one, there was loss of democracy which often leads to loss of lives and rights.

To understand my point let us trace the beginning of this particular problem in Niger. ~~President~~ Mamadou Tandja has been Niger’s president for the last two terms; his presidential position was an elected one. However, close to the end of his second and final term as prescribed by the constitution, Mr. Tandja, in a desperate effort to hang on to power as long as possible changed the constitution through a ~~referendum~~. When the opposition and the masses rejected his move, Tandja abolished the constitution court and parliament. He then called for a referendum that saw a low turnout (comprising of only his supporters) which led to the abolishment of the presidential limit of two terms. He went further and fixed a date, then held presidential elections which was boycotted by the opposition, and as a result declared himself ~~president~~.

This in my opinion was the first coup d’etat, and that is how national, regional and international organisations should have treated and labelled the case. Democracy was manipulated, and dictatorship was displayed using democratic tools. It is for this reason that I do not understand which constitution Dr. Nahibi is referring to, and why she did not publicly speak with the same urgency earlier. The same applies to all other organisations and countries now responding publicly.

The first coup is responsible for the second coup which occurred on 18th February 2010 in Niger’s capital Niamey, lead by Col. Abdoulaye Adamou Harouna. The group, which refers to itself as the Supreme Council for the Restoration of Democracy (SCRD) is responsible for the kidnapping of ~~President~~ Tandja which led to the unfortunate and unnesessary killing of several bodyguards. The result is the presense of uncertainity that now grips the country. This makes me wonder whether a vicious cycle is not developing in Niger. Several years earlier, Mamadou Tanja was a key player in another coup. This brings the total number of military coups in Niger to four, and if one factors in Tandja unconstitution means to remain in power, the total number comes to five. Is this the fate of Niger?

Let me not deviate from the point I want to make, which is; the failure to quickly address the first coup, is what has landed Niger in this mess. The same way this second coup is making headlines, drawing public displays of contempt by different organisations and countries, is how the first coup should have been handled, and maybe just maybe we would not have lost lives. Ejecting Niger from ECOWAS, was simply not enough. You would think ECOWAS would learn from leaders such as Mugabe (who has been ejected from different unions and even denied western aid but still remains adamant). The thirst for power and the wealth associated with it and the presence of minerals is a strong cocktail that can give a man like Tandja such will and resolution, such that measures like rejection by ECOWAS simply gives him more rope to misbehave.

Talking about Access to Education

2010-02-22T05:08:00.000-08:00

I recently came across the following articles that got me thinking about education in Africa.

http://ipsnews.net/news.asp?idnews=50316

http://www.youtube.com/user/K24TV#p/u/22/_

Early last year, I convinced two young women to join me in an over ambitious programme that aimed to present society with a breed of educated young women and girls equipped with leadership skills. My aim was not only to ensure that girls have access to education, but that they make the best of it, coming out as outstanding scholars and leaders at an early age. Recently, while reminiscing on my ideas and reading on the development of gender equality and education in Africa, I came across several articles that reminded me of a heated discussion I had with my partners. Being a feminist and presented with the statistics on gender inequality in the education and leadership sphere in Africa, I was keen on developing this project for the specific benefit of young women and girls. My partners on the other hand had a different perspective, one that involved including young men and boys with the aim of changing their patriarchal and androcentric mentality.

After reading the above articles among others, I became aware of several issues affecting most societies not only in Africa but also Asia, such as access to education and quality of education. However, of interest to note is that free education is not enough, poverty is the main problem, and beyond poverty, culture also does hinder access to education, and it is this culture that I have always argued further oppresses young women and girls. Though I am a strong believer in the empowerment of the girl child and young women, it has come to my attention that the boy child is also affected by patriarchal cultural believes. Claire Ngozo’s story (see the links above) of the family in Malawi shows the burden a young boy has to shoulder, because of
the mother’s stereotypical and cultural believes that it is the male who have the responsibility of providing for the family. Ironically, in this case the boy becomes a victim of the very system that subjugates women. In the other story from Kenya, young girls are being forced into early marriages. In both cases children are denied access to education because of cultural believes and practices. What these stories suggest is that patriachy/andocentrism is a state of mind, which is embraced not only by the men, but by the women as well. Therefore, beyond government policies and programmes that provide free education, we should remember, that even in these “modern” times, traditional cultures and stereotypes still have to be addressed especially at the grass root level.

When the private clashes with the public

2010-02-17T06:04:00.000-08:00

Discussions on sexual relations are mostly relegated to the private in most Africa communities. But just how private is sex?
Sex is as much private as it is public, I mean the effect of sexual relations is constantly moulded and re-moulded by society (gay, lesbian, prostitution, polygamy etc). That is why there is such a fuss on the need to control sexuality. In my opinion sexuality is one of the areas one can analyse to determine just how patriarchal a society is.

This brings me to the infamous story of Jacob Zuma, president of South Africa. I think he provides us with a perfect example of just how entrenched patriarchy is. The president recently made headlines by marrying his fifth wife. Obviously he believes in polygamy. At this point I will not engage in debates of polygamy in relation to the oppression of women, after all, there are women who have re-appropriated polygamy claiming that it ensures their independence while at the same time catering for their basic needs. However, this observation is a discussion for another day.

My concern is with the words uttered by the president. He is quoted as saying:

"I have done the necessary cultural imperatives in a situation of this nature, for example the formal acknowledgement of paternity and responsibility, including the payment of inhlawulo (damages) to the family. The matter is now between the two of us, and culturally, between the Zuma and Khoza families," Zuma said. (see http://www.polity.org.za/article/zuma-confirms-child-out-of-wedlock-2010-02-04)

I was “innocently” reading this article when my African feminist senses were triggered with the following words “payment of inhlawulo (damages) to the family”. And i paused as the following question poppoed up: Who has been damaged? And how does this statement not subjugate the woman?

Scenario 1:

If one is to argue that the family has been “damaged” this then implies that the woman’s sexuality is owned by the family, and this denies the woman agency.

Scenario 2:

If one is to argue that it is the woman who has been damaged, she is still denied agency, because this takes away the woman’s right to exercise her choice to have sexual relations with whomever she desires (issues of morality aside). Who says she is damaged? Or are we again speaking for the woman?

I agree with critics that the message sent by the president especially with such high cases of HIV/AIDS in South Africa, can be unsettling. However, I am worried that once again her-story is being tainted, or lost in narration. I am aware that the spotlight is on Zuma and not the woman, Sonono Khoza. Nevertheless, his response to the situation subjugates the Sonono Khoza and strips her off agency. This is evidence of just how patriarchal our African cultures are, and sadly even our leaders’ still hang on to them in the name of preserving culture.

The Basics In Leadership

2010-02-17T01:13:00.000-08:00

Whenever I am applying for jobs, I make it my duty to understand the basics which includes, my duties, as well as who I am supposed to report to. If I get called to an interview, and when going through job orientation (if hired), it is important for me to know my duties and responsibilities and more importantly the power I have. This ensures efficiency and effectiveness. Lack of the above leads to the kind of mess Kenya is in today.

Following the post election government that held the country hostage for several weeks and led to loss of precious lives, internal displacement and loss of property, the first two presidential candidates eventually reached an agreement that led to a return of a very unstable peaceful position in the country. However, the lack of clear descriptions of their responsibilities and powers, has led to the confusing situation that currently exists in the Kenyan Government. Following allegations of corruption, Kenya’s prime minister quickly dismissed two members of parliament, in what he claims to be disciplinary steps. The ministers, according to the vice president are to step aside until investigations prove them innocent.
The president on the other hand quickly responded by claiming that he was not consulted, and that the prime minister does not have the power to sack ministers. To which the prime minister again responded that he is aware that he does not have the power to sack, but he does have the power to discipline ministers, dismissal according to the prime minister is a disciplinary measure, and the debate of who has the power to do what continues.

I do not know whether you see the drift in this story. What is of concern to the leaders is who has the power to do what; the main problem which is corruption is sidelined. Such that the concern is now not about corrupt politicians who abuse offices for personal gains. It is amazing how simple things like clear and transparent job descriptions can lead to such levels of inefficiency. In this case, because the basics have not been established, the whole system is chaotic, and corruption thus persists. It is such loopholes that enable corruption in government. It all starts with the basics, and it is irritating that at this level, 47 years down the line, Kenya is still struggling with the basics. What happened to leadership as servant hood? This is the most basic principle in political leadership. In Kenya those in power debate on how best to maintain and own the power, as opposed to doing the best for those they claim to lead. To achieve the latter, clear description of responsibilities and power is required; the basics!

On Womanhood and Statues

2010-02-12T01:41:00.000-08:00

I am back, this time with a promise to myself to be more consistent.

2009 was a time of reflection for me. I embarked on a journey blindly, and as I crawled, walked, run, swam and flew, to save as well as discover myself, never having a moment to catch my breath, I became painfully aware of my weaknesses. I was up there on the scale with countries like Somalia and Zimbabwe.
I was the perfect example of the old African saying that when a problem visits, it never comes alone, it brings all its family members with it, such that one does not just have a problem, but problems. Never have I felt so apprehensive about myself, never have I doubted myself and my abilities as I did in the year 2009. Yet, in the same breath, I also discovered my strength. Strength that I never knew I possessed. I consider the year an opportunity to polish myself.

Therefore, this year I have decided to view myself as a woman first (then of course an African second), and embrace the power in that. This does not necessarily mean I am better than the man, or that I want to dominate the man, it simply means that I am a woman first.

This leads me to an interesting article I recently read on Rwanda with specific focus on the representation of women in parliament. As a post-conflict country, one has to admire the achievements Rwanda has made. My interest was on the representation of women in parliament, and with 56 percent representation, they are an example to the rest of the world. It is on very rare occasions that a country in Africa gets to lead positively in such statistics. With Somalia leading as one of the worst countries in the world, Rwanda sheds some light in the continent.

However, my story is about a statue that stood at the centre of a very busy roundabout in Rwanda that depicted a woman carrying a baby on her hip and balancing a jug of water on her head. Now, considering that 55 percent of Rwandese are women, one would understand the urgency of women when demanding the statue to be removed. The image was a clear representation of a patriarchal system. Women organisations and activists mobilised the removal of the statue which was replaced with that of a woman holding the hand of a little boy beside her, and this is where my problem lies.

This image puzzles me greatly. Several questions haunt me: why was the statue not changed to simply represent a woman? Why does the child have to be present? Is womanhood tied to motherhood? Can’t a woman just be represented as a woman? The statue seems to emphasize reproduction as part of the role of the woman in national development. I am not objecting to motherhood (I am glad and I consider myself blessed to be alive), but does motherhood have to be part of the woman’s identity, or in this case image. This is what I am questioning.

The Clout of Simplicity

2009-08-21T06:55:00.000-07:00

The first African woman to receive the Nobel peace prize, Nobel laureate Wangari Maathai, is an international leader who draws her strength from the grass root level.

“I travel around the world, I sit in meetings with great men, but I have to go back to the grassroots because that is where the work is done.
That is where change is being implemented one day at a time.” This is what she said in a documentary.

Environment is a matter of life and death and Wangari Maathai has been able to empower the woman at the grass root level, the rural woman, to protect the environment one tree at a time. She has taught the rural woman about the importance of protecting the environment, making it inhabitable for the next and the next generation by simply planting trees. She has not stopped there; she has also been able to provide a source of income for these women. It was remarkable to see her mingling with the women, and you could feel the joy and enthusiasm of the rural women who were also part of the documentary.

Hers is a grand mission implemented in the simplest way and she receiving remarkable results. The rural women are a group in the African society that is in most cases ignored, or in spoken for by patriarchy and unfortunately even by their fellow elite women. Their role in development has always been ignored or trivialized: she is always assumed to be too domestic. But by simply planting trees these women are (re) shaping the future of the continent and its inhabitants.

