On lack of residual shame, integrity
Mbwiiye,
You have seen it all. Whatever the late Moya was saying has come to pass. Notably, you have seen who loves the party and who is there for stomach issues: what we call ‘fuduosis’.
In brief, it is a disease that is prevalent in African politics. The genesis of it all is that when people fail elsewhere; when they have flopped in all other endeavours or when they have messed up their lives and are looking for free gratuities and/or pensions, they seek shelter in politics.
The only condition, Mbwiiye, is that the fellows switch off their brains and behave like marionettes. They stop thinking and look like cartoons—saying crap in the august Capital Assembly and clapping hands for the ‘leader of the day’.
As long as they get sitting allowances; as long as they are allowed to mess up constituency development funds—which are never audited—or as long as they get untendered government contracts, the fellows lose their heads, throw all professionalism to the winds and dispense with their integrity and morality.
Mbwiiye, in brief, that is what most legislative representatives are all about.
You should, therefore, not be surprised to see the ‘jingoing’ taking place in the Capital Assembly, where some ‘cartoon’ characters are criss-crossing the floor with impunity, without shame.
The most painful thing for us with morals is that these are the very folks who, just less than three months ago, swore they would die in the name of the Moya, the party and his family. These are the very same fellows who were literally eating from the Moya’s palms.
Further, it is sad to note that most of these ‘journeymen and women’ were literally pulled from the social gutter by the Moya. A good number of them were failed primary school teachers; failed small-time businessmen and cross-border vendors; tired secretaries who could not manage the present IT age; or small-time crooks who were on the verge of being declared bankrupt.
Mbwiiye, most of the fellows causing this parliamentary rot do not even have the right paperwork to back up their academic, professional or experience portfolios. But the Moya took them in, out of love, to train and expose them to the craft of managing people and leading a State.
Is this, I ask, what do you reward your saviour and mentor with?
You see, Mbwiiye, in life, people must have a minimum amount of shame; one we would call ‘residual shame and integrity’. That is the one that makes human beings humans.
In fact, even mad men and women have this residual humanity. If you propose rot or something wayward to mad people or beggars, they run away from you, laughing!
The point is, what is happening in the Capital House is sickening; it is something we call ‘legislative rot’ and ‘political cowboyism’. That is why we, the true friends of the late Moya, will not sit by and watch the political degeneration.
That is why you saw us twice walk out of the honourable but noisy House this week.
Mbwiiye, what has happened is also a management shame. Of course, I will not say much on this as matters are in court. But one thing we can say, without any contradiction or fear of being handcuffed, is that it seems our law on crossing the floor is being handled as if it were written in pencil.
Any new fellow who comes to lead the Capital or his/her cohorts always try to change the letter and spirit of this vital law. Yet, we all know why this law was enacted: to curb political prostitution and opportunism in and outside the Chamber; to create order in the House; to give our democracy a sense of decency and opportunity for growth.
Our eyes and cries are, therefore, directed to the courts, from whence our salvation shall come.
In the interim, let me say that since we have seen the quality of our MPs, for 2014 we should re-draft the entry qualifications and experience for our representatives. We need people with depth, statesmanship, vision and strategic direction; not fiscal-seeking efulefu. The MPs should also have visible wealth; not people who will go to the House to serve their stomachs.
Their TORs must also be made clear. What is it that these fellows should be doing in and outside the Capital Assembly? The point is that MPs should add value to the people’s lives not just working to fill up their (the legislators’) bellies and bank accounts. Of course, everybody is entitled to earn a living; but that should be done elsewhere, not in our Capital Assembly.
Mbwiiye, in line with what I have just said above, we should also rethink the Recall Provision. MPs, Cabinet cohorts and Capital bosses should always be reminded that they are mere employees of the people, the voters, not otherwise. It should be clearly understood that in any employer-employee relationship, the employer has the right to withdraw the job based on performance.
In simple language, one does not get employed here and then start working in another boss’s garden there—to pocket two wages.
So, the handclapping for Capital leaders and their political parties must stop. They, too, are mere employees of the voters.
Of course, Mbwiiye, you will question my moral high ground in making all these interventions and prescriptions. But, don’t we say two wrongs don’t make a right?
I am only trying to admit the wrongs we committed and promise how best we will run this Republic if we are given a second chance come 2014.
We will be a donor-fearing nation. We shall never insult the people anymore. We will not recruit home boys and girls anymore for public offices. We will not offer dubious public contracts to a select few. We will not indulge in questionable financial transactions between Treasury, parastatals and commercial banks to suit our skewed financial independence ideologies.
Mbwiiye, our post-2014 ministers will drive Corollas not Mercedes Benz limos. Capital servants will also be recruited and promoted on the basis of merit, not home of origin.
Mbwiiye, I am still writing you for and on behalf of the late Moya original.
The late Rt.Hon.K.L.Mphwanye,
OSP, OLM, OCK, OLT
Achiever of MDGs, Professor of Government
Doctor of Laws (Honoris Causa), Western Pacific
