It’s obviously still far too early too early to call the Kenyan election, but one can safely predict that between now and then, there will be a number of people whose allegiances will change a few times, and that’s okay.
As Kenyans, we have sadly become used to being led by unprincipled leaders who are led by their stomachs.
As one of life’s eternal optimists, I keep hoping that this state of affairs will change one day and we will queue up at the ballot to elect men and women of honour and integrity, who are guided by Chapter Six of the Constitution as well as by the manifestos of their parties.
However, reality, or 'mambo kwa ground', as we say, has a tendency to constantly burst that bubble. And let's face it, there is no society on earth that is run by angels or robots.
Which is not to say that we should not constantly strive for better leadership, only that we should manage our expectations. After all, our leaders are a reflection of ourselves. We may work at being better people but we’ll never be perfect.
That said, we do have certain things in our power that should ensure that, as far as possible, our leaders toe the line.
There is the aforementioned Chapter Six. Yes, I admit that until now it has been completely ignored, but that doesn’t have to be the case. I am sure there are creative ways through which we could force more leaders to live by it.
There is also the ballot box. We don’t seem to know our power. For instance, just imagine if on election day, instead of voting for our various tribal chiefs and their disciples in the two main alliances, we actively sought out candidates who would emulate the likes of Governors Kivutha Kibwana and Anyang’ Nyongo?
If we voted for more people who are focussed on making life better for their constituents, instead of feathering their own nests, we might begin to get somewhere as a nation.
I can almost predict the first order of business once the various MPs, senators, MCA and governors take office after the election. It will be proposals to raise their own salaries, already some of the highest if not actually the highest in the world for elected leaders.
But wouldn’t it be something if we could get our elected representatives to agree to a deal where their salaries were linked to performance and accountability?
A similar proposal was made recently here in South Africa during the SA Local Government Association’s annual conference, where they unveiled a five-year strategic plan, which seems to have caught the imagination of some elected leaders.
During the conference, the idea of responsive remuneration for staff, including mayors and speakers in the country’s 257 municipalities, was brought up and it received wide backing.
Since our elected leaders want to be paid as if they were in the corporate sector, they should be made aware that more and more in the private sector, performance-related pay is becoming standard practice.
As voters who are all about excellent service delivery and good governance, we should welcome any suggestion that makes leaders around the country more accountable, and performance-based salaries are the way to do this.
Surely, there must be a way to ensure that whoever is nominated to run by whatever party or coalition or alliance of briefcases, signs up to a pledge vowing that they will only be remunerated according to their performance and service delivery.
I suggest that the next president lead the way by making their first executive order a freeze on the salaries of public office bearers and elected officials, and give teeth to the Salaries and Remuneration Commission as envisioned by the Constitution.
It would certainly be one way to weed out the many time wasters and rent-seekers we have, seeking elected office at every opportunity.
