Date: Thu, 4 Jun 2009 17:57:01 -0700 [06/04/2009 07:57:01 PM CDT]
From: Peter Otieno
Subject: Re: Consider this for a moment | This could just be what Kenya needs for a President….

Hi Collins,
I have read your post and I am very happy that you are wishing well for our dear country.Infact, if not for the past and present leaders who have dissappointed us for their own seflish interests- we would be very far.
I am in agreement with you that presidential aspirants should not run for constituency as well – this causes clash of interest.The constituents will always want the president to take care of their interests first before he looks at the wider Kenya ( and ofcourse they are right to think so).For the president to be seen as the national head and not some form of a section head- he must be playing in his own league.
I would though have my reservations to the following suggestions.
1) SINGLE 10 YEAR TERM FOR ANY PRESIDENT.
As we are already aware of what happens when one knows that his term is coming to an end.They hardly work as the way they did in their previous terms.This is simply because they start plans of their retirement the first day of being in office.They have a feeling that since they have made it – the rest can take care of itself hence the hands-off, legs-off and actually whole body-off style of governance that we witness now and before KANU was shown the door.It will actually promote LIES by the presidential candidates since they will not ask for a vote again.They can simply sit and make their ” LOOT” within the ten year period.It maybe more disastrous than it has ever been.The Election body earns money whether there is election or not for they have their contracts running for 10 or 20 yrs.We will not save much compared to what we will lose if elections are not run.This is the only thing that keeps these guