MAL/33/19
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NAIROBI - KENYA
Marketing Africa Team
William Kalombo, Mutua Mutua,
Riapius Magoma, Allan Muraya, Fred
Ombati, Sebastian Mungei, Perry
Mwendwa, Brian Mengo,
Lucy Nyukuri
Editorial Contributors
Mutua Mutua
Herman Githinji
Diana Obath
Pauline Warui
Eugene Wanekeya
Andrew Riungu
Irene Mbonge
Enock Wandera
Joe Nyutu
Richard Wanjohi
Dr. Wale Akinyemi
Dr. Clifford Ferguson
Carolyne Gathuru
Marion Wakahe
Kepha Nyanumba
Wasilwa Miriongi
Dr. Maureen Owiti
Charlene Kamali
Valerie Ambetsa
Thrity Engineer-Mbuthia
Boniface Ngahu
Nicholas Gachara
Dr. Catherine Ngahu
Walter Chabala
Dr. Mary Mugo
Janet Sudi-Maina
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Marketing Africa
02 MAL33/19 ISSUE
FIRST WORD
Back To Basics
T
here is no dispute that a type of government is necessary for
the existence of an organized and civilized society and many
types of governments have evolved over time to meet the
need of society at different stages of historical development.
A government can be formed by a social consent or agreement
people make among themselves that allow a specific group of people
to govern them, that is to organize them and to protect the group
and the people agree to obey the rules created by that governing
body.
In modern times at the very least the people in this arrangement
expect the government to provide common services like protection
from external and internal aggressors, provide education, hospitals
and welfare funded by taxes collected by the same society.
A government by consent which is what many political thinkers have
advocated for as an equitable and participative form of governing is
a democracy but the reality on the ground seems to suggest that
democratic ideals are an illusion.
Kenya is a democracy but the never ceasing criticism of the
government is that it is corrupt and inept and that it has horribly
failed Kenyans in the provision of basic welfare requirements and
that Kenya is not a democracy but actually in the hands of well
entrenched family oligarchs.
We would like to posit that the nexus of the democratic debacle in
Kenya is not the democratic system but the Kenyan society that has
undermined the spirit of democracy by ignoring the basic tenets of
democracy.
A basic principle of democracy is meritocracy. If we are to be
governed by consent then it follows that those we put into office are
the best qualified to do the job in the best interest of the group as a
whole. This should be non-negotiable.
A good sifter of leadership qualities and management capability
used to be the education system which allowed the gifted and the
naturally capable to rise to the top with the understanding that
when the country progresses as a whole, everybody benefits.
Kenyans have managed to turn the choosing of governing
representatives into a popularity contest and into a purely game of
numbers and hence the infamous coinage of the phrase ‘tyranny of
numbers’ that frustrates choice on merit.
If what happened in the Kibra by-elections is anything to go by
then it is clear that choices were being imposed on the electorate
and the outcome had nothing to do with the welfare of the residents
of Kibra but the show of might by the political backers of the
candidate.
There can be no logical explanation as to why the country generated
so much political heat over a single seat in parliament that would
not even shift the balance of power since as we are given to believe
the ‘handshake’ prescribes cooperation.