Say what you want to say about Dr WSR Karnet, hasora, sibuor mbrrrrrrr but let's be sober for a moment and evaluate his rule dispassionately
1. The man is brilliant and this is undeniable. Compared even to all the prior presidents. Perhaps only with the exception of Kibaki who was also brilliant, but let's face it. General Keguoya was more of a softie technocrat than a real leader. John Keen famously said that Keguoya never met a fence he didn't sit on. He also lacked energy due to age. Even how he (Baba Jimmy) got to power was a pure accident of fate, unlike WSR who worked his butt off to get to where he is, despite the entire state machinery + a sitting president being against him. You have to be energetic and brilliant to take the top seat. I'm not talking book intelligence but - the infinitely more important - practical and practicable intelligence. There's a huge difference between the two. This is why brilliant theoreticians like our Uni Dons fail miserably in practical politics (and business) almost always and will never be president even in a million years. I was shocked to hear him lay the groundwork for a Sovereign Wealth Fund some weeks back. These are things some of us recommended over 20 years ago along the lines of TEMASEK that were shot down and laughed at to scorn. Every rapidly developing nation worth its salt has a Sovereign Wealth Fund. That a Kenyan president can not only think of it but start to implement it is nearly incredible to me. Especially since he isn't trained in high finance. This tells me two things. First, he is brilliant enough to want to find out WHAT WORKS in transforming a nation from third world to second and beyond. Second, that he has some technocrats - domestic and international - as well as political friends in the Asian Tigers that he actually listens to, as opposed to others who become know-it-alls once they perch themselves on the top seat.
2. WSR has pushed Kenyan politricks into the ISSUE BASED realm and this is again, undeniable. Wachana na peni mbili tribal politricks of cretins like Jomo and his circumcision fetish and tribal oathing administered by murderers like Wanyoike Thungu at Gatundu. In order to prevent folks like Jaramogi and others from daring to challenge him for the big seat. If that is not a peanut political brain full of simplistic tribal thinking, I don't know what is. Moi was Moi. No need to rehash hapo. Kibaki tried to be non-tribal but failed miserably when he let the Mount Kenya Mafia full of tribalist diehards from the Jomo era populate the ranks of his power structure. This alone turned an otherwise brilliant economist into a tribal politician from Othaya NDANIi with Kenyans left unable to hang nationalist credentials on his mast. Isapite. WSR on the other hand was brilliant enough to gamble that issue based politics could succeed in Kenya. Agree or disagree with the efficacy and achievements (or lack thereof,) Hasora Vs Dynasty politics is issue based : have-nots rebelling against the short shift the haves have dished to them cold without ceremony since 1963. SHA and Taxes are ISSUES. Affordable Housing and building infrastructure are ISSUES. As opposed to the empty shibboleths Kwiinyans had been accustomed to for well over 55 years prior! Like “the motorcycle outriders will never cross the Chania river,” “Siasa mbaya, maisha mbaya,” “Raira is power hungry,” “domo, domo” and similar pea-brained claptrap. Everyone - opponents inclusive - if they're honest, will admit that ISSUES now dominate the political space. This is unprecedented in Kwiinyan history. Isitoshe, WSR appears to take criticism, even of the very ad hominem variety, in stride. Insults are the order of the day nationwide, but by and large, no big numbers end up in basement torture cells and so on. I'm yet to hear of a single person claiming they have been detained without trial for having a contrary political opinion. This was the NORM for much of Kwiinyas political history. I remember reading one particular story about Jomo giving a roadside political speech. As was his custom, after making a political point, he would ask “kweli, rongo?” The unfortunate human being who dared to shout “rongo” on that particular day was hunted down and hauled to the filthy jail cells for a soft dose of torture-based re-programming. As I said, these are the sorts of insecure, simplistic types of thinking Kwiinyans suffered under lesser presidents.
3. Ties in with the 2 above. Ukavira. Tis interesting that I'm yet to hear any significant noise that WSR is a tribalist, has made purely tribal appointments or has a tribe-centred mindset that filters down into the socio-political end economic fabric of Kwiinya.Hata my Eliye people are seeing progress after being told for decades that roads will come "when funds are available." All the attacks against WSR are either squarely aimed at his POLICIES or his PERSON but not on tribal grounds. Even his worst enemies will admit to this, again, if they are honest.
Peace and stability. We are yet to hear of tribal clashes, very serious security issues and whatnot. Perhaps only the Gen-z protests came close. Even then - notice that the protests were issue based - not tribal or worse. As soon as they fizzled out, all Kwiinyans have known is sweet peace. We don't hear of Kaya Bombo, sijui Mungiki, sijui Wagalla massacres, Kwekwe, Mombasa Republican Council and so on. More peace please for another 20 years!
In any event, we can even take a look at the cons levelled against him.
1. That he fired Riggy G. That is not an ISSUE but a personal/personality based non-issue. VPs have been fired in droves since 1963, even on a whim. In fact Riggy G should be happy that WSR used due process to do the same. If this was any other president prior to 2002, he would have found himself in Kibiko forest, bones being munched by hyenas. Jameni is this progress or is this progress?
2.That he is corrupt. This is laughable. Which politician on earth isn't? Politics takes MONEY, BIG MONEY. To buy allies, buy policies.and buy citizens, who won't vote for you without it. Jomo needed money hence his legion scandals from the Settlement Trustees Fund, to the Million Acre Schemes, to driving in his limousine for one hour and declaring the land alongside which he had travelled to be his personal property. With no recourse for the suffering Kwiinyans. Moi took it to the next level. Kibaki and his Anglo Leasings wasn't doing anything he wasn't used to since his Kenren days under Jomo. Raira had a closetful of scandals that do not need rehashing. He ran his community and party like an ATM machine. Everyone had to pay taxes to the King. Ask Balala, who was told point blank that unless he coughed up a million, he wouldn't become ODM chairman. It is therefore hilarious that folks called him sijui reformer, sijui anti-corruption crusader, and so on. Islaughable. Bottom line, MONEY is the opium of politics. Presidential politics especially. No politician will ever admit it but that money has to come from somewhere. Wake me up when you find a “clean” politician who used his savings to successfully run for the presidency. Isnothappening.
3. That he is wantam. This one deserves no response beyond leaving it to grandkids in Kindergarten to chant while on the playground
Isitoshe, look at his so-called political competition.
Baba is gone forever and not coming back except maybe as a ghost.
Riggy G is good comedy in an empty cheap Moi Avenue.suit. No decent human being can consider him presidential material.
Kalonzo is not serious about anything. No vision, no loyalty, no msimamo, no track record. I think he should run for Machakos or Makueni governor. Even there, I'm not so sure he would deliver.
Matiangi, though hardworking, lacks brains. I heard him discuss why he locked Migush out of Kwiinya despite numerous court orders -including for contempt- being issued against him and just shook my head in amazement and amusement. The guy cannot even coherently defend his indefensible positions. Not smart at all. This one give him a DO post somewhere huko mashinani and he might do very well there.
The rest? Nonstarters kapsaaaaaa.
Ni hayo tu.
*Excuse the typos. Written without edits*
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