Mr President, let new term define your legacy

President Uhuru Kenyatta’s easy smile, firm handshake and the famous shoulder hug usually earn him accolades from both friend and foe. From those who have met him, he comes across as an amiable character — always friendly to anyone ready to give him a hearing. I have met him once during a foreign trip. From the haste in his step and the many meetings I covered him holding, I saw a man who means well for his country and can’t wait to make more strides in development.

Now, as he begins his second and final term as President, the son of Jomo must not forget the circumstances under which he assumed the instruments of power. It was through a polarising presidential election, which was at first annulled by the Supreme Court and then boycotted by his archrival NASA leader Raila Odinga.

Legitimacy issues are still being talked about and nearly half the country is not ready to recognise his presidency. How does he win their hearts and make them feel part and parcel of his new administration?

Still, the President must grapple with his legacy. What does he want Kenyans to remember him for as he retires to Ichaweri village in Gatundu in 2022? As the outgoing President, Kenya will demand a lot more from him than during his first term.

Uniting Kenyans and slaying the dragon of tribalism could be his biggest achievement. The first step would be deliberately going out of his way and reaching out to Raila and his co-principals. It wouldn’t be sacrilegious trying to make the Opposition feel part of the Kenyan leadership and helping them play their watchdog role. It would not even hurt anyone.

His overtures to the Opposition would not only halt a potentially rough ride for his government, but could also up his credentials as a patriot. He could be remembered as that President who sacrificed a lot to help make Kenyans feel proud to be who they are. The President would do well to ignore those rooting for dictatorial tendencies. The Jubilee zealots urging him to wield the big stick, unleash the police on NASA supporters and cut any links to Raila are not only selfish, but could also soil his legacy. The President should deliberately shun them and chart a new path for our lovely country.

This week, the President is expected to name his Cabinet and all eyes will be on the new line up. The outlook will be scrutinised up to the last member of the team and inclusivity will rank highly besides actual delivery. Crucial dockets like Security, Treasury, Health, Education, Devolution, Environment and Industrialisation could also shape his legacy.

Therefore, the men and women he settles for these positions must be capable. They must also be under no illusion that this is just like past cabinets. Their mandate will be crucial to healing the nation and kick-starting real growth. Millions of highly educated youths are looking for decent jobs and the tone adopted by the Government usually helps create opportunities or destroys entrepreneurship.

The economy has taken a beating from the heightened political season where many companies have suffered great financial strain. Many like the former giant Nakumatt supermarkets have been forced to close shop and with it thousands of jobs have been lost. The father and mother who have lost their source of income will look up to the new administration to come up with alternatives. Few things are more painful in this world than when your son or daughter asks for food, decent shelter and an education, but you are unable to provide. It dehumanises someone and makes you look for all sorts of punching bags.

The government is usually the first. To turn around this state of affairs will require a stroke of genius from the President and his new team. How the government secures Kenyans’ health, education and means of earning an income, will greatly define how they will remember the son of Jomo. Over to you Mr President. Good luck!

-The writer is revise editor at The Standard, Weekend Editions. [email protected]