Ruto must seize the moment to salvage his Presidency

 If President William Ruto survives the ongoing onslaught by the Gen Z, Kenya and indeed many African countries where dictatorship has creeped in, have an opportunity to transform in ways not possible before. One of the declarations by the Gen Zs, that sounds like music to the ears of many among the older generations, is that they believe they are tribeless. Indeed, ethnic identity and politics of tribe have proved to be the main impediment to Kenya’s, and Africa’s progress. It is clear now that the Gen Zs, who constitute 75 per cent of Kenya’s population, realise the power that they can wield from their sheer numbers, not to mention high levels of literacy and availability of communication tools for mass mobilisation.

The next thing they must do to achieve peaceful change now ought to be registering as voters, guarding the sanctity of the voting card with the same zeal they have fought for their right to picket and being ready to vote in their numbers. If they do that, they will henceforth determine who rules them. They will also ensure that henceforth, the use of tribe and stolen money to elect leaders will be a thing of the past. This will set Kenya on the much-delayed march to prosperity. They did it in most of Asia in the 1960 and 70s and they can do it in Africa now.

Hiring people into public offices based on ethnicity and political affiliation has meant that the country has lost the benefits conferred by meritocracy. Inevitably, this has resulted in mediocrity and suboptimal delivery of public services and other development dividends. Ethnicity and cronyism are the fuel on which corruption has thrived.

There was a time in Kenya when civil servants relied only on their salaries. Admittedly, the Kenya shilling had true value such that their income enabled them to bring up and educate children and lead decent lives. Upon retirement, the pension they earned could sustain them for the rest of their lives. Decades of economic mismanagement caused the shilling to lose value as the cost of goods and services skyrocketed.

Those old enough will recall a time when cash crop farming was well organised such that produces such as coffee, tea, pyrethrum, cashwenut and others, were grown through well managed cooperatives. Farmers had a say in deciding who would lead these entities, and were, therefore, real stakeholders. Working and supportive government systems ensured that these cooperatives linked farmers to markets that paid farmers reasonable returns. The same cooperatives were instrumental in ensuring that farmers could access and afford critical inputs such as certified seeds and fertiliser.

Today, government employees obsess with travel and workshops in order to earn extra income in the form of allowances. Well carpeted cosy boardrooms of Government ministries and other public institutions, are only used for hosting press conferences and visitors, totally negating the purpose for which they exist. From the cabinet secretary to the clerk, huge teams spend colossal amounts in five-star hotels, sometimes carrying out activities as mundane as “reviewing reports.” 

Teachers have not been left behind. Schools have come up with many crooked avenues through which they exploit parents, including charges referred to as “motivation” for teachers who are on Government payroll.  Corruption among the police and the judiciary has become normalised. The list of examples of pilferage of tax payers’ money is endless.

These, among numerous other Government misdeeds, the latest of which is unbridled show of opulence by chosen few untouchables and stooges with access to official largesse, are the backdrop of the Gen Zs’ current uprising. This time, on account of their organisation, capacity to mobilise and tenacity, the force of change is irreversible.

Those in power starting with President Ruto had enough time to demonstrate that they could transform the country, starting by instituting programmes that create real jobs for the huge numbers of well-educated young people. We only need to watch our screens to see them taking over streets in virtually all of the 47 counties. The time for business as usual is up. This Government will either change in ways demanded by these fed up young people or the refrain “Ruto Must Go” will translate from the literal to the real. The President will be well advised to seize the moment.

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