Constant criticism killing government grand ambitions

Oligarchs of corruption and producers of meat wrappers must take full responsibility for the state of the country’s unhappiness, if any.

A ceaseless stream of criticism and abuse from these two quarters has withered all the good intentions the Jubilee government came to power with and neutered the dreams of double-digit economic growth.

Noble efforts to borrow money through the Eurobond have been turned into unnecessary demands for disclosure of what the money was spent on.

Critics are oblivious of the need for secrecy around the Eurobond projects lest Tanzanians and Burundians steal Kenya’s ideas for economic transformation.

Unfounded allegations of corruption have frustrated the delivery of a laptop for every Standard One pupil for three years.

Achievements in providing free maternity services have been dampened by lies that are driving mothers away from public hospitals.

Hardworking members of the Executive have been harassed out of office, with a third of the original Cabinet leaving under a cloud of unprosecuted corruption allegations.

Immune to the President’s persona charm, the founding fathers and poster boys of corruption have been united against the President’s efforts to fight graft by demanding the dismissal of whistle-blowers.

Renowned whistle-blowers have become shorter in wind, as a result, and been forced to undertake lighter duties.

Opposition people and their sycophants have been planting and nurturing a spirit of meanness that countenances only receiving money for harambees and other donations, but never once giving.

That is not the Kenyan spirit at all.

They have trained their guns on generous people like the Deputy President who are moved by the plight of suffering people to deny themselves comfort and donate millions of shillings.

The law does say that public officers should not take part in harambee, but the law is an ass.

ACTS OF SOLIDARITY

Its silliness can be quickly cured by the Jubilee tyranny of numbers in the National Assembly.

The opposition — founding fathers and poster boys of corruption — together with their lackeys in the media keep harping on minor omissions like the delay in naming a commission to investigate the conduct of security forces during the terrorist attack on Westgate Mall in which over 60 people were killed.

The spy chief has been replaced, the security minister, the Inspector General and the Deputy Inspector General have left office, and still the criticism does not relent.

Now, there are new demands that the President acts on his pledge to constitute a Budget Office in his office, oblivious of the fact that he has a choice on the pledges he fulfils immediately, in the medium term, and perhaps never.

An oft-repeated criticism of the President is that his government failed to unite Kenyans and promote national cohesion.

Yet, the whole country has been united in demanding an end to corruption.

Kenyans have been united in demanding higher pay for teachers and lower taxes. If this is not cohesion, what is?

ABHOR DIVISIVENESS
Like uric acid pouring onto city grass, this criticism is killing everything in its wake and corroding Kenyans self-belief and confidence.

This criticism is coupled with a deliberate under-emphasis of the Jubilee government’s achievements, such as turning the 2015 Garissa massacre into an invitation to US President Barack Obama and Pope Francis to visit Kenya.

Even in sports, praise and cheers give athletes the motivation to scale seemingly impossible heights.

That is why the country must heed the President’s advice in his New Year’s message to shun negativity.

The media, especially, must be wary of giving exposure to excessive criticism and focus instead on positive journalism.