This archive report was first published on 6 August 2020.
On August 6, 2020, the Nairobi County Assembly was at the center of a heated controversy, with members conspiring to overthrow Speaker Beatrice Elachi. Beneath this drama lay two layers of conflict: the fight to replace the Clerk of the County Assembly, who was being investigated by the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission, and the broader conflict arising from the partial removal of Governor Mike Sonko and his administration.
The Nairobi Metropolitan Services, led by Major-General Mohamed Badi, has been working to clean up the city and provide services to disadvantaged communities. This presents an opportunity for a clear message to the MCAs that the Badi team is better at providing services than the administration they seem to favor.
Leadership is Key ¶
Kenya's biggest weakness as a nation is its leadership. Or lack of it. Leadership is the X factor in the development and prosperity of the country, just like it is the most important ingredient in the success of any endeavor.
As I travel around talking to leaders, I want to provoke a debate about national issues around six factors. First, I want to get a sense of how a leader thinks. Is the leader a problem solver, a servant, a facilitator – what do they bring to the table?
Secondly, there is the whole question of literacy and general ability. Anyone aspiring to leadership must be a democrat with a basic understanding of democracy and the principles along which democratic governments are formed and run.
Thirdly, a leader must clearly think long-term and have a clear vision of where he wants the country, or county, to go. Such a vision should include a clear understanding of the resources required to achieve it and a preparedness to deal with unexpected – or expected – shocks.
Fourthly, a corrupt person should not be within a mile of public office. A person without a strong sense of resource stewardship should not be allowed near our taxes.
Finally, rather than having a fight between tribes, why don’t we have a debate about this?
