Kenyans lose patience with the coalition

• Leaders enriching themselves as the people wallow in poverty and hunger

If it is not a shortage of maize caused by greedy politicians, it is lack of fuel. If it is not a quarrel about the powers of the Prime Minister and the head of public service, it is about MPs’ salaries.

And if it is not Agriculture minister William Ruto claiming a witch-hunt, it is his Justice colleague Martha Karua calling for the sacking of government officials for corruption and pointing fingers at the judiciary.

It is never about 10 million Kenyans facing starvation, the creation of jobs, road safety, security, healthcare, the plight of families in tented camps, clean water and clean market places.

To most Kenyans, this is the grand coalition government’s responsiblity. And this explains why a vast majority of them are losing faith in the coalition.

An opinion poll carried out by the Steadman Group early this month shows that a paltry 20 per cent of Kenyans are convinced that the alliance addresses their plight. Interestingly, 60 per cent feel that the previous government was more responsive to their needs.

In fact, 19 per cent of respondents say the Government has achieved nothing. Kenyans credit it with restoring peace after the post-election violence. This begs the question: Do the people need the coalition any more? Has it lived up to its billing?

A political crisis

The preamble to the National Accord and Reconciliation Act, 2008, which gave birth to the alliance, shows that the parties came together because there was a political crisis which needed a political solution.

The coalition was meant to be “a partnership with commitment on both sides to govern together and push through a reform agenda for the benefit of all Kenyans.”

It is easy to point out that the country is in a political crisis, hence the need to continue bolstering the coalition, which is suffering the wounds of poor governance, a food crisis and corruption — all children of the union.

Even as we blame the Sachang’wan villagers for dashing to harvest fuel from an overturned tanker, you know who is siphoning off oil and maize from the pipeline and the strategic grain reserve. Politicians have learnt to collude with officials of the National Cereals and Produce Board to make super-profits, leading to shortages and high prices of maize and its products.

Financiers risk losing over Sh7.6 billion after oil firm Triton closed its operations in Kenya. The loss is attributable to fraud at the Kenya Pipeline Company, which released oil that had anchored the debt without the financiers’ consent.

Energy minister Kiraitu Murungi describes the scandal as “a serious crime of dishonesty and fraud.”

Delegates at the “Kenya We Want” conference last week singled out a governance crisis as the country’s greatest challenge.

President Kibaki’s indecisiveness is legendary, while Prime Minister Raila Odinga’s hands are tied at the back by the thieving mafia in his party.

The corrupt gang has returned home to exploit a favourable governance crisis. Anti-graft crusader John Githongo reckons that the vice is the glue holding the coalition together.

“Free-for-all corruption keeps everyone at the feeding trough,” he says. “This is a honey-badger season and all the badgers have their snouts in the honey.”

The Government scores poorly on reforms, according to a report commissioned by the Panel of Eminent African Personalities, led by former UN chief Kofi Annan. There has been an effort at piecemeal electoral changes, as shown by the disbandment of the Election Commission of Kenya.