MUSYIMI: Governors had better honour pledges or face political oblivion

Governors seem to have taken a cue from the President in fear of the Gen Z dust, which is yet to settle. Immediately after President William Ruto fired – or rather appeared to have fired – his Cabinet, the same was witnessed in several counties.

One such county is Nairobi, where the City Hall cabinet was restructured. The other is Wavinya Ndeti’s Machakos where several CECs have tendered their resignation since the start of the demos.

Now the newest trend in the devolved units is that of governors inviting the youth for talks, fearing that they might invite themselves to the county ‘cake cutting table.’ Several counties have already done this while others are making arrangements. Kiambu’s Kimani Wamatangi and Wavinya Ndeti held theirs last week.

However, governors need to understand that Gen Z grievances cannot be solved by organising a buffet for a few youth and conducting PR stunts to sanitise the rot taking place in the counties. This will only keep the counties in a perpetual political mood rather than solve the real issues.

Governors seem to be devoutly following the President’s script where PR stunts were staged to cool the political temperatures and the political class shelved the real issues raised by the masses.

The President’s actions have clearly depicted the big difference between listening and hearing. You listen because you are interested in acting upon what you are listening to; you hear because a voice is within your periphery. Hearing doesn’t necessarily mean you care.

Governors need to see the mistakes politicians at the national level are making with regard to the now ceased demos and learn from them. One may think that calm has been restored, but the truth of the matter is that the original anger has been doubled by the deceit orchestrated upon the people. What happens next, nobody knows.

The most important thing for the county chiefs to do right now is seal all loopholes through which public resources are lost. When public officers are involved in fraud and other corrupt undertakings, relieving them of their duties should not be the only thing done to them. That should be the first step before charges are raised against them.

We cannot have CECs pocket millions of taxpayers' money or act in conflict of interest and then let them go home to enjoy the loot. The worst is returning public officers into office while they have been associated with corruption.

The other trend in the political class is lying for the sake of lying. Politicians have become notorious for lying and promising a Canaan they aren’t willing to take the people to. Now their lies stink to the high heavens, of course, with the fish rotting from the head.

Governors better mean to implement the many promises they are making to the youth. Otherwise, these meet-ups will be nothing but tea-taking and photoshoot sessions at the county headquarters.

If that is the case, we are bound to witness a massive political burial come 2027. The youth will come, take tea and mandazis then head home to await voter registration. On that crucial day – August 9, 2027 – there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

Student, Technical University of Kenya