I'd rather be a businessman than a politician - Politician William Kabogo

After keeping a low profile, former Kiambu Governor WILLIAM KABOGO was a guest on Spice FM’s Situation Room talk show on Tuesday, October 23, during which he tackled various issues regarding the country’s politics, the state of the economy, and what is being done to improve lives. This is an abridged version as transcribed by PKEMOI NG’ENOH

You look like Kibaki…

 Kibaki’s times were great. He had favour. He was the greatest President Kenya ever had according to me and he has my vote.

 There are a lot of things happening in Kiambu, but let’s look at the national level...

As a matter of fact, I never discuss anything about Kiambu County. Whenever I open my mouth, people talk about a jilted lover, how he has failed, and other things. I’m not a politician, I am a leader and once I’m done with elections and I’m not in office I’m done with it. There are better things to do than politics.

Politicians think about the next general elections and you can tell about the mood for now, they are already talking about 2027, but leaders think about the next generation.

 What is happening in the country currently…

There is a lot to worry about because it looks like there are elections and promises. The intentions of the President could be good but whether it will happen or not is a big question, I would rather action than words. We would rather just see things happening, the cost of living coming down, easy access to opportunities for Kenyans, and better earnings.

 Are you not seeing action?

I got into a gas station where I normally fuel for Sh8,000 and my car used to show above half the gauge but today, the same went to a quarter. If there was action, I would have loved the gauge to go above half. We have to tighten our belts when things get thick. Things are hard for Kenyans.

What action are you looking for and not seeing?

Action that is geared that make life bearable for Kenyans. These tribal groupings will not help Kenyans. Like what the DP is doing in Mt Kenya. We are done with elections. When are we going to stop talking about elections? Power and money have become the cycle.

If I was given a new life, I would rather become a businessman. Right now, if you have to import anything that has steel, you will pay three times what you would pay last year for the cost of developing homes, like what I do. It is painful to do business now in Kenya. I have been looking to diversify to South Africa. The business environment is conducive out there.

In the Kenyan situation, we need to ask our leaders to tone down the politics and try to worry about the feelings of the general public in terms of survival. Everyone is in a survival mood now.

 Kenyan politics and lessons to learn...

Our politics is not about Kenya, it is about personal interest and how to get rich quickly. I was reading recently about someone who has bought a villa in Dubai for Sh270 million and when you read between the lines the person was zero. Where would you find that amount of money?

Power is transient, if we want to grow our country we must be moved by the need to make Kenya work. From those that we elected, we are our own problem.

 About Kiambu...

When I went into office, the county was buying a bottle of water at Sh300. All these things when I said that I stopped purchasing for 14 days, I sent people to all the supermarkets to get me a price list for all the things and find mean prices.

I convened the Cabinet and we said we would not purchase anymore unless from the supermarket and the highest price we will pay is the mean that we got from the supermarkets. All the suppliers disappeared and that is where we started.

The same can be applied on the national level but for whose interest? These people (politicians)are out to make cash, not to make Kenya a better place and that is the problem of our Kenyan politics.

Did you have pending bills in Kiambu County at the end of the first term?

We had pending bills of about Sh180 million and those were bills of projects spreading to one or three years. It is always possible to have pending bills but not excessive.

MPs, for instance, are elected to represent constituents…. Now Kenyans are crying about the cost of living, but as this happens, what have you heard about our MPs saying? What they tell you is this is a global problem so suffer quietly.

The President as a man may have good intentions but all these people around him; what is their business? Do they do what is expected of them by Kenyans?

 What would you have done differently?

We have made Kenyan politics such that when one goes to the village, I can dish out Sh500 to anyone who comes around then I don’t need to be held accountable. If it does not change, then this is the culture that we are developing and it will never change.

The cost of doing business in Kenya is becoming so difficult to make ends meet. In SA, you can start a business and in four weeks, you will be up and running. We are importing now from South Africa rather than importing from Europe. 

Rwanda?

In 1994, Rwanda was zero. Today, it is on top in terms of growth. We tend to think solutions to our problems are democracy but democracy has not worked. I am not saying make me a dictator and I will sort Kenya, if I were, I would fix it.

 Affordable housing?

Like now, the President has a very good idea about giving us a home. It is important but how this project will be implemented is in my mind. It is still a very big question. When you form a fund, you should be able to make regulations about the fund. How will you identify where the project will be? What will happen to those who will have contributed Sh30,000 in seven years?