This is an early scorecard or perhaps a prognosis of the performance of the newly elected, blue-eyed boy of Kenyan politics, one Uhuru Muigai Kenyatta.As i write this, the Supreme court is up to its neck in an election petition consisting of supposed "evidence" which links the IEBC with electoral fraud in collusion with other actors.That said, it may be a little premature to judge the performance of a government that's yet to be endorsed by the Supreme court and as such, that is not the purpose of this article.I merely wish to give a prognosis-or a heads-up- on what could be awaiting the President-elect as he embarks on a five year term as the President of the Republic of Kenya.
In his book The Prince, Niccolo Machiavelli writes of 'Dominions acquired by the power of others or by fortune', that 'princes have little trouble rising but experience very much trouble in maintaining their position'.He goes on to write that such princes "depend entirely on the goodwill and fortune of those who have raised them, both of which are extremely inconstant and fickle". He further argues that unless such princes possess extraordinary genius and are able to quickly grasp matters on how to command and take immediate steps to maintain their newly found fortune, the dominion inevitably crumbles or disintegrates.
While not an apples-to-apples comparison, perhaps it would be instructive if we ported Machiavelli's words to our current context of the President-elect and his nascent government. But first, a little history.
It was not until 1997 when Uhuru Kenyatta really stepped into the murky world that is Kenya's politics. He was nominated to parliament and given a ministerial post two years later by his god-father - the then president Daniel Moi. In a subsequent baptism by fire, many certainly remember his political embarrassment in the 2002 general election at the hands of the NARC coalition's presidential candidate Mwai Kibaki. It wasn't until 2008 when Uhuru found his way back to the cabinet courtesy of one Mwai Kibaki. The rest is history.
It is quite evident that Mr. Kenyatta has many to thank for his ascendancy to the top office in the land. From the former President Moi, the real brains behind Jubilee coalition and king maker William Ruto, to many other stakeholders and to a lesser extent the Kenyan people. How well he is able to wade in the murky waters that is Kenyan politics depends largely on how he balances between working for the Kenyan people and pleasing those who have propelled him to the presidency. And of course, there is still the nagging ICC case that so far has refused to go away. Mr Kenyatta has much on his plate and how well he performs as the head of state will depend very much on whether or not he possesses the 'extraordinary genius' and 'quick grasp of matters' as mentioned by Machiavelli, two traits he may be willing to learn- and learn fast- from his deputy.
Spot-on! And in the sunset days of the 'Jubilee' administration, a score card of his performance would be hardly impressive. It appears that the blue-eyed boy of Kenyan politics was never able to quickly learn and adapt to the vicissitudes of politics.
ReplyDeleteThe reasons are there for all to see: unmitigated corruption, faltering economy and wanton, uncontrolled borrowing (even if you leave out the COVID-19 pandemic), and worst of all an enormous rift right in the middle of government, characterized by nothing less than a world-wide tour by the deputy president in which he is unprecedentedly critical of a government in which he is a co-principal.
I am conflicted whether the final straw of Uhutu Kenyatta's incompetence, will be a total collapse of the economy characterized by austerity measures and/or a terribly mismanaged succession in which his administration is unable to contain the fallout caused by a rigged election and subsequent political agitation.
For if he wasn't able to steady and skillfully direct the ship in calm waters, how will he be able to do so in a storm.