Governor Wycliffe Oparanya in Kakamega has hired 16 MCAs who lost elections as community administrators (see P28).
In 2017, 45 out of 60 MCAs lost their seats. So his opponents have criticised Oparanya for rewarding political losers.
But Oparanya has also created posts for 12 subcounty administrators, 60 ward administrators and 400 community unit administrators. His opponents are accusing him of preparing the ground for his presidential bid in 2022 at the expense of the county.
This is not a track record that will appeal to voters in a presidential election. The national government is already rewarding too many election losers with jobs — the superfluous role of Chief Administrative Secretary in ministries was largely created to cater for marginal figures to whom some leaders feel misguided loyalty.
Oparanya is touting his candidacy as a chance for a more technocratic and meritocratic government.
Creating jobs for stranded former MCAs in Kakamega is not the right way to convince us that he can do it. The Kenyan public does not want a leader who dishes out jobs to non-performing political losers.
Quote of the day: "It isn't where you came from, it's where you're going that counts."
Ella Fitzgerald
The American singer was born on April 25, 1917
