This Is The High Cost Kiambu Has To Pay For Our Leaders' Endless Infighting.
Since the actualisation of devolution in 2013, the story of Kiambu
County has been one of political rivalry, mistrust, active interference,
tension and unrealised economic potential. Bad politics have dominated and the
economic relationship has simply been trivial despite its potential.
The bad blood between Governor William Kabogo on one hand
and a number of county MPs, including his fiercest rival Kabete MP Ferdinand
Waititu, has hinged on the performance of Kiambu County.
The rivalry has reduced human capital accumulation, negatively impacting on public investments and development programmes. Even though these tensions have not escalated to serious economic conflict, the county has had trouble mobilising any significant investment necessary to catapult it into great economic growth.
It is good to point out here that economic growth and
political stability are deeply interconnected. The uncertainty associated with
an unfriendly political environment reduces investment and the speed of
economic development. It substitutes productive domestic investments in favour
of consumption and capital flight, thereby leading to a reduction of
domestic production.
In areas where leaders are in constant political match-ups
like what we are witnessing in Kiambu, their citizens have higher incentives to
engage in endless political debates rather than productive market activities. This was evident in the various places we visited within the county as well as in social media
platforms like the popular Facebook group known as United States of Kiambu. Kiambu people are always engaging in verbal outbursts about who belongs to which
camp.
Kiambu leaders on the other hand spend their entire sessions
trying to please their lobbyists who they use to fight their political battles,
leading to a more direct effect of rent-seeking activities on policy decisions.
It is these power-brokers who decide who
gets what funds/bursaries, appointments, tenders and contracts in the county government
or in the CDF. These are the people who determine what propaganda story line will
run and to what effect.
In the midst of all
this confusion, services to the masses is compromised, corruption within the
systems thrives, the intellectual thieves have a field day looting public coffers
as those contracted to develop public facilities and infrastructure take
advantage of the siege to do sub-standard work. The
politicians on their part take advantage of the incertitude they are creating to fraudulently
acquire the wealth that they are using to fight each other and what they will
use to campaign when push comes to
shove.
They say that good
leadership is like the light, permeating into every aspect of an institution or
business while poor leadership is like the shadow, darkening many areas of the
organisation. Poor leadership is misleading and lacks vision. Poor leadership
causes huge gaps between strategy and execution. Poor leadership negatively impacts every area of business.
Poor leadership survives in
intimidation and bullying of those below them into creating human zombies who
are just there to cheer their leaders and massage their egos. Poor leadership
inhibits the development of synergy, thus fails to coordinate tasks within
their jurisdictions and promote an atmosphere that encourages idea sharing and
discussion.
The people of Kiambu
County are reaping the fruits of making the wrong choices as pertains to their
leaders, both in the county (Assembly & Government) as well as in the
National Assembly. They are the reason President Uhuru Kenyatta, who is a
resident of Kiambu, early this year said that he was ashamed to be associated
with the county affairs.
Kiambu County
basically lacks team leaders to push the constituents forward to a common
objective. Our leaders lack the foresight to see challenges on the horizon. What
we have are rigid leaders who are unwilling to do the things required in order
for the county and its people to succeed. Ours are intemperate leaders who are incapable of
controlling their basic desires, and thus cannot achieve the higher goals of
the team; ie the county. Their position of power is only being used as a tool
to satisfy their personal desires.
We are unfortunately
being led by callous leaders who are basically destroying any good will that
exists amongst the residents of our county, leading to a fundamental breakdown
of trust. Kiambu leadership (both levels) has ended up becoming this needless enemy of the
people who could otherwise have made valuable contributions to its development
and the growth of its people. Nobody is willing to take risks or put forward new ideas
for fear that these leaders will react with contempt or scorn. Our
leaders have reduced all answers to “Yes or No” rather than explaining their
reasoning… Leaders who find it a waste of time to find real solutions from
their people through intellectual thought.
Over to you the residents of our beloved county.
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