The Biggest Dilemma: To Sack or Retain

Celebrations resulting from the majority acceptance of the proposed constitution last week have eventually died down.
It’s back to day to day living, mostly characterised by hustles and bustles towards putting a meal on the table- I wonder what human beings would be doing if there were no adjustable organ called Stomach in their bodies- they would be damn lazy I guess. It’s just a wild thought.

Anyway, this is not a dilemma bordering stomach business. It’s about the most difficult task ahead for both President Kibaki and Prime Minister Raila Odinga as far as how the cabinet should look like after the passage of the draft document.
It’s no doubt a cabinet reshuffle is necessary if implementation of the new document is to succeed. However, in reorganising it, the biggest of challenges, indeed a huge quandary, is whether to expel or retain cabinet ministers who were in the No camp during the just concluded referendum campaigns.

Suggestions galore have hit the media on how the principals ought to approach this. But most have failed to give a worthy blueprint which could enable the two leaders quench expected dissatisfactions from those who might feel targeted.

Firing could be an easier way out, after all writing a dismissal letter has never been a difficult thing for any CEO. But this could herald another dawn of rebellion and a serious risk for peace and tranquillity in the Rift Valley where most of the newly-born dissenting voices to government projects come from.
William Ruto, the Higher Education minister has shown both foe and friend that a huge part of Rift Valley ‘belongs’ to him and he has enormous influence over it. Showing him the door could as well be a perfect excuse for some violence-hungry youths in the province to kick-start forceful eviction of all and sundry except them of their tribe.
Violence of any sort would not be good for this fresh start the country has found itself in. And therefore Mzee Kibaki, he whose legacy is well oiled after the passage of the largely progressive constitution, would not want anything to taint it further-after all it has enough spots, increased after post-election violence of 2007- and therefore he may not want to forthrightly punish Ruto for voting No. Raila is still dreaming of stepping into the inner rooms of State House as president and Rift valley votes are not worth sacrificing if he’s to easily sail through come 2012; the deliverer of such votes is now well proven as Ruto.

If the nay ministers are not kicked out, they will have to remain with the bosses. And honestly they will be a painful thorn in the flesh. This is where real problem begins. How will the president and PM deal with these hot-headed Kenyans who dared slap both on their faces and furthermore accused them of misusing government resources during campaigns? What good information would Samuel Poghisio, for example, give about a government he vehemently accused of using civil servants to look for more votes?
On the other hand, how would Ruto and Co. co-exist with colleagues who fronted Yes support and accused them of land grabbing?

Another larger block is inevitable volatile cohesion among cabinet members. Human beings, unless they are from another planet where perfection is directly related to the norms, gel well with those they are in agreement in advancing their agenda and intuitively reject those who are/seem to be against it. Therefore bonding in the cabinet will be just equally abrasive as it was during the last few weeks as Yes and No sides fighting finds its way into cabinet meetings.
The two principals are faced with a huge challenge and any decision made would have undesirable effects. They have surely been left in the lurch but a decision has to be made at the end of the day. Let us keep waiting!


Just by the way
*When Kenyans are tired of fruitless and ineffective politicians being their leaders they should elect one of the celebrity- human-Kenyans to lead them. Other countries have been given an opportunity to choose these people whose wealth is well known-revenues from tickets sales and Disc sales and other transparent ways. Liberia and now Haiti have George Weah and Wyclef Jean respectively in their presidential ballot papers. A Jua Cali of sort, or Nonini (will be a miserable choice), or Eric Wainaina can make good presidential candidates, or who else do u think? Suggestions are much welcome!