This reminded me of the importance of simplicity. There has been the tendency of sophisticating issues in order to emphasize its importance, yet simplicity makes sure that a wider audience receives the message. I thought Wangari Maathai style of handling the issue of environment could be a lesson, to the world. Those perceived to be elite, or rich, form a small part of the worldwide community. The masses are comprised of those who walk on the land and work for the land, and that is where the action is or at least should be.

Just a thought

2009-02-13T07:51:00.000-08:00

Africa as a continent is still suffering from withdrawal symptoms of three traumatic processes: slavery, colonization and modernization. Unfortunately our structures and our leaders are making it difficult for Africa to snap out of it, hence the existence of conflict
and the persistent almost deliberate underdevelopment of Africa.

Many African countries are still governed by rules and policies that were created during the colonial days, or amended just after the attainment of independence, Yet things have changed tremendously since then, and even when these policies have been reviewed there has been a lack of proper research before implementation. Franz Fanon could not have said it better when he wrote in his book the wretched of the earth that “the problem with our leaders is that they do not view nationalization as placing the whole economy at the service of the nation and deciding to satisfy the needs of the nation”. To most of our African leaders nationalization means the transfer into the people those unfair advantages that were the legacy of the colonial period.

The implementation of new policies may be painful for a majority or the less of the majority depending on the policy on the short run, but in the long run a well-researched policy can be a lifesaver. Many African leaders may find it difficult to implement new policies, especially if such policies affect their allies, who provide funding and networks, and also if the policies are not popular to the majority. Most leaders feel they want to maintain their popularity among the masses and they are willing to sacrifice development to this effect. This is because they are led by their need to retain power and remain the people’s favorite, as opposed to making some hard decisions for their countries and their continents good.

Independence achieved its goal of Africanisation, but its modes of production remained archaic.

The world is a global market, as a continent, African countries need to act fast and strategically, to secure a niche, something more than just specializing in unfinished products and exportation of raw materials. We need to diversify exports as a tool to fight poverty and underdevelopment, for example invest in our jua kali industries and gradually develop them into ‘mature’ industries, let us export value added products like processed foods and clothes to boost our bargaining power in trade.

African Leadership holds Africa's development hostage

2009-02-12T04:49:00.000-08:00

The problem with Africa is the problem of commercialisation of leadership. Leadership in Africa is not motivated by genuine willingness to serve, but rather it is fuelled by personal greed, thus leading to the underdevelopment of Africa. Africa desperately needs selfless leaders, if there are any left. While we recognize and appreciate how far our leaders have taken Africa so far, what has been done is not enough. With the kind of resources that Africa has it should be by now a continent to recon with in terms of development.

We need fresh ideas in Africa, or we are at a risk of either remaining stagnant, or worse deteriorating. Africa has come along way when it comes to democratic leadership, but democracy is a luxury enjoyed by a certain class in the African society. Yes there may be a higher degree of freedom of expression, but what is the point of expressing oneself if no one is listening.

What many Africans and are beginning to realise is that it is not only about democracy and freedom of speech and expression, but more importantly it is about how power is exercised; democratic governance. “Democratic governance is not only about politics, but it includes the economic and social dimensions. It addresses questions of improving public sector efficiency, policy predictability, and accountability. It is about fine-tuning incentive structures for increased production, productivity and competitiveness...it strives to make governance more responsive, transparent, strategic and participatory…it is about the totality of efforts to improve the nature and quality of the relationship between leaders and public institutions on one hand, and the citizens- both private and corporate- they seek to serve and in whose name they rule, on one hand…democratic good governance for us must be an integral part of the war on poverty” (Benjamin William Mkapa, former president of the United Republic of Tanzania at the African Regional Symposium)

All leaders in Africa should have these words hanging on their office walls. After the December 2007 general elections in Kenya which lead to a kind of blood shed Kenya had never experienced before, Kenyan politicians have gone back to their old ways, making many citizens weary of the next elections, talk about corruption, political manipulation just to mention a few. Their blatant refusal for their allowance to be taxed proves how commercialised leadership is in Kenya. Yet Kenya claims to have a tight budget and its citizens are dying of hunger, and some still internally displaced.

