It’s time forUhuru Kenyatta and William Ruto to deliver the promise

Bread and butter issues or, more precisely, unga matters remain central to the average man’s concerns as the Jubilee alliance Government approaches the 100-day mark since its assumption of power. This psychologically important milestone comes a little too soon for President Uhuru Kenyatta and Deputy President William Ruto who have had to contend with more hurdles in the creation of their government than previous leaders.

However, given that the delays in getting started have barely dented the two leaders’ popularity, there is apparently still a reserve of goodwill they can count on going forward.

The administration’s engagement with the media yesterday, at an event to reveal their communication strategy, shows they are aware of their tenuous hold on this goodwill and keen to make better use of it. Time is running out, however, on the public’s willingness to wait for signs of results. A recent Ipsos Synovate survey shows confidence in Kenyatta and Ruto at about the same levels as the support they received jointly in the March 4 election.

It is apparent that while they have not won over those that voted for the Cord coalition with their initial efforts to keep their promises, they have managed to stave off a loss of confidence among their own supporters. (Or, indeed, if they have lost some ground among their core constituencies, they have also earned the same with groups elsewhere).

This, and the apparent strength the coalition enjoys in Parliament, should not be cause for complacency. As we have warned here before, public expectations of this presidency were always going to be unreasonably high and the risk of disappointment even greater.

Echoing the sentiments revealed in the Ipsos Synovate survey as they rally themselves to oppose radical new taxation measures, the Opposition warns of the likelihood of a revolution -- a ‘Kenyan spring’, if you like -- over just these matters.

While this may be a wishful reading of the zeitgeist, the prospect of unrest over such matters has always been real in recent months, not just for Kenya but also for many other developing and developed nations. Thus, our leaders should keep it in mind as they learn the limitations of the levers of government and plan their way through their first term.

Indeed, it is perhaps a good thing that whatever honeymoon the Jubilee alliance were counting on at the beginning of their administration has been shortened by these concerns as it allows them to focus on delivering the essentials long before they settle into the habits that will define their tenure.

Kenyans voted for the Jubilee pair knowing full well that their upcoming trials at the International Criminal Court for alleged co-perpetration of crimes against humanity some five years ago would be a distraction at some point. Delays on the legal front have bought the President and his deputy more time to get their administration going and make the trials, during which both must spend weeks at a time abroad, less of a distraction.

We urge that this task be completed as speedily as possible to avoid a crisis when the machinery of Government is left briefly unattended by either of the two top men.

There is no shortage of domestic issues that can prove just as distracting to the leadership, especially when politics is thrown into the mix. This has been shown to be true of past administrations, including that of Kenyatta’s immediate predecessor, President Kibaki. Resisting the temptation to be drawn down every other alley was an admirable quality that all leaders could learn from this experience. The risk of rigged benchmarking is also an issue that came to the fore under the last president when ministers aware their performance would be gauged publicly found ways to fake achievement.

We trust that when Cabinet and Principal Secretaries arise to answer to the public about their achievements so far, they opt for honesty and realism. Rather than exaggerate successes and fig-leaf challenges to meet the arbitrary timeline of election promises, they should manage public expectations with a dose of honesty.

If they are in any doubt as to the wisdom of this approach, they have no further to look than to the dispute over teachers’ allowances.