Kamotho returns to political arena

By ABDIKADIR SUGOW

After keeping a low profile for the past five years, one of Kenya’s most remarkable and outspoken political figures, John Joseph “JJ” Kamotho, is plunging back into the limelight.

This time round, thanks to the new Constitution, JJ is cherishing a golden chance to don a new feather in his political cap by capturing the Murang’a County Senator’s post in the March 4 General Election.

“I have been doing fine since I left active politics after the fiasco of the 2007 elections. It was the worst election we have ever had since independence,” the outspoken politician told The Standard On Sunday in an exclusive interview last Tuesday.

Since his semi-retirement from politics, Kamotho focused his energy on farming and running his business interests in Nairobi and his home town of Murang’a.

“The new constitutional dispensation has led to the creation of many institutions, including a bi-cameral assembly, so I have decided to ask the people of Murang’a to elect me as Senator. I have what it takes to serve the county and the country because of my vast experience,” he says.

Kamotho, who will be seeking the seat on The National Alliance (TNA) ticket, has a Bachelors’ degree in Political Science and Economics and Political Science and a Masters in Development Administration.

Kamotho joined the civil service, became a lecturer at the Kenya Institute of Administration (now School of Government), and later became the Director of the Kenya Institute of Management.

He believes that his positive role in the growth of the education sector will convince the people of Murang’a to elect him as Senator.

As Minister for Higher Education, Kamotho says he played a significant role in reforming and expanding higher education. He was the longest serving Education minister. He pioneered and commissioned a working task force under the chairmanship of Collins Mackay to overhaul the education sector, particularly in higher learning institutions at a time when university admission was restricted to just 320 students.

The University of Nairobi was the only public university and its total enrolment averaged between 5,000 to 10,000 students.

Prof Mackay, a Canadian, in 1982 proposed a diversified school curriculum with emphasis on technical skills.  The aim was to prepare pupils for self-employment, post-school training, and further education.

His commission also proposed the establishment of more public universities.

Criticises

“I was instrumental in the appointment of the Mackay Commission that led to far-reaching reforms in our education system,” recalls Kamotho. The fiery former Kanu spokesman remembers his departure from the Moi regime when he was shunted out of the then ruling party together with the late Prof George Saitoti.

Kamotho lost his post to Raila Odinga, who had merged his National Democratic Party with Kanu as Saitoti also relinquished his vice-chairman’s position, after making his famous comment: “There come time come when the nation is more important than the individual.”

Raila would later quit Kanu and was soon joined by other Kanu rebels including Kamotho, Saitoti, and Moody Awori in the Liberal Democratic Party, which linked up with Mwai Kibaki, Kijana Wamalwa, and Charity Ngilu’s National Alliance of Kenya, that ultimately gave birth to Narc, the party that swept Kanu out of power in 2002.

Kamotho says Narc soon ran into problems “because of a pre-election coalition agreement, which was not honoured, leading to internal wrangles”. The former Cabinet minister also criticises the current political leaders, saying they have betrayed the public trust.

“Dishonesty is the cause of wrangles and the current political war of words between leaders backdating to the dishonoured 2002 pre-election pact. This caused a lot of friction, generated hatred, tribalism, sectionalism and a lot of dissatisfaction so that the 2007 elections were held in a bad atmosphere.”

He says the dishonesty has continued beyond the 2007 elections and crept into the Coalition Government, which he adds has not really worked together, adding that the negatives include corruption, which has grown. He however commends the development of infrastructure, including roads, rural electrification and water supply projects.

He notes that in 2003, the country’s economic growth was less than one per cent picked up to seven per cent after Narc formed the government, but significantly dropped to previous levels after the 2007 post-election violence.

Greatest achievement

“The coalition of ODM and PNU works like two governments in one. The President, who has the mandate of the people to govern, shares power with the Prime Minister, who has no mandate from the people. Add this fact to the mistrust and you can see the dilemma of the Coalition Government,” he explains.

He credits the Government for the new Constitution, which he describes as the greatest achievement of Kibaki Government.

“The new Constitution has led to enactment of certain laws like the Political Parties Act, which could be the start of a viable political system in our country,” he says.

Kamotho says it is hard to predict the political future of central Kenya, saying that although TNA is the party of the moment, there are 21 registered political parties in the region. “Where did TNA come from?” he poses, adding that there is no central Kenya political agenda.

He said the country’s politics is still based on personalities and lacked ideology. In aggregate there is no such thing as central Kenya. So why did he decide to join TNA?

Kamotho has a simple explanation to this: “When you find people dancing, find their rhythm, and dance like them, otherwise they will think you are the one spoiling the show.”

Kamotho relishes the prospect of meeting his rivals former MPs Kembi Gitura and Nduati Kariuki (who he describes as newcomers) at the ballot, saying he does not spend sleepless nights because of the expected challenge.