It seems, that anytime, anywhere, any day, ODM ( and Mr Odinga ) will be outsmarted by PNU ( and Mr Kibaki )!
But first things first. I will not repeat what everyone has said about the monstrous cabinet. I will instead suggest ways ( i know, i am a dreamer, for who cares?) to gain some good out of a bad situation:
(1) Let there be no assistant ministers. We do not need the buffoons.
-what job do assistant Ministers perform that a PS and the multiplicity of directors in the various departments of the ministries can not do? Last year (2007) they (the assistant Ministers ) themselves complained of lack of duties.
(2) Let the Ministers take pay cuts. They can get their cut from the deals they will make as they continue to sell off Kenya. If they need lessons, they can learn a lesson or two from Mr Kirgit.
(3) “Ordinary” Kenyan, as long as you expect someone else to do your dirty job for you, it will not get done.
- -so, roll up your sleeves and change your own country. Nothing good comes without hard work and sacrifices. Kibaki is not gonna change it for you. He has enjoyed it for 40 years. Raila may be tired of fighting. he has to live also.
- -look at history gentlemen, very bad systems get changed by people ( and unfortunately, through much suffering ) not by politicians making treaties.
(4) It is possible to have your cake and eat it too
- -All want to control finance, and security and Provincial Administration, right?
- -Simple, divide up the country in regions having their own strong state governments, and everybody will be placated
- -Actually this is also good, in that we may have a better system that way.
( of course may favorite thesis is that the country should be divided into n independent countries ).
Now, back to the outsmarting thing. I need not go into history how ODM (and previously Raila and Odinga ) have been outfoxed before. But consider this current one; if it is indeed true that they (ODM) will not get the Finance Ministry and the internal Security Ministry, there is absolutely no effect they will have in the new government. Nada.
I mean with Money and Force, PNU will do anything they like and nobody will do a thing. So, say ODM’s Road Ministry gets allocated $20B in the budget. If Kimunya fails to hand it over to the Roads minister, what will that Minister do? Nothing. And, 4 years down the line ( assuming the marriage lasts that long ), Mungatana will wag his tongue (or is it tail?) and say, “see, they had the Road Ministry and the roads are still in bad shape”.
Now Consider PNU’s other catches:
-Information and Communication: the next Biz frontier. The only new way to really empower new biz. There is the very valuable optical cable project, and supporting systems that are coming up ( BPO etc ). These all open new biz opportunities.
-Justice and Constitution: There will be no new meaningful constitution ( or if any, ensure it favors Karua and Company ). Implement the findings of post election violence and prosecute Ruto, etc
Ok, i will give ODM some slack. If you consider events since the 2007 election theft, one thing stands out. The ODM folks (and Mr Odinga specifically-i know, some PNU die hards will scream) have a heart. PNU is heartless. Having a heart is good, it shows you are not dead. The problem with that is, in a war situation, you can not afford to have a heart. Difficult decisions must be made in such situations. You let your heart rule you, you lose out.
So, ODM’s goodness is their downfall.