In Kenya it requires approximately four hundred women and children working on a minimum wage or below to produce enough coffee, rice, tea and sugarcane, to finance one cabinet minister’s salary and their Mercedes Benz.

In Zimbabwe, while one appreciates Mugabe’s love for the African in him, he has a wife who is addicted to a life of luxury and is not afraid to use states resources to feed her addiction, by spending huge amounts of money on “foreign” goods, the irony. While more than three quarters of the country reels in poverty, there is no freedom of expression, and inflation is approximately one million percent, yet we call ourselves educated Africans. He might have been lead by the love of his country at the beginning, like many African leaders, but at the moment one is left to wonder if any of that love is left in him, as he watches his people die of hunger, and disease. Agreeably the power sharing deal, by creating the prime minister post for Morgan T, is a welcomed long awaited step.

In Tanzania a young minister, Hon. Zitto Kabwe was suspended from parliament for four months, after he questioned the mining contracts that Tanzania has signed with multinational mining companies over the years. The contracts had loopholes, and there were allegations that elements within the countries reigning party had colluded with the mining companies to extort the countries billions of dollars. It is only after the masses took to the streets, that the president formed a committee to investigate and appointed Hon. Zitto as chairman of the committee.

There is a lack of accountability in leadership in many African states; leaders they are more concerned with making money for themselves as opposed to producing it, generating growth in the economy.

So many industries and institutions collapsed in Africa after attaining independence due to mismanagement by the then existing leaders, and those that have taken over are more concerned with protecting their riches and power. Yet what is worse is that Africans are not coming up with more industries, innovation in this sector is a scare resource. Entrepreneurs who studied at Egerton College, in Kenya, formed East Africa breweries, East African industries, Dawa pharmaceuticals, among others. What is happening to our graduates, brain drain and corruption is a nutshell of an explanation.

It is about who holds the power, and how is he/she going to use it to benefit him/herself first. It is about securing that position of power and fighting off any threat or opposition. Many find it hard to give up such power once they grasp it, and those who want it will stop at nothing, even facilitate bloodshed just so as to get it. Those who want to be diplomatic, claim that they are “democratic”, but such leaders do have their hidden ways of securing and protecting that power. In Kenya talks of who is going to be the next president stated barely an year after election. Members of parliament came out in public expressing their interest in presidency, and proudly debating among themselves, yet there are citizens who are still internally displaced. On the other hand those states that do not care about democracy do not bother hiding it. A good example of this is Zimbabwe.

However there are leaders in Africa who are lead by a passion to develop their community and are not afraid to carry out policies that may be painful to some people in the short run, but very beneficial to the whole population in the long run. Some do this in a small scale; others do it on a grander scale. A good example of the latter is Rwanda’s President Kagame. Immediately after his election as a president, he launched a campaign against corruption, despite the fact that it meant that many of his allies would be prosecuted and even jailed. Many of them fled the country. He improved the health care and education system of the country. He took away official cars from government officials and reduced the size of his government.

His critics have come down hard on him, accusing him of curtailing freedom of expression, and ignoring intellectual criticism. But given the history of Rwanda and progress made, his decisions and actions can be understood and explained. But that is a debate for another date in the same forum.

The Development of the EAC

2009-02-06T01:49:00.000-08:00

The concept of the EAC was first founded in the 1967 but collapsed ten years later mainly due to political differences. Kenya was practically running under capitalism lead by the then president the late Jomo Kenyatta. Tanzania had Mwalimu Nyerere who firmly believed in socialism, and he did not fail to act on his believes. Uganda on the under hand was under the confused and dictatorial rule of
Idi Amin, it was an economical, political and social mistake to get into any agreement with Uganda at that time.

