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Share national cake equitably and fairly

NaiNotepad

Equal weighing scale

Is it appropriate for Opposition strongholds at this time, to work with the political wing of the captainship of the government of the day?

I seek to weigh in this healthy debate by specifically deconstructing the misguided notion recently propagated by my friend and comrade, Kisumu Central MP, Hon Ken Obura, that Opposition (read the Luo Community), ought to join Jubilee government in order to ‘benefit’ from the centre-based goodies that come with singing the tunes of the government of the day.

He is quoted to have said, ‘We do not have the patience of our forefathers to keep waiting...’ for eons to join and be in government.

First, it is not factual to claim that Luos have been out of government; They have been in government right from independence during the times of my kinsman the late Tom Joseph Mboya and the late Opposition doyen, Jaramogi Adonija Ajuma Oginga.

If the notion is that of equating ‘our man’ being in government to development, then Luo Nyanza did not have to wait for nearly 45 years after independence, at the advent of the Coalition Government, to start witnessing the rise of concerted, deliberate huge government-driven infrastructural projects like initiation and expansion of Rural Electrification Projects, Road networks, the Sondu-Miriu Power Project, besides more investments and expansions in educational, health sector and food security projects across the region.

After TJ Mboya and Jaramogi Oginga, there were a number of Luos who were in successive governments as Cabinet ministers. It missed out in the presidential goodies of maendeleo that were directly proportional to the level of ‘centre-kisses’ a region registered.

On the sidelines, several Kenyans of good-will put their lives on the line, others risked their limbs, while the rest like Raila Odinga, et al, suffered humiliating incarceration to press for reforms for a more inclusive, democratic and free society where development projects would equitably be spread across all regions by right and as a duty and obligation by the government to its tax payers.

Luo Nyanza, just like the Coast, Western, Central, Nairobi, et al, played a key role in providing the necessary support base(s) to calls that led to constitutionally bridging the nation from a one-party state to a multi-party democracy.

Overall, my take is that the latest calls to join and politically mate with Jubilee, crystallise to two issues. One is deliberate effort to weaken if not kill the capacity of Opposition to play its constitutional mandate of offering checks and balances.

Second, is the fallacy that ‘development’ is a favour from the captains of the centre. We can no longer re-educate elected leaders to appreciate that their most cardinal responsibility moving forward is to ensure devolution works with the resources already allocated, or push for constitutional change(s) or referendum to push the percentage threshold for devolved resources.

Clean and responsible politics in an emerging but functional democracy like ours demand that if you no longer subscribe to the policies and ideologies of your sponsoring party, and publicly declare so, you resign and cross over or, mawingu yatatanda.

With the passing on of Hon. Kajwang’, Kenya has lost a rare leader - a bold and courageous representation of the few voices that are committed to the goals and ideals of reforms.

Silas Jakakimba is a PhD Candidate and a Research Fellow, African Democratic Institute.

 

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