PERMANENT POLICIES WILL FORESEE THIS COUNTRY GOING TO THE NEXT LEVEL

PERMANENT POLICIES WILL FORESEE THIS COUNTRY GOING TO THE NEXT LEVEL

John Fitzgerald Kennedy, the 35^th president of United States of America (may God rest his soul in peace) gave one of the memorable speeches on January 1961 during his inauguration ceremony that should be hammered into the heads of our leaders permanently.  On that day, he admitted that American problems will not be solved within the first 100 days or will they managed in the next 1000 days. In short he urged Americans not just to sit and waits for government handouts but to think on how to make America a prosperous nation.

He then went to install projects among them going to the moon which was later accomplished exemplary although he had already died.

Back at home the trend is different.  Our leaders keep procrastinating problems or they pretend to sole them. Such are the circumstances which makes them to find themselves in difficult situations especially in this era of strikes. Normally, when such strikes do happen, the common man is to suffer. Take for instance the current doctors strike, patients are dying in hospitals who happen to be ordinary citizens who in this context cannot afford private hospitals. You don’t need rocket science studies to know that most of the doctors own private hospitals and clinics as they belong to that class which can afford insurance covers inclusive special ingredient packages that can fly them out of the country for medical check-ups!

I’m not feeling any ill to our beloved brothers and sisters in the name of doctors and nurses but I’m feeling ill for Wanjiku or Mogaka, back at the village. The government must put priorities right. When teachers go to strike, common man is first affected because our leaders don’t take their children to public schools which they implement policies to build.

Just for a thought, when such strikes do happen, the government is forced to sit down and for agreement of course they concur to pay. Where is the money kept not to solve the problem earlier but upon demonstrations, it is found? Where is the spirit of negotiation comes from or our leaders must be forced to work for the job they are paid? How can you pass quickly to purchase a  200,000 shillings worth chair but fail to reason that a primary school teacher need  a medical  allowance rise of 300 shillings?   

 Until they sit down and implement the policies they keep on telling us, all will not be well. The Prime Minister admits during Jamuhuri day cerebrations that we have been having many problems among them hunger caused by poverty, and of course the infamous floods. I can see here that imagination is bemused by facts. He should tell us for instance what his office is doing to improve the situation. How many times are Kenyans going to die of floods and droughts instead of thinking of how to curb flood waters and use it when times of drought?

Kenyan problems will not be solved by leaders who campaign with promises of solving everything within the first 100 days in office. Adam Smith, the father of economics once said that the tragedy of the poor is the poverty of their aspiration. Take for instance the sick KAZI KWA VIJANA program. Is that solving unemployment or postponing a problem? It reminds me of Josiah Mwangi Kariuki the slain Nyandarua MP then. He said of how youths will turn into rogues if not well addresses and not that they will turn rogue of their wish, but because circumstances force them. After teachers, doctors, Matatu Owner Association has rung a warning bell as COTU is promising industrial strike. I’m not a prophet of doom but next likely, Kenyan youths will go to the streets. For how can you explain to someone who has been in college for six years that there is no employment for him? Kenya is 48 -years –old but she is living with 1950,s problems among them unemployment factor, squatters, hunger, mayhems e.t.c.

Until our leaders go to the drawing board and implement permanent policies, all will not be well. Let them sit and find permanent solutions for us to move towards attaining vision 2030.  

CHWEYA ITEBA, NAIROBI.