The communication angle during Cabinet Unveiling: Why UhuruRuto were in matching outfits and more!

Nicodemus Minde, Nairobi

Tuesday 23, April, 2013. Late Tuesday, Kenya's President Uhuru Kenyatta named four out of the 18 members of his Cabinet. Flanked by his Deputy, William Ruto, the President read out the profiles of the four nominees to his cabinet. Going against primordial tendencies which characterized former administrations, President Kenyatta in a calculative manner set out the unveiling of the cabinet at the entrance of State House, a more media friendly area. The occasion and setting was reminiscent of that of White House in United States. Further, the President read out the list of the nominees with their profiles coming at the interlude of each proposed name. This is indeed a modern culture which, pursuant to their election manifesto,echoes the spirit of a digital revolution in Kenya. With State House Kenya having its on twitter handle (@StateHouseKenya) and Facebook link which keeps the people abreast with matters of the State, the Curriculum Vitae of the nominees were also quickly uploaded in the document sharing website Scribd. This is indeed a digital revolution on the part of the Jubilee team. 

Picture courtesy of Daily Nation

The President and his Deputy were also in matching white shirts and red ties. By them wearing shirts without the coats/jackets, it signifies their readiness and commitment to the arduous work ahead. Similar to President Obama's roll-up of his shirt's sleeves, the two decided to abandon their coats and show they are prepared for the task at hand. It is also noteworthy that the two matching in their dressing. This again shows their commitment to working together despite the incessant giggles and parleys of them not agreeing on the cabinet list. 

The President also took questions from the media, a practice not so common with previous administrations. To show unity again, Uhuru Kenyatta asked his Deputy William Ruto to take the other questions and clarify on a number of issues. That is called working in tandem and the relationship is becoming telepathic. William Ruto backed his boss when responding to the questions and further clarified on the East African Community docket. In another symbolic act, the President invited the journalists for a cup of tea inside State House. Though the welcome gesture was just out of courteousness, it shows the friendly side of the two. People will say the two are in the honeymoon phase of their leadership, but as the Swahili saying goes, "siku njema huonekana asubuhi."  

Kenyan police must take bold action to curb electoral violence

Via ISS, Nairobi

Kenyans go to the polls on 4 March 2013 to elect their leaders at national and local level. This election is expected to turn the page on the bloodshed that followed the last national polls in 2007–2008. Notwithstanding the reforms that were instituted to address the flaws of the previous polls and the determination of the majority of Kenyans to avoid a repeat of the violence, many believe that the likelihood of conflict during the next election is still high. A Human Rights Watch report released early this month, ‘High Stakes: Political Violence and the 2013 Elections in Kenya’, warns of the unacceptably high risk of violence. The country’s security institutions, particularly the police, which has the primary responsibility for election security, must take bold action to curb the risk of violence.

A proper understanding of the police’s role in electoral processes, as well as the principles of policing elections, is key to providing effective electoral security. Police duties during elections include protecting electoral stakeholders such as candidates, voters and observers; safeguarding election materials and facilities such as polling stations and counting centres; ensuring the lawfulness and orderliness of electoral events such as debates, public appearances and polling; and investigating allegations of criminal wrongdoing by candidates, government officials and other electoral stakeholders.

Success in maintaining election security depends upon the political neutrality and professionalism of the security personnel. Police officers should not belong to any political party or promote partisan views. They should do their job without any bias towards any of the contesting parties. The professionalism of the police is demonstrated by the extent to which the police institutions are organised, resourced and managed, as well as the extent to which officers are trained and disciplined. The police should also promote transparency and accountability by enhancing consultation mechanisms with electoral stakeholders such as political groups, civil society and other organisations.

The provision of effective electoral security starts with a proper assessment and understanding of both the security risks and the corresponding security measures. This assessment must clarify the forms, sources and locations of potential conflicts and violence at different phases of the electoral process, i.e. problems associated with campaigning, balloting, announcement of the results, and representation. At the broadest level, the electoral security risk assessment should comprise contextual, historical and stakeholder analysis. Specifically, the assessment must consider the relationship between the contesting parties, key political figures representing the parties, and the people or groups they represent. The behaviour and implicit intentions of the leading political figures, as well as the contesting strategies of the parties and candidates, need to be scrutinised and interpreted.

A key part of the electoral security plan is assessing the preparedness of the police in relation to the potential risk for conflict and violence. The electoral security plan should specify police intervention strategies and standards, deployment arrangements, coordination and control mechanisms, and resource and training needs. The security response plan should detail the police roles and responsibilities during the election, including rules of engagement, codes of conduct and use of force standards.

