The Mt Kenya Times 
Anti-riot police
By Jerameel Kevins Owuor Odhiambo
Worth Noting:
- One dare ask, what is the essence of having the CAS? Interestingly, majority of those nominated by President Ruto are political rejects who were just nominated to appease them. There is no value that these folks bring on table. The wage bill of the country is at an all-time high and the Executive is still interested in making sure that it increases the same.
- This government slowly by slowly is losing confidence of the citizens. It is detached from reality that affects the local man. Whenever such detachment occurs be ready for massive protests and contestations by the citizens. By all means, any government has to ensure that at all times, it gets the backing of the citizens in its day to day operations.
Courtesy of the events that happened yesterday, I dare pose the question is Kenya ready for a revolution be it political or economic for that matter? Yesterday, we were treated to unscripted drama of which to some extent one can say was kind of expected. History of this country has taught us better. How much was lost courtesy of businesses closing? How much revenue did the government lose courtesy of the same? Who is to be blamed for the events that happened yesterday? What can be done to alleviate the events that took place?
A better starting point is for us to get to know the current state of the economy and then we proceed further. While it can be said that there have been efforts by the current regime to tighten its fiscal policy, the state of the nation is really worrying for more needs to be done in terms of cushioning Kenyans against the runaway inflation, effects of Russian-Ukraine war and the depreciating value of the Kenyan shilling against the US Dollar.
Recently, Finance Principal Secretary Dr Chris Kiptoo while appearing before a parliamentary committee observed that the Kenyan shilling was weakening against the United States dollar at a fast rate because of external shock factors such as the Covid 19 and the ongoing war in Ukraine. According to Kiptoo, the war in Ukraine has led to the spike in the prices of commodities such as food, fertilizer and petroleum products. Internally, Kiptoo said the drought has had significant effect on the value of the Kenyan shilling. ‘This means that Kenya can no longer meet its food needs and therefore is left only with the option of importing most of the food and the currency used in imports is the US dollar. The dollar shortage is a global problem. if you study, you will see that virtually all countries have this problem, The US dollar has strengthened while their currencies have weakened,’ Kiptoo stated.
Recently as well President William Samoei Ruto appointed Chief Administrative Secretaries. The Chief Administrative Secretary post was established in order to help Cabinet Secretaries in accordance with Article 132 (4) (a) of the Constitution as read with Section 30 of the Public Service Commission Act 2017. The Chief Administrative Secretaries are expected to perform various duties and responsibilities that will enhance service delivery and policy implementation. One of the key duties of the Chief Administrative Secretary is to respond to issues and questions related to their portfolio assigned to their office. They are as well to provide liaison with the National Assembly and Senate.
Enough of that, the appointed Chief Administrative Secretaries are 50 yet the Former President Uhuru Kenyatta regime had about 26.
According to the Salaries and Remuneration Commission, the monthly salary for one CAS is KES 765,188 which means the monthly salary for all 50 nominees will be KES 38,259,400. The financial implication will be higher considering that every CAS is entitled to a one-off mortgage payment of KES 35 million and a KES 10 million car grant, adding take home to KES 990 million. The taxpayers will additionally provide KES 10 million and KES 3 million for inpatients and outpatient medical cover for a CAS. Kenyans will also finance the running of their offices, including two top of the range vehicles, a driver, security personnel, a personal assistant and two secretaries.
One dare ask, what is the essence of having the CAS? Interestingly, majority of those nominated by President Ruto are political rejects who were just nominated to appease them. There is no value that these folks bring on table. The wage bill of the country is at an all-time high and the Executive is still interested in making sure that it increases the same.
This government slowly by slowly is losing confidence of the citizens. It is detached from reality that affects the local man. Whenever such detachment occurs be ready for massive protests and contestations by the citizens. By all means, any government has to ensure that at all times, it gets the backing of the citizens in its day to day operations. Kenya Kwanza regime unfortunately gave to many pre-election promises that it seems it is overwhelmed in making them a reality.
Maybe just maybe, Kenya as of now is ready for revolution. Chronologically, revolutions are instrument of change and often an attempt to promote equality and combat oppression. In the fields of history and political science, a revolution is a radical change in the established order, usually the established government and social institutions. Typically, revolutions take the form of organized movements aimed at effecting change-economic change, technological change, political change or social change. The people who start revolutions have determined the institutions currently in place in society have failed or no longer serve their intended purpose. Because the objective of revolutions is to upturn established order, the characteristics that define them reflect the circumstances of their birth.
Revolutions are born when the social climate in a country changes and the political system does not react in kind. People become discouraged by existing conditions, which alters their values and beliefs. The Greek philosopher Aristotle linked revolution to a number of causes and conditions but largely to the desire for equality and honour. According to Aristotle, revolutions take place when the political order fails to correspond to the distribution of property and hence tensions arise in the class structure, eventually leading to revolutions. Plato linked revolution to social decay.
The factors that can influence the development of revolutionary movements include the extent of inequality and impoverishment within a society’s population; degree to which the population is divided along ethnic lines; perception of corruption of governmental officials. Whenever a large proportion of a society’s population becomes extremely discontented it leads to mass participation protests and rebellions against the state authority. The existence of powerful motivations for revolution that cut across major classes and unify the majority of a society’s population behind the goal of revolution.
The events that happened yesterday maybe just maybe signifies that there is something wrong about the governance of this country. The government shouldn’t take that lightly. The buck stops at the Executive office to ensure that issues raised are resolved amicably. I almost wrote that Kenya is ready for revolution and then I remembered that we have middle class dilemma. Let my ink dry as of now.
Jerameel Kevins Owuor Odhiambo is a law student at University of Nairobi, Parklands Campus. He comments on social, political, legal and contemporary issues.
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