Thursday, May 8, 2014

Wait a Minute

This week has been a dramatic one when it comes to the performance of our legislators and Leaders at large.

It is the week we saw a not so useful discussion on the Order of Precedence Bill 2014. This Bill will soon become an Act of Parliament to provide for the order of precedence for officials, leaders depending on their standing in society based on Hierarchy. Starting from the President all the way to Constitutional Commissioners and Citizens at large. What it basically does is set the standards of how leaders will be called and what order will be followed when they are addressing gatherings of functions. 

This is what Members of parliament are thinning is a priority bill in the wake of so many ills happening in society today. You may also remember that there was a heated debate on whether Governors should be called Exellencies and the fact that they should fly flags on their Vehicles. Again, our members of Parliament find this as a very important matter in the wake of very crucial ills happening to Kenya today.

In my upbringing and also based on the African Context, we are expected to treat each other with respect. The younger members of society are supposed to obey the older members of society. It begs no question the wiser and the more responsibilities one has been able to achieve in Society, they are accorded the mutual respect they deserve irrespective of their standing in society. 

When members of parliament decide to put themselves higher on the hierarchy of order ahead of Governors, I find that as a self seeking and selfish Bill that the public needs to condemn. 

This week we saw the number of people who died for consuming poison laced alcoholic brew in Central Kenya (See: http://www.nation.co.ke/news/Illicit-Alcohol-Deaths-Joseph-ole-Lenku/-/1056/2308546/-/y3rhia/-/index.html ). The Government through the Ministry of Interior moved with speed and interdicted/sacked the Chiefs, County Commissioners and all administrators in the regions affected. I remember sometimes back, the President gave stern warnings to Chiefs and Administrators of the Illegal Alcohol prone regions to ensure they strictly Maintain Law and Order and report to him on the reduction of the consumption of the lethal brews. But as this happens, how come the Cabinet Secretary in the Ministry of Health hasn't taken responsibility?

We all know too well that so many Kenyans due to unemployment and many other social problems have turned to alcohol as the only solace and hope for their livelihoods. I thought instead of our Legislators, Members of Parliament discussing stupid Laws that will not add value to the livelihoods of the citizens, should be discussing on how 
1. Making sure the livelihoods of Kenyans are improved and protected.
2. Improving the Economy from the surging wage bill
3. Improving Health Care, Education, Infrastructure, Food Security and all other very pertinent issues that need fixing.

Why did we elect our Leaders again?


--
.........
Emmanuel Dennis Ngongo