CORD supporters at the Uhuru park during the saba saba rally. Photo/HEZRON NJOROGE
The much-hyped Cord Saba Saba rally with its expectations, tension and publicity turned out to be just a mere political gathering pointing out challenges facing Kenya.
According to many observers and critics, Cord leaders disappointed their followers as they failed to come up with measures to curb the high cost of living, unemployment , insecurity and other problems affecting Kenyans. In simple terms, it was just a political rally by the rich over the poor.
Kenyans who attended the rally were ready to match to State House to demand good governance from President Uhuru. Kenyans have a constitutional mandate to demand better services, especially security, from the government and not window dressing from the opposition
Kenyans want solutions to problems facing them. Many are living in poverty and cannot afford basic needs due to the high cost of living.
Educated youths are jobless, tourism, a leading foreign exchange earner, is struggling because of insecurity. Innocent Kenyans are losing their lives in the hands of criminals at the Coast, Mandera, Wajir and other parts of the country. The government has no capacity to deal with insecurity.
Poverty has forced many young girls into prostitution. People have lost their moral authority as they have been forced to do degrading things just for survival.
It is a pity that when suffering Kenyans throng rallies and churches seeking solutions, politicians take advantage of them and use the forums to show how best they can speak and dance.
Political leaders, whether in Jubilee or Cord, are rich. They have amassed wealth through corruption and nepotism and have no moral authority to speak for the poor. Most of them own properties and live in posh estates. Their security is guaranteed and their children study in private schools locally and internationally.
Kenyans should wake up and use the constitution to elect reliable and focused leaders whose main agenda will be to make life better for the people and not to get power.
Kenyans, like other Africans, allow politicians to use them to rubber stamp their own agenda and divide them along ethnic lines to get to power.
The constitution can bring change only if Kenyans interpret and use it properly. Kenyans are always friendly towards each other. Tribalism and nepotism only feature when politicians come into play .
Kenya, like other African countries under turmoil and internal conflict as a result of bad governance are yet to get good leaders to nurture peace, unity and development.
Civil societies and donor communities should spend most of their funding to educate locals how to choose credible leaders irrespective of tribe or political affiliation.
Leadership in Kenya and Africa has been destroyed by “my tribe syndrome”. Kenya at 50 cannot claim to still be young and inexperienced. Things must change. Ethnic, clanism and religious cleansing should be things of the past.
There is no reason why Africa cannot move forward like other countries in Asia and Europe. There is no magic behind the success of developed countries except hard work and good leadership.
African countries have strong and reliable friends and partners who are willing to help Africa grow. World powers like Japan, America, Europe and China are competing to partner and trade with Africa offering opportunities that our leaders can take advantage of.
It is difficult to understand why despite exposure to such models, African leaders have not been able to learn from them.
Denise Kodhe is executive director, Institute for Democracy and Leadership in in Africa.
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