• President Ruto and Interior CS Kindiki have been documented swearing to end the banditry and cattle-rustling problem.
• However, there is no visible move to do so, even as people continue to die.
Image: BY MATHEWS NDANYI
Former Education Cabinet Secretary George Magoha was undoubtedly one of the key players in our education sector since independence.
The transformation undergone by the education sector under his leadership will go down in history. This is because the competency based curriculum success this far can largely be attributed to Magoha’s tireless work. His death is a huge loss to his family and to the country.
He will be laid to rest as the pioneering junior secondary school group prepares to actualize his Cabinet docket’s work. It is an unexpected poetic moment. It goes to further prove that people really are only celebrated once they are gone.
Schools have been reopening this week after months of being shut for the December holiday season. Not all schools are reopening though. There are those in bandit prone areas that are yet to find a way forward. Drought and famine has also pushed some communities further away from the only available schools, marking the end of education for some of these Kenyan children.
President William Ruto and Interior Cabinet Secretary Kithure Kindiki have been documented swearing to end the banditry and cattle-rustling problem. There is no visible move to do so, even as people continue to die. These deaths are not unknown to the politicians who run their mouths at any given chance and yet, they continue to happen. Cases have been reported every other day this month. Something has got to give.
It is often said that the poor are children of a lesser God. The government seems to be keen on proving this to be true at every turn. How do you explain the kind of neglect happening to the people on the Northern side of Kenya? Why will the President not hold the governors and relevant local authorities responsible for all of it?
If the government truly is transparent, let us see some form of movement towards resolving these issues — actual, tangible steps.
The progress Kenya has made, as a country, always seems to be overshadowed by the same recurring problems. Drought and famine, banditry, taxation, high cost of living and a political class more inclined to heavy brunches in expensive hotels more than they are to solving real issues affecting their electorate.
Like it has been said a thousand times before, verbal warnings do nothing. We need leaders who are willing to take the necessary steps to stop these murderers who stand in the way of development and the lives of innocent children.
All children have the rights to basic food, water, shelter, safety and a good education regardless of their background. Children are the future. Currently, that future is being shaped to be bitter and vindictive. This will be a never-ending cycle, if no measures are taken as soon as yesterday.
There are those like former CS George Magoha who played their part. Let those slacking on their jobs pick up the pace or step aside and let more capable leaders work in their place. The killings must stop.