Leaders’ apathy sparks calls for a progressive dictatorship

Growing criticism of Kenya's Grand Coalition over what has been described as a leadership crisis has sparked debate among Kenyans on whether the leaders are in control.

Kenya is facing a serious breakdown of respect for the rule of law, regulations, procedures and due process in almost every aspect.

The National Council of Churches of Kenya has described President Kibaki’s leadership as moribund and that of Prime Minister Raila Odinga as ineffective. According to Collins English Dictionary, the word moribund means near death, stagnant, without force or vitality.

So far, this was the boldest — and perhaps most accurate — biting criticism of President Kibaki’s hands-off style leadership and Mr Odinga’s performance record.

Questions are being raised on whether such a leadership style is suitable for a country where corruption, impunity, injustice and general indiscipline have become a national pastime.

Alternative rule

There is a general feeling among Kenyans that the war on corruption is lost because friends and associates of key leaders have been linked with mega scandals and no action has been taken against them.

And Parliament, which is also supposed to check excesses of the Executive, has been turned into a platform for fighting political wars, cutting deals for self-preservation and petty quarrels.
Despite the hard talk, President Kibaki and Mr Odinga seem to have their hands tied at their backs by political surrogates.

But Kenyans seem divided on the nature of alternative leadership that can pull the country out of the cesspit of lawlessness and sleaze.

Some are of the opinion that given the prevailing crisis, Kenya is ripe for revolutionary leadership in the fashion of Rwanda’s Paul Kagame, Venezuela’s Hugo Chávez, ailing Cuban strongman Fidel Castro, and new Africa Union chairman Muammar Gaddafi of Libya.

But there are those who strongly feel that Kenya needs a sort of benevolent dictatorship to restore order and discipline in management of public affairs.

This group argues that despite their faults, their no-nonsense and firm style of leadership had instilled discipline in governance, solidified a sense of nationalism and rediscovered their countries.

Others like Catholic priest Father Gabriel Dolan, argue that because the country’s “morale and moral fabric are in tatters, only a mass movement can channel growing discontent and anger into something positive.”

Disciplinarian

“We need a benevolent dictator — tough and firm leaders such Murtala Mohammed of Nigeria. When he came to power, Nigerians knew he was a strict disciplinarian,” says former Subukia MP Koigi wa Wamwere.

“During his reign, even traffic jams were contained and people were forced to report to work promptly. He is remembered for his firmness and goodness.”

According to Mr Wamwere, such dictators do not necessarily dismantle institutions of democracy. Instead, they strengthen and make them more effective.

What Kenya requires, he says, are leaders like Uganda’s Yoweri Museveni, Mr Chávez and Mr Gaddafi.