The electoral security plan should also clearly define the operational boundaries, chain of command, and coordination arrangements between different police institutions or units, such as the Kenyan National Police (KNP), General Service Units (GSUs), and the Administration Police, as well as the army and national intelligence service. Communication and coordination mechanisms with other agencies responsible for the administration of the election should also be included in the plan. In this regard, joint operation arrangements will need to be set up between the election and security authorities.

A deployment arrangement will need to be developed in response to the potential security risks. Police deployment may need to include static (e.g. protection of storage facilities of electoral materials, polling stations and electoral offices), mobile (e.g. protection of high-level candidates and campaign rally sites), and reserve deployment (e.g. contingency forces to support either static or mobile forces as required). The plan should also aim to ensure enhanced communication systems, and that sufficient resources are available in the specific locations at the times required. As part of the preparation process, police officers at all levels need to undergo specialised training. The contents of the training should primarily be based on identified threats and security requirements as well as: electoral principles; rules and processes relevant to the police; police roles, rules of engagement and code of conduct; electoral security threats and corresponding strategies; command and communication structures and mechanisms; and management of major types of incidents. 

The coming election gives the Kenyan police a chance to rectify the flaws of the 2007-8 polls and renew its image. The police will face great pressure to maintain security during the elections, given the high risk of violence. To minimise this risk, police officers should be deployed in adequate numbers to areas of potential conflict and should perform their duties impartially and with full respect for the law. The officers will need to make sure that they stay clear of the common mistakes: intimidation, unlawful arrest and detention, refusal to provide protection, obstruction of the exercise of election rights, systematic influence on voters, use of excessive force, a breach of the conventional procedures of law enforcement, and inattentiveness to and unjustness in dealing with complaints.

Tsegaye D. Baffa, Senior Researcher, Conflict Management and Peace Building Division, ISS Nairobi

Watanzania tujifunze nini na mdahalo wa urais Kenya?

Nicodemus Minde, Nairobi

Wananchi wa Kenya na Kenya kwa ujumla walionyesha uimara wa demokrasia na utawala wa kikatiba walipofanya mdahalo wa urais mapema wiki hii. Kenya ni nchi ambayo imepiga hatua kubwa sana kwenye misingi ya demokrasia, utawala bora na ujenzi wa maadili ya sheria. Kwanzia miaka ya 90 wakati wa mchakato wa uundwaji wa sera ya vyama vingi kutokana na vuguvugu la baada ya Vita Baridi vya dunia, Kenya imeonyesha ukakamavu na ustawi wa mifumo ya asasi na utaasisi. Hata hivyo, juhudi zao hazikuja kwa urahisi. Jasho, damu na hata machozi vilitawala msukumo wao. Viongozi kama Kenneth Matiba, Hayati Jaramogi Oginga Odinga, Martin Shikuku, Raila Odinga, Paul Muite na wengine wengi walijitolea ili kuifanya Kenya kupata uhuru kwa awamu ya pili (second liberation). Wakenya waliendelea kupigana ilikuuondoa kihalali utawala wa kibabe wa rais Daniel Moi. 

Walipigana kuleta mabadiliko ya kimfumo hususan kuleta sheria mpya ya nchi (katiba). Vipingamizi na vizuizi lukuki vilikuja katikati ya azma hii. Hata hivyo, hawakukata tamaa. Walipopiga kura ya maoni ya katiba mpya mwaka wa 2010 na kuuhalalisha mswada uliopendekezwa, Kenya mpya ilizaliwa. Katiba hii mpya ilileta mageuzi kwenye sekta mbalimabli. Sheria za ulinzi wa haki za binadamu zilizingatiwa kwenye katiba hii mpya. Mfumo wa asasi (institutionalism) ulizingatiwa. Mahakama ilipewa uhuru, bunge likapewa majukumu ya kusahili mapendekezo ya ajira za wale walioteuliwa na rais, baraza la mawaziri likapewa sura mpya (kuwa mawaziri watakua watu waliobobea kwenye taaluma zao). Haya ni maandeleo. 

Mdahalo wa urais uliofanyika hivi karibuni ni ishara ya uwajibikaji wa viongozi mbele ya wananchi wao. Chanzo cha mamlaka ya viongozi kwa hakika sasa unatoka kwa wananchi (a people oriented constitutional legitimacy). Kujitokeza kwa viongozi wote kwenye mdahalo huo ni ishara kwamba wanaheshimu hiko chanzi cha mamlaka. Watanzania tunapaswa kuiga huu mfano. Tunapoandika katiba yetu, ni lazima maoni ya wananchi yasikilizwe. Ni lazima tujenge utamaduni wa siasa (political culture). Utamaduni wa uwajibikaji, utamaduni wa viongozi kuheshimu wananchi na kujitolea kuitetea nchi yetu. 

