Prof Okoth Ongore: Rewarding loyalty is the new reality in town

President William Ruto, Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua and Prime Cabinet Minister Musalia Mudavadi during the Retreat for Cabinet and Senior Ranks of the Executive at Fairmont Mount Kenya Safari Club, Laikipia County. [PHOTO: JONAH MWANGI]

Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua was recently reported as saying that the Kenya government is a company, and opportunities in the public service were dolled out based on shareholding. Many Kenyans were appalled, but somehow let it slip because they perhaps believed that a State Officer at the level of DP should know better.

Lo and behold, the man, whose moniker is Riggy G, was communicating an unofficial government policy on rewarding and punishing citizens based on their choices at the presidential polls. In corporate governance, this practice is referred to as the sanctioning mechanism. It is a time-tested tool for managing employee performance.
The difference between a State and a corporation is that in the latter, employees become part of the company on invitation and at the behest of the principals. In the former, however, all citizens have an inalienable right of belonging straight from birth.