UNDER THE GUISE OF FINANCING DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS, OUR GOVERNMENT HAS PUT THE
HEAVY YORK OF DEBT LIKE A NOOSE AROUND THE NECKS OF FUTURE GENERATIONS.
AS AT 30TH JUNE 2011, OUR
NATIONAL DEBT STOOD AT 1.3226 TRILLION KENYA SHILLINGS, WITH 697.8 BILLION
BEING EXTERNAL DEBT AND 624.8 INTERNAL.
THIS IS MONEY THAT WE, ALL OF US REGARDLESS OF TRIBE, GENDER OR
CREED WILL HAVE TO PAY. THIS MONEY WILL COME FROM HIGHER TAXES, THE GOVERNMENT
WILL INCREASE YOUR NSSF AND NHIF (as they are now), DOWN THE ROAD, WE WILL TURN
TO GREECE WHERE THE GOVERNMENT IS STRAPPED FOR CASH- AND THAT IS WHERE THE REAL
PROBLEMS WILL START.
BEAR IN MIND THAT THIS
DEBT IS EVER INCREASING WITH EACH AND EVERY DAY, MINUTE AND SECOND.
THIS BRINGS US TO THE QUESTION, WHICH TYPE OF GOVERNANCE DO WE
WANT FOR OUR COUNTRY? IS IT THE TYPE THAT WILL RESPOND TO THIS DEBT AS A
NATIONAL CALAMITY, OR DO WE WANT THE GOVERNMENT THAT WILL GO ON WITH BUSINESS
AS USUAL?
KEY QUESTION TO THE
ELECTORATE IS HOWEVER: WHAT DO WE WANT?
DO WANT THE FUTURE GENERATIONS TO REALIZE THEIR ASPIRATIONS OR DO WE WANT A FUTURE OF SLAVES
TO FOREIGN POWERS (CHINA AND THE
U.S), AND LOCAL BIGWIGS WHO HAVE POSITIONED THEMSELVES TO HOLD THE LARGEST SHARE OF PUBLIC DEBT.
ARE KENYANS EVEN INTERESTED IN KNOWING THAT THEIR GOVERNMENT
EXPENSES RUNS AT 909.9 BILLION?
THROUGH SHREWD MANAGEMENT A GOOD PORTION OF THIS MONEY
COULD BE USED TO IMPROVE PAY FOR CIVIL SERVANTS SUCH AS DOCTORS, CLERKS AND
TEACHERS. MEET THE CHALLENGE OF HOUSING FOR THE POOR AND EMPOWER THE FUTURE
GENERATIONS OUR MARGINALIZED BROTHERS AND SISTERS IN THE ARID AND
SEMI ARID AREAS. IT CAN SAVE THE LIVES OF SLUM DWELLERS WHO DIE FROM SENSELESS ACCIDENTS- SINAI
TRAGEDY, POVERTY, DISEASE AND LACK OF SANITATION.
THE REMEDY THAT WE
NEED:
WE NEED VISIONARY LEADERSHIP THAT HAS GENUINE PLANS FOR
EMPOWERMENT OF OUR COUNTRY, NOT BY BORROWING LARGER SUMS OF MONEY TO PAY FOR
THIS AND INCREASING THE TAX BURDEN ON THE POOR TO PAY FOR THAT,
WE NEED LEADERSHIP THAT IS RESPONSIVE TO THE NEEDS OF THE POOR
AND THE DISENFRANCHISED. A LEADERSHIP FOCUSED ON THE DEVELOPMENT AND GROWTH OF THE MIDDLE CLASS TO BE THE
ROBUST BACKBONE OUR ECONOMY AND INDEED THE COUNTRY NEEDS.
WE NEED LEADERSHIP THAT IS CONSCIOUS TO OUR FOOD SECURITY NEEDS
AND WILL INVEST IN BETTER AGRICULTURAL POLICY TO FEED OUR GROWING
POPULATION. THAT WILL INSPIRE THE YOUTH TO TILL THEIR LANDS TO FEED OUR NATION
AND NOT TO RUN TO THE CITIES AND TOWNS TO A LIFE OF HARDSHIP AND POVERTY.
WE NEED LEADERSHIP THAT IS CREATIVE IN ITS SOLUTIONS TO OUR
CHALLENGES. THAT WILL BUILD LADDERS OF OPPORTUNITY FOR ALL WHO CAN TO CLIMB TO
THE HIGHEST ECHELONS OF SUCCESS, AND NOT A GOVERNMENT THAT PROVIDES OPPORTUNITY
ONLY FOR THE RICH AND CONNECTED, EVEN THE POOR HAVE DREAMS.
WE NEED LEADERSHIP THAT IS ACCOUNTABLE TO WANJIKU ON THE STREET.
THAT WILL EXERCISE ALL ITS POWER AND AUTHORITY STRICTLY FOR THE WELFARE AND
ADVANCEMENT OF THE COMMON MAN AND NEVER FOR ITS PERSONAL BENEFIT, DEDICATED TO
THE GROWTH OF OUR COUNTRY AND NOT TO THE GROWTH OF AN INDIVIDUAL, OR TRIBE OR
REGION.
WE NEED LEADERSHIP THAT BELIEVES IN EMPOWERMENT AND EQUITY. THAT
WILL PROVIDE STRUCTURES FOR WOMEN AND YOUTH TO ASSUME POSITIONS OF
RESPONSIBILITY AND NATIONAL SERVICE.
WE NEED LEADERSHIP THAT SERVES THE PEOPLE AND NOT INTERESTED IN
SELF SERVICE FROM THE PEOPLE. A LEADERSHIP THAT HOLDS TRUE TO THE ETHOS: A
DEMOCRATIC GOVERNMENT IS BY THE PEOPLE AND FOR THE PEOPLE.
WE NEED A LEADERSHIP THAT IS FOCUSED ON MAKING PARTNERSHIPS WITH
FOREIGN GOVERNMENTS AND NOT IN GETTING HAND OUTS AND CHARITY THAT THEY MAY USE
AT THEIR PLEASURE.
KENYA NEEDS US:
KENYA NEEDS PATRIOTS. CITIZENS WHO WILL TAKE PERSONAL
RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE SECURITY, GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT OF KENYA.
KENYA NEEDS VOTERS. AN ELECTORATE WILL ELECT LEADERS WITH NEW
IDEAS, VISION, INTEGRITY AND MERIT. NOT VOTERS WHO CAST BALLOTS BASED ON TRIBES
AND BRIBES.
KENYA NEEDS NATIONALISTS. A PEOPLE ENJOINED BY THE WORDS SET BY
OUR FORE BEARERS OF PEACE LOVE AND UNITY. NOT A PEOPLE SEPARATED BY CREED, RACE
AND TRIBE.
KENYA NEEDS LEADERS. DEDICATED INDIVIDUALS WHO GIVE SPEECHES OF
POLICY AND FACT. NOT SWEET WORDS LACED WITH THE HATEFUL POISON OF
INCITEMENT TO CAUSE BLOODSHED JUST TO GET A BALLOT WIN.
KENYA NEEDS A GOVERNMENT THAT WILL SERVE IT, FILLED WITH
PATRIOTS FROM PRESIDENT TO PEASANT. NOT A GOVERNMENT THAT WILL SERVE ITS MOTIVE
AND THAT OF INDIVIDUALS AND PEOPLE ASSOCIATED TO POWER.
KENYA NEEDS A FUTURE. A FUTURE- BRIGHT AND PROSPEROUS.
WATI BRYAN