Despite this initial failure, there has been tremendous effort by the three countries and the two new: Rwanda and Burundi who recently joined the bandwagon, to make the EAC dream a reality. So far there have been three development strategies that have been drawn to provide guidelines to ensure the stabilisation of the EAC. The stages agreed upon and on which the development strategies are drawn upon can be summarised into four parts. The stages are meant to be steps that lead to the political federation of East Africa as the ultimate goal. The first step, which has already been implemented, was the formation of a customs Union, this was to be followed by a common market, then a monitory union and lastly a political federation.

The first development strategy (1997-2000) served to re-launch officially the whole EAC idea. It was a development from the tripartite treaty that bound the three initial countries. It was also a way to show the seriousness of the matter.

The second development strategy (2001-2005) helped in the achievement of the customs union. This meant that there was no tariff on goods crossing borders, and non-tariff barriers were eliminated as well. However because Kenya was exporting more to its neighbours than it was importing from them, it was agreed that Kenya would continue to incur costs for exporting its goods at a reducing rate up until 2010.

As the second development strategy came to an end there was a unanimous agreement that there was need for a speed up of the process towards the actualisation of a political federation, where the EAC would have a single policy Centre, and a rotational presidency. The step-by-step approach was taking too much time, and it would have been ages before a political federation was formed. Goals were set to have the political federation by 2010, yet issues were dragging.

One nagging question remains, what is the role of the common citizen in the whole process. The leadership culture in Africa has been, the ruling class making all the decisions for the sake of its citizens, but at the same time forgetting to incorporate, inform or consult their views. Yet the citizens are the hardest hit by the consequences of the decisions. Those who will be affected by it do not know talks of the EAC and the impact it will have on them; many argue that it is an idea for the elite and powerful by the elite and powerful. Could this be another recipe for failure?

The 21st century is an information driven age, and geographical boundaries are slowly becoming obsolete. With globalisation, it is very important that EAC becomes a success, but the achievement of a political federation by 2010 and a monitory union by 2009 will be breaking the string on the bow, thus making the bow useless.

There are several bottlenecks. The first being that all the stakeholders have not been involved in the planning process, and thus may not support the implementation process. The days of forcing issues down the throats of citizens are long gone.

Another obstacle is that none of the countries yet has the kind of leadership required for such a federation to exist: selfless leaders, ready to serve. In Kenya for example politicians are more concerned with protecting their interests, mainly politically and economically, and if the political federation will affect this that they will oppose it. At the moment they are not very comfortable with it.

Tanzania on the other hand is a rich country in terms of natural resources. Tanzania has more land than Kenya and Uganda put together, it also does not have a single internally displaced citizen, hence their fears in case the aggressive Kenyans, with a high number of internally displaced persons take their land away from them.

Rwanda has just come from a dark moment and is doing very well, though Kagame is accused of rigidity in his leadership. Is he ready to let go of his country, to be governed by policies drawn by the East African Community?

It is agreeable that in this globalisation era, it is paramount that countries identify their niche and place themselves strategically in the global market or be at a risk of not been recognised. The EAC will provide a better bargaining power for the five countries in the international market. If a country does not survive globalisation what is to become of it later? Post-globalisation. On the other side of the coin, are the five countries mature enough to handle such a task by 2010?

Kenyan MPs their audacity!

2009-01-13T03:14:00.000-08:00

Back in the days when Hon. Amos Kimunya was the minister of finance he read the budget in parliament, and expressed his optimism for economic growth. The total donor funding is to constitute 10.7% which is 80.96 billion of
the total budget. 33.06 billion of the total donor funding is in form of cash. A percentage of the budget has also been allocated to pay debts.

According to the budget report 2008/2009 released by the institute of economic affairs, “the proposed debt rollover for the year has increased by 8.7 billion to 67.95 billion. Overall, given that debt payment growth exceeds G.D.P growth levels, there may be a need to raise taxes in future.”

