The Pentagon Fall Out

New Alliance of Presidential Aspirants

A new alliance is in the offing in preparation for the next general elections. News going round indicates a coming together of the ODM deputy leader with several former ministers and an already sitting minister who has also declared his presidential ambitions with another party. The meeting between the Deputy Premier, Musalia Mudavadi and the Gatanga Mp Peter Kenneth both of whom are presidential aspirants is awakening many political pundits to the fact that a new political kid is in the realms of power given their National appeal. Also present were former ministers Najib Balala a key ODM pentagon member and Dr. Mukhisa Kituyi a key political analyst.

Could this be demonstrating a new force to reckon in the Kenyan politics? This must be the case given the diversity of the leaders who met; they all regionally represent vote rich areas but all depends on if they land on three aces of political victory which have been envisaged in the new constitution; Integrity, National might to garner the requisite 50+1% of the national vote and the maneuver to beat that 25+ 1 counties requirement. With the enlightened Kenyans, currently conversant with the constitution, Ethics and integrity poses the challenge.

The build up to the national elections is pulling together both friends and foe. This is in endeavor for each and every leader to fit in the center of power come the new government.

The next general elections in Kenya will be the first one under the new constitution. It is causing jitters and freight to all political leaders since they only have, each a single chance to squeeze into the bandwagon or else be cursed into the abyss of political orphanage. The former Constitution provided boundless vigil for all those who sensed defeat in their respective political contests. They could negotiate a misfit which could be forcefully aligned to be by their aspirations to remain in power.

Contrary to all their joy, it is now awe and worry as each ponders the best way forward. Point blank it is quite obvious that many will be dropped since the power bus has been re sized only to accommodate few. Appointment of political allies to the powerful cabinet positions is now a thing of the past as it has been replaced by the constitution demand that only professional run these public accounting offices.

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Laudable Policy

The transport minister's u-turn on the policy outlining the phasing out of the vehicles on Kenyan roads is most welcome.This must be an overwhelming call for celebration to the touts, drivers and the ‘matatu’ terminus boys popularly referred to as ‘manabas’. This is the sector in the ‘matatu’ industry significantly employing a great number of Kenyan youth set. It is such a sizable number any serious policy maker would never bypass.

Earlier on the government had formulated a policy to get rid of these vehicles in the public transport. Other than high traffic on the roads the sector had been experiencing high number of accidents due to reckless driving and lawlessness.

Noteworthy;phasing out of the fourteen seat ‘matatus’ would have led to more devastating consequences.To start with,the loss of jobs to many youth which in turn would have resulted to several economic and social tribulations such as:-

•    High crime rate such as mugging and robbery
•    Lawlessness due to high number of youth idling
•    Illegal trading of outlawed drugs
•    Rise in the HIV/AIDs scourge
•   Increased vacuum of transport vehicles leading to wastage of more man hours at the bus stages
•   Slow economic growth due to high rate of unemployment 
• Increased  illiteracy level due to lack of fees

Remarkably,the young who would have been the hard hit, have a reason to smile.Many of the hazards which would have been due to the policy will now be a thing of the past.Commendable, honorable minister.Otherwise a more productive policy need be formulated to solve the underlying issues once and for all.