Jubilee must change status quo, address critical concerns

Jubilee government’s first 100 days in office have ushered in a whiff of change in management style but has also retained some of the old culture.

For a start, President Uhuru is not just running the nation alone as the President; the duo seems to run the country as a team, sharing out roles and often working together on key tasks. Traditionally, even in coalitions, the President would run his show alone. Not UhuRuto. They share the risks and burden of leading the country; if you have seen Ruto, you’ve seen Uhuru. It’s like a partnership; Uhuru is simply the lead partner but the firm is run by both. Consequently, there is better consultation between the two, enhanced unity at work and less disagreement on decisions.

But they also have distinct operational models. Uhuru is stuck in State House where he has set shop, inaccessible to all but a few. Ruto operates mostly from his city centre office where he can be readily accessed, particularly by the political establishment and business community.

While this interactive franchise works well for the Deputy President politically, it is unlikely that the President’s handlers would cut him loose to be accessed by all. But as the President himself wandered loudly at the Editors Guild meeting this week, he misses the time out with friends as he remains holed in the State House fortress.

The Jubilee duo did pretty well in the appointments of the Cabinet Secretaries and the Principal Secretaries. Their style was remarkable; they received many CVs and consulted intensely before making their picks. They avoided recycling too many old faces, and also shut the door on those deemed to have questions of integrity. And except for a few, they did not reward political cronies as was the practice in our past regimes. By and large, the appointments reflected regional and ethnic considerations as required by the Constitution. And they got to work quickly, focusing more on the Jubilee manifesto deliverables such as free maternity services and the laptop project.

But it has not been a smooth ride. The roll-out of county governments had their fair share of wrangles with the Jubilee team constantly under focus on their commitment to devolution. Thus far, the counties unbundling is on track, their funding set at 30 per cent of the national revenue and their independence largely respected by the national government. Challenges still abound and the President and his deputy have taken the flak for the barbs thrown at their regime.

Both the Senate and Transitional Authority feel slighted by the Executive; the Governors lament that the Executive is hesitant to let go, and the County Assemblies remain on a go-slow because of poor terms of service. In general though, the duo appears too keen to see devolution succeed despite the teething problems. But little has changed in the government’s handling of insecurity, as it blames the politicians and poor police infrastructure as usual. Perhaps the time was short; but the duo need to focus on transformative reforms in the police. The status quo is simply unacceptable. 

The latest Synovate poll reveals that the rising cost of living remains the key concern of our people; half the people believe their condition has worsened since Jubilee took over and the government’s attempt to introduce VAT on basic commodities in order to raise more revenues will only worsen this perception. UhuRuto must reduce public expenditure through rationalisation of public service and elimination of wastage, and reviewing its spending priorities.  As their honeymoon ends, the team needs to quickly resolve the teachers strike, and nip in the bud the looming industrial action in the health sector to avoid disruption in public service delivery. These two sectors need more attention from the duo, far more than what the Jubilee manifesto dictates.

The writer is a political economist and Mandera County Senator