January 2003: I joined fellow Kenyans at Uhuru Park and witnessed power changing hands from Moi to Kibaki. Later that evening, I witnessed Kenyan elites in one city restaurant writing their names on a piece of paper to be presented to a certain politician to nominate them for government jobs. It was scene similar to a victorious hunting party depicted in the movie “The Apocalypto.” That is when I took the initiative on the 7th of January 2003 to introduce “The Keys to a Successful Presidency” to the then new government.
Within 15 days of the initial book donation; the then secretary to the cabinet Dr. Sally Kosgey, through her personal assistant Mr. Hyslop Ipu (now Comptroller of State House), requested that the Inter Region Economic Network avail copies to all cabinet members and their respective permanent secretaries. The last time I heard a mention of this book from government circles is when a Nation TV crew captured a copy of the same on Hon. Amos Kimunya’s desk in 2005. Another mention was through a book review by the then East African Standard Managing Editor, Mr. Chaacha Mwita.
Kenyans and Africans are endowed with a wealth of experience from other successful world civilizations. All we need to do is to simply seek to understand how modern great civilizations handle power. So far, Kenya can boast of a well oiled political campaign leadership skills. But 44 years of independence still points at a poverty of nationalistic leadership that can propel the majority of individual talent in the country to serve the interests of the majority. No single politician can be blamed for this; it is systemic elitist culture that puts pressure on leaders to address narrow interests. No wonder it doesn’t sound abnormal to Kenyan ears when one declares that it is the turn of tribe A or B to eat.
The futures scenario for Kenya and Africa ought to move away from replaying “Apocalypto hunters” scribbling names and qualifications on paper in pubs seeking government positions. Political parties must be institutionalized to avoid ideologically bankrupt movements that simply coalesce behind the charisma of an individual as a strategy either to win or retain power. Party systems must have sober teams that identify beforehand what type of people can deliver their campaign agenda.
In recommending “The Keys to a Successful Presidency” in 2003, I was very clear that our leaders simply ‘Kenyanize” the ideas without necessarily getting bogged down by the ideology that informed the authorship. The book draws wisdom from former senior officials in United States of America’s Jimmy Carter, Lyndon Johnson, John F. Kennedy, Ronald Reagan, and George Bush (father) administrations. The book addresses issues on achieving a successful transition, running the White House (State House!), staffing a new administration, turning the president’s agenda into an administration policy, and generally managing the government.
Another general election is around the corner and party stalwarts are sharpening their pens and paper to get appointed. Whichever party wins, Kenyans will hold them to account for the election pledges they made. Obviously, flashy political campaigns will not translate to automatic good leadership. Politicians are but a segment of what runs government alongside bureaucrats and technocrats who determine delivery of service. In the words of Martha Kumar, a contributor in the book: “If people are going to learn about their jobs, they need to do that early, because once you get into White House, it’s like drinking from a fire hose, and you don’t have the time to read anything, to talk to people.” Each party seeking to lead the government must by now strategize on delivery of promises.
By James Shikwati
Mr. Shikwati is the Director of Inter Region Economic Network
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