On average each MP gets Kshs. 600,000 allowance per month. If this is taxed using the highest tax rate of 30 per cent then you get Kshs. 180,000 per month multiplied by 222 you get Kshs.39, 996,000. Annually the country will get Kshs. 479, 520, 000. Add the allowances of the Ministers and Assistant Ministers, Judges, Commissioners and other holders off constitutional offices and you have an additional of money in the excess of Kshs. 400 Million which is able to cater for over 392,000 children in primary schools at Kshs. 1020 per pupil annually or buy over 307,000 bags of maize at Kshs. 1350 per bag. The sums of money the country will get in addition to a feeling of equality of treatment among Kenyans are amazing. This is what we expect from our leaders who campaigned on a platform of servant hood.

They argue that they cater for the financial woes of their electorate. Then what is the purpose of the CDF. They should be more involved in CDF and ensure that the money is used for it purpose and accounted for. Part of the taxation can even go to the CDF if they are really keen on developing their constituencies. Kenyans are tired of words and promises, we need action. Giving financial lump some handouts to specific people does not help Kenyans in development.

Kenya is one of the most highly taxed countries in the world. Our MPs are the third most highly paid politicians in the world. We are still a third world country, where more than half of our population lives below the poverty line and we still depend on donor aid for development. It is worrying and sad that our MPs are concerned and not agreeable to their allowance being taxed, while the ordinary Mwananchi is being taxed to the last cent.
We are bleeding ourselves dry in order to finance the hefty paychecks of our MPs. It is selfish for them to object to this policy, if they really want to help Kenyans. Their total amount of allowance is ridiculously high not to be taxed. It is such incentives that make every Tom, Dick and Jane want to be an MP, thus making the quality of leaders in Kenya very low and throwing leadership ethics out of the window. It is the money (among other things) that motivates our people to want to be MPs, not the spirit to serve our Nation.

Some of the explanations given by MPs are worrying and simply unacceptable, their audacity to try and justify themselves is disappointing. No one should be spared from taxation despite the amount of money they donate in Harambees and funerals. In fact it these Harambees that make citizens obligated to vote for their MPs, instead of judging them their leadership and the level of development. If indeed they are serious about supporting development let their financial support be standardized and guaranteed by imposing tax on their allowances.

Our MPs must of necessity remember that peace will remain an illusion as long as majority continues to suffer as the political elite swim in plenty. The commercialization of leadership has rendered our leaders blind to the plight of the majority who are drowning in an ocean of misery; the kind of misery that our leaders have the power and resources to come to the rescue. The words of J.F Kennedy ring true that you can not protect the few who are rich if you do not help the many who are poor.”

Leadership Culture in Kenya

2009-01-13T03:09:00.000-08:00

It has been one year and Kenya is reeling from a very dark moment following the post-election violence which occurred in the beginning of the year. Thousands died, and many more were displaced, the highest acts of human injustice were committed, and we are still reeling from the effects. There is a problem in leadership not only in Kenya but in most African countries;
Africa lacks leaders led by passion and willingness to serve most are led by greed and selfishness, hence the height of corruption and civil strife. Kenyans are barely out of the dark shadows it was exposed to in the beginning of the year and our political leaders are already campaigning and declaring the intentions to run for presidency in 2012.

Yet there is still a lot that needs to be done. Steps should be taken to hold those found guilty accountable, otherwise come 2012, we will find ourselves in a much worse situation. Our leaders should be held accountable for their actions, thus the need to form the truth justice and reconciliation committee, to address the post election violence.

The international community and the civil society should put pressure on the existing government to change the existing political structures before Kenya finds herself in a worse situation. There is a lot of advocacy work needed here.

The performance of leaders during their leadership terms should also be monitored, such that a leader should only maintain the position based on his or her performance. There is an urgent need to change the leadership culture in Kenya. Kenya is notoriously known for its habitual recycling of leaders even if they have not performed their duties effectively and efficiently. This is mainly because they control most of the resources , and can easily use it to manipulate voters. The culture of voting not because of loyalty based on tribe, racial, blood relations or other subjective factors, but rather in terms of ability to deliver and perform as expected should be entrenched into Kenyans. It is unfortunate that this is one of the most notorious campaign strategies used by most leaders in Kenya.

