MPs Behaving Badly, Will Kenyans Say - Enough!

Kenyans thought they had seen it all, arrogance, selfishness, dishonorable behavior until nominated Senator Paul Njoroge decided to shoot in the air twice, threatening Vivo Energy representatives whom he had a dispute with. The actions of the Senator reveal the-don’t care attitude our elected leaders have assumed. He didn’t care that all this was being captured on TV.  Sen. Njoroge still charged at the Vivo Energy representative, pistol in his hand, reminding him in Kiswahili that he was not joking. How dare a Member of Parliament threaten a Kenyan with a gun? The impunity in this country can drive you mad.

Who bewitched us? You can’t watch news on TV without cringing. The doctors strike has left poor sick Kenyans in so much pain as they dress their own wounds at home. In the Arid and Semi-Arid parts of the country, old men lie on the mats hopelessly hoping the relief food will come sooner rather than later. They’ve lost their animals and some, their children courtesy of the prolonged drought. They’re literally fighting for their survival but the MPs elected to look after Kenyans welfare care only about how they will live in case they don’t make it back to Parliament.

Members of Parliament rejected a Sh. 11million gratuity offered to them at the end of their term. Instead, they threatened to frustrate the 2017/2018 budget if the treasury did not give them Sh. 3.3 billion extra pay. Never mind this money is to cater for a job they will not do. In addition the MPs want former members of the August House who are poor given Sh. 100,000 monthly pension. This is supposed to be coughed by Kenyan tax payers and yet they are not involved in any way. Needless to mention, that these “poor former MPs” may have done absolutely nothing to help Kenyans  during their tenure.

It has not escaped Kenyans that MPs have not been keen on the Collective Bargain Agreement (CBA) pushed by doctors who have been on strike for more than 60 days now. Neither have they weighed in on the Lecturers strike that has paralyzed learning in public universities or the looming nurses’ strike. Even though these people are part of their constituents and their plight ought to matter considering MPs are representatives of the people but no. Parliamentarians are more concerned about how to sustain their lavish living standards if they are shown the door in the August 2017 polls. This is the height of betrayal.

Meanwhile the Council of Governors (COG) is planning to spend Sh. 3.7million on a two-day conference to explain devolution and its fruits to children. A laudable gesture it would seem, if only, the annual devolution conference scheduled for March were not focusing on education, health, agriculture, infrastructure, energy, sports, arts, talents and culture; things that actually affect children. Is this duplication necessary? Once again, who bewitched us?

No wonder there’s voter apathy. Our elected leaders are behaving badly and are a sad reminder of our 2013 choices. When you consider the actions of our elected leaders and their obsession with getting money regardless of the means and their lavish lifestyles you will understand why our youth have reduced their existence to gambling. It’s no strange sight to find youths flocking cybercafés in the estates glued on gambling sites hoping to strike a jackpot if only to live like the MPs. Our lawmaker’s selfishness is stinking to the highest heavens.

It’s sad that we are a few days to the close of the Mass Voter Registration and the IEBC is likely to miss their 6 million targets if things remain as they are. Dear Kenyans, we can’t give up now. If anything, these actions are reason enough to stand up and say enough! We need to take back our country from these irresponsible leaders but we can’t do that if we’re not registered to vote.

Let us register in masses for the sake of our country. Then wait for the Party nominations and make sure our candidates get nominated and vote them in this coming August. Get leaders who care about your long-term issues into office. Let’s refuse to be apathetic. Rather than wallow in despair, take a stand. Our country needs you. Stand on the right side of history. Register to vote!

Posted by Mzalendo Editor on Feb. 10, 2017

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