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Uhunye is smart, but he must fight tribalism

News

President Kenyatta

President Uhuru seems to be morphing into a different and more assertive leader, perhaps in response to the many pressures and challenges facing this country.

He has not had it easy since he became president. He inherited a war, the first in our history, with the dark cloud of the International Criminal Court and a possible jail term on foreign soil hanging over his head.

While he was still finding his way around State House, insecurity struck. The Westgate Mall terrorist siege, in which he lost close relatives, seemed to have shaken him to the chore. Numerous attacks at the Coast and in Northern Kenya not only made him look like a weak commander-in-chief, but one lacking in steel to send home those adjudged incompetent by the public.

It is about this time that Raila Odinga, ever the tactful politician, struck with his Okoa Kenya initiative and calls for dialogue. But the manner in which Uhuru has handled this, and the political rumblings in the Rift Valley and in his core Central Kenya constituency, defines a scheming leader who is not afraid of taking opponents head on.

No doubt the dismissal of his case by the ICC has moulded a bolder Uhuru. When historians look back in time, they will not only marvel at a man who turned adversity into a roller coaster ride to the highest office of the land but will also take note of how the youthful president whipped the continent into one, making him one of the most recognisable faces in Africa.

The fact that he presented a list of corrupt officials in parliament (whether it was correct or not) was a refreshing break from the past. Unlike his laid back predecessor who was famous for letting small crises to mutate into elephants, Uhuru has not hesitated to wade in and install order, demonstrating that behind the bonhomie and charm, lies a man with the political DNA of his mentor Daniel Arap Moi, and his father, Jomo Kenyatta.

The most notable proof of this lies in his recent appointments of parastatal chiefs. Making a break from the corporate types that defined the first years of his presidency, he went for seasoned politicians with grassroots appeal, a pointer that he has his eye firmly on the 2017 poll.

While there is no doubt that he is a more astute political manager than Mwai Kibaki, that unfortunately could be his undoing.

Often, pleasing tribal affiliations means turning a blind eye to corruption and appointing incompetent baggage, some with dubious character, just to appeal to some voter bases.

Be that as it may, President Uhuru has the opportunity to become one of Kenya’s finest leaders. He is not hungry for cash, which could make him a ruthless anti-corruption crusader.

He is a fairly young and sophisticated fellow, so kicking out tribalism could become the hallmark of his presidency.

In Vision 2030, he inherited a blueprint for economic and social development from Kibaki. He only needs to implement — not bother with reinventing the wheel.

But to grow the potato, so that he can role out free education and other social welfare programmes, he must combine political leadership with a firm hand on economic growth. This will involve hiring competent managers, stamping out corruption, fixing insecurity and breathing life into the struggling agriculture, tourism and mining sectors.

Harrison Mwirigi Ikunda is a Researcher and Consultantb

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