By Timothy Bosire
It was dumbfounding to hear some Kenyans claim that they support the attempt by some MPs to restrict candidacy for ‘Parliament upwards’ to degree holders only, because they do not want illiterate leaders and MPs.
Put simply our MPs and these wananchi who were echoing this lopsided view were categorical that any Kenyan without a university degree is illiterate, ignorant and lacks leadership capacity. Nothing can be farther from the truth.
I love and respect education. I urge all Kenyans with ability and opportunity to pursue education to the highest levels possible. It will help them and it will benefit our country and mankind greatly.
But I do know that diploma holders and over 80% of our Form Four leavers are sufficiently literate to comprehend a lot of challenges, save for specific, technical and professional chapters. A university degree alone does not transform any human being into a leader nor make him a good representative of his countrymen to any forum.
By attempting this degree edict, our parliament, with all its majority university graduates, proved beyond reasonable doubt, our worst fears, that there are many ignorant and reckless university graduates in our midst masquerading as know-it-alls who if left unrestrained, can lead this country astray. They operate outside common sense and logic!
Thus, our perennial fear that Parliament could be more dangerous to the good of this country than most other threats is well founded. It is fast becoming the germ that will destroy this country; given the erratic and self-serving way it is handling implementation of the new constitution.
Parliament has lost track and arrogated itself powers and functions divorced from and above the original mandate as laid down in the Constitution. This is a clear case of a rogue servant often betraying the master (wananchi) at will for personal gain and glory to soothe the wild egos of 222 individuals.
abuse of office
The mistake, therefore, was pure furtherance of some MPs’ weird self-promotion into an isolated elite club that thinks it owns Kenya. A crude attempt to fence off membership to parliament, from the majority. A conversion of a national parliament from the House of Representatives that the people created to a private members club!
What are lacking in leadership and representation; not university degrees but integrity and virtue.
Parliament and most other public offices are unfortunately peopled by smartly dressed men and women who have often excelled in vices such as corruption, nepotism, negative ethnicity, fraud and abuse of office. Incidentally, most are holders of university degrees and even, PhDs.
A roll call of Kenyan MPs and ministers mentioned adversely in scandals are highly educated individuals. In fact most boast of world-class academic qualifications and achievements before joining the public service or politics.
The list of PSs, directors of government departments and Chief Executive Officers of Corporations who have robbed Kenya, abused office and bankrupted institutions is big and still growing.
In our parliament have it that out of 222 MPs only some 80 of them do not have degrees. That is a clear minority. Reliable sources in parliament say that that has been the case with most of our past parliaments.
Many therefore wonder why despite the membership of majority degree holders, parliament has a history of goofs, incompetence and regular enactment of anti-people laws including – detention without trial, section 2(a) making Kenya a one party state, and sedition laws.
In terms of individual performance by Kenyan MPs, non-degree holders, notably:- Martin Shikuku, Karisa Maitha, Koigi wa Wamwere, J.M. Kariuki, Tom Mboya, Norman Nyagah, David Mwenje, Kihika Kimani, Waruru Kanja, Jaramogi Oginga Odinga, William Ole Ntimama, George Kapten, Abuya Abuya, David Okiki Amayo, among others, acquitted themselves very well often out shining degree holders.
Our misfiring MPs should also be reminded that Kenyans read history and compare notes. They are not ignorant. They thus know that the leadership qualities and contributions by non-degree holders like: Jaramogi, Kenneth Matiba, Shikuku, JM Kariuki and Tom Mboya are legendary and epoch making.
Some of the most exemplary, enlightened and progressive leaders in the world never sat in any university lecturer hall. Some had elementary education, others middle level education and only acquired leadership acumen through years of selfless service, sacrifice and strategic interaction.
no known democracy
In this category are President Ronald Reagan, Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi, Prime Minister John Major and Prime Minister Sir, Winston Churchill and South Africa’s current President Jacob Zuma.
Why didn’t our MPs spare a moment to wonder why no known democracy in the world has such academic requirements for leadership? Why have big, modern democracies like USA, Canada, Britain, Germany, France, India and South Africa kept off such skewed provisions? Why are majority of the world’s most celebrated and top most entrepreneurs and tycoons not degree holders?
I rest my case.
The writer is a politician.
timothy_bosire@yahoo.com