More importantly there is need to have a comprehensive constitution, that clearly spells out the nature and extent of the government. This constitution should be owned by the people to enhance patriotism in Kenyans regardless of their tribe, thus the need to involve the people in the making process.

We need fresh ideas and a new approach to leadership. The existing leaders have been in leadership positions for years, and since they control most of the countries resources, it is difficult to penetrate the system. The system is not failing because of corruption, and greed in our leaders, the system is running because of corruption and greed. the historical development of politics in Kenya confirms this. Thus as much as there is a need to change the existing leadership, if the system, then the problem will remain only this time it will have a different face.

Spotlight is on Kenya's education system

2009-01-10T06:54:00.000-08:00

The policy goal of the Kenyan government has been to provide every Kenyan with the right education and training. Education is essential for the development and protection of democratic institutions and human rights. The question then arises with the word “right” education.
Kenyan education system fails in the delivery of quality education. The youth are wired to believe that ‘if the market does not buy you, then you are useless.’ We are in a society without policies and facilities to engage the youth in industrious self-activities.

Without training our youth to be industrious and use their intellect to become innovative, the youth are wired to be explosive. The education system trains job seekers, emphasis is on being employed, as opposed to engaging minds to come up with new ideas. Thus what is left in Kenya is a group of youth who make up 75% of the population in Kenya, competing for employment which is very limited, and eventually turning desperate and angry. Kenya has just come through a tough time following the political skirmishes which occurred at the beginning of the year. The youth were the worst hit and are still reeling from the effects, with many still in prisons, or internally displaced. The pressure and stress is one of the reasons they carried out or were easily manipulated to carry out most of the terror activities: theft, rape, killings, which occurred after the election. Soon after this there was suddenly an outburst of violent strikes in secondary schools, the youth destroying property worth millions and injuring one another. Clearly there is something wrong with the education system.

There is need for a paradigm shift in our education system and more so in the curriculum. Kenyan’s education system has poisoned its graduates never to become industrious unless an industrious person employs them. The young men and women are complacent and do not intellectually challenge policies and ideas, like the manifestos that political parties in Kenya have, which have nothing distinct and unique in each of them.

Giving the youth funds (constituency development funds), was a positive move by the government, but without changing the mentality of young persons to be more self active the results will be slow or even ineffective in the long run.

The constitution reform should also include reforms in the education curriculum. Let pupils go to school and universities through a process of continuous assessment tests and appraisal of skills and talents. It is important for intellect to interact with nature. The youth need to be encouraged to look at what is around them, and use their intellect to develop it. This will discourage the "looking for formal employment syndrome" so common in not only Kenya but also the rest of Africa.

Employers should insist on not only formal education and papers, but also in skill and talent. Prove that the job seeker is an all round individual and a critical thinker. Social organizations and the international community can also be involved by putting pressure on the government to change the curriculum to suit the global market, and also by describing the kind of skills necessary for one to be relevant. There is a need for advocacy in relation to the impact the education system in Kenya has on the development of children into responsible self reliant patriotic citizens.

Why is it that many of our learned youth are more concerned with getting formal employment, and blue color jobs, as opposed to engaging their minds and coming up with new ideas? And if there are those youth who are innovative and bold to challenge existing ideas and theories, why is it that the older generation feel threatened by such youth? There is need to motivate the youth to use their brains and the resources they have however small to develop themselves and their community. There is also the need to create an environment where this is possible. There is nothing wrong in the search for formal employment, for ideas to be implemented there is a need for initial capital, but hope should not be lost if formal employment is not forthcoming.

The days of the youth being used by the already successful not only politically but also economically for their own selfish gains should be by now a historical fact. We not only need to be part of the change that the whole world now sings of, but we need to be the change.