Funzo lingine ni matumizi ya teknolojia mpya katika kukuza demokrasia yetu. Upanuzi wa mifumo ya vyombo vya habari, ushiriki wa wananchi katika msingi hii ni njia mojawapo ya kuleta uwajibikaji. Televisheni zetu bado hazijafika hatua za ubora, watangazaji wetu bado hawafika kilele cha kujikita kitaaluma. Vyama vyetu vya siasa vinapaswa kujijenga na viwe na sura ya kitaifa.

Kama inavyosemwa na Watanzania wengi, nami ntasema, inawezekana. Ila Tanzania yenye neema haitawezekana na ubabaishaji na maneno tu. Waswahi wanasema matendo hukidhi haja maridhawa kuliko maneno. Kazi tnayo.  

Political and Election Processes are about you!

Nicodemus Minde

Politics is critical ingredient of human society. Politics is the embodiment of human civilization and social progress. A polity can be a small association of human society such as the nuclear family, the extended family, the church, the workers unions and so on. Politics starts from such small associations to larger national politics. Political Science is the discipline that studies the nature of politics, the origins of political and human civilizations, political systems, and constitutional orders and so on. Political processes have been known world over as beacons for democratic transitions, constitutionalism, and the observance of the rule of law. But politics and political processes do more than steering the polity to ideals of good governance and democracy. 

A political process which is a lifelong exercise is a constant reminder to what has been done, what is been done and what should be done to steer economic and political prosperity. Election time is also an important phase in political systems. The election process which in developed democracies is a constitutional right is a time for reflection. A time to take stock of what the state has hitherto done in terms of uplifting the standards of its people. It is a time for the people to seat and reflect on their leaders, a time for the leaders to personally reflect on the successes thus far. 

Elections should not be taken as a time when politicians give promises. Elections should not be about the leaders. Elections are a national phase for reflection. It is a time when a people are reminded of their sovereignty. It is a time when people are filled with hope and expectation that they are integral proponents in the development of their country. And it is through this that they can resolve to determine their future by voting for leaders with their aspirations and not leaders with personal ambitions.   

Elect persons with drive to develop prosperity policies

By Mghanga Malasi  

As the election near so is the whispering along the corridors who should and shouldn’t be our leader among many Kenyans. One of the challenges Kenya faces today is deeply entrenched ethnicity and short-sightedness nature of our politics. The next election will certainly be interesting though frightening to many given the heightening of political temperature along tribal lines by the current leadership. The election will be unique in that there are several levels of the legislature that have to be filled through the ballot. It is for sure that occupants of the august house will have a hard time convincing the public.

Kenya desperately needs political stability, but the leaders do not seem to have learnt anything from the 2007-2008 predicaments. One day they are talking of the need to revamp the economy to realize the vision twenty thirty targets and the next thing politicians are fueling the ethnic emotions or they are engaging in their usual practice and games of ethnic divisiveness through propaganda and other lies. There is no doubt that the same resilience shown during the voting and ushering in the new constitution shall certainly be repeated next year. Kenyans have matured in democracy. However, more civic education is required to sensitise the electorate on the implementation of the new laws especially on devolution. The registration of voters should begin in earnest to recruit more voters for the elections next year. 

This year has been a tough one for majority of Kenyans. The next man or woman of the house on the hill has a difficult task convincing the electorate what he or she will offer. The country is still facing same myriad challenges of disease, poverty, unemployment and hunger despite the economic gains reported in the media now and then. 

Kenyans are still suffering and disillusioned; the youth graduating from universities every year have no hope of being employed any more in the saturated and highly competitive labour market. The disenfranchised youth have tried the ballot several times and failed to win emancipation. When they tried violence to claim their freedom last time, they were stopped in their tracks by a political settlement. One would wonder what will take to stop them after the next national crisis. 

There are various tents that drive the economy that the next president must promise to work on if the economy is to grow. It taunted that a healthy nation translates to a healthy economy. The health sector is needs facelift. This means more budgetary allocation to the Ministry of Health to improve on infrastructure and modernization of the hospital critical utilities.

S/he should seek to lower the cost of living affected heavily by high inflation, which is also undermining financial borrowing. Energy and fuel costs must go down. This president should ensure that we cushioned from the volatility of the international prices by may be developing strategic oil reserves. 

The education sector, apart from free education the government should increase and set aside fund for capacity and facility improvement and development in both primary and secondary schools. Many of the schools in the rural areas are ill equipped and therefore priority should be to establish an educational infrastructure development fund to oversee building of more schools and classrooms, libraries and science laboratories if we are to develop a skilled workforce for the future Kenya. 

If only our politics motive were that we keep politics pure and the motive is doing good to one’s country and its people then will all prosper. The qualification the candidates taking up important seats such as the governor, senator and presidency will matter if this country were to change for the good of all Kenyans not a few cartels. The economy should be knowledge driven those elected must be persons who have the drive and passion to develop policies that will bring prosperity.