Let’s talk about BBI without the veil of tribalism, politics

Let’s talk about Building Bridges Initiative (BBI).

Kenyan political discourse, in some respects, is truly a broken record. There are hardly new people on the scene; there’s little fresh presidential talent shining through.

There’s some quality talent in the Cabinet, but it probably has not received the spotlight to shine.

The ideas in political discourse are also old. I have been struggling to read the BBI report and making very little progress because I’m punishing myself for losing two pairs of glasses and I’m therefore reading with broken eyes. The ideas and concepts in there make my eyes water.

It’s part of our national culture never to accept defeat, never to face the facts and to always find shortcuts and ways around reality.

We always find something — or someone — to blame for our failures, for the fact that we are incorrigible thieves and lack the discipline to take the long term view or execute plans well. We are escapists.

POLITICAL STATE

First, this whole idea of Westminster model of government is old hat. I grew up hearing praises about the Mother of Parliaments and how it is a glorious way to govern.

For heaven’s sake, what happened to social change, innovation, growth, assimilation of new ideas, adaptation?

This thing has been hammered into my head all my life. Which insufferable political bore is resuscitating this idea?

All that business about sofas in green leather and Prime Minister’s Question Time and wigs and Mr Speakers and the whole lot of laughable ceremony is in our past.

Speaking for myself, I don’t want it and I don’t want it for my children. What’s wrong with the system of government we have now?

We were just getting used to it and you want to change it back to the one we discarded? Go away! The political state is largely violent, corrupt and incompetent.

SEPARATION OF POWERS

Kenya’s strength is in its professionals, administrators and workers, not in its politicians whose ruthless exploitation of state resources, tribalism and the people’s ignorance is the reason we’re still struggling.

When politicians used to be in the Cabinet, development and government in general was heavily politicised.

The State was twisted to serve the political and ethnic interests of a cabal of voracious political locusts. Our greatest weakness is that we follow our politicians blindly.

When did we agree that the Cabinet of non-politicians is a bad idea? Have we given it enough time to work?

In the old days, if a politician was the minister for Energy, his constituency would be lit like a Christmas tree.

The surrounding villages would be a pitch black, sort of like a night view of earth from space: the minister’s constituency would be Europe, the dark African patch would be the neighbouring constituencies.

I see no reason why people aren’t asked to choose between constituency duty and service in the Cabinet.

I like the idea of a clean separation of powers. Parliament is parliament, the Executive is the Executive.

WEAK PRESIDENT

These children of many worlds end up confusing stuff and muddling things up.

The job of the Executive is to raise taxes and use them to govern the country; the job of the Legislature is to make laws and keep an eye on the Executive.

Let politicians choose which side best suits their interests and talents. We shouldn’t have people with one leg in the Executive and another in the Legislature.

In general, a weakly governed State is weak. Unless the people have achieved a certain level of philosophical sophistication where they’re able to govern themselves, recognise their rights, interests and be able to sometimes subordinate them to the larger good, a weak State, traditionally proposed by Leftist politicians, is a bad idea and I personally don’t want it.

Let’s have a president with real power, exercised in clean lines of authority and effectively checked by a well-functioning Judiciary and Legislature.

JUST SOCIETY

Inclusion in Kenyan political parlance means adding more chairs to the dinner table.

While I’m not opposed to the expansion of the Executive for the sake of peace and stability, I think the underlying reasoning is bad.

We seem to think that senior government officials represent their tribes and the only way a tribe can consider itself included is if some of its people occupy big posts.

This mentality comes from a history of patronage, of leaders going into government to serve their ethnic constituencies.

This is the kind of instinct we should fight because it’s not real inclusivity, it is a self-serving mirage.

Kenyans would feel included if all were equal before the law, all had equal access to opportunities and State resources and services.

Unfortunately, adding more positions will create inclusivity for a narrow elite but not for the broad majority of the people. Can we also work to create a more just and equal society, strive to serve everyone?

GREAT IDEAS

Finally, we’re creating not a government of equals or rivals but of tribes at a time the concept of tribe is in steady decline.

In another generation, the rationale for the big dining table will have lost all meaning: You may sit down your children at breakfast and explain to them their tribe; but will they recall it by dinner?

Let’s talk about BBI, about the great ideas in there and the old, boring ones too.

[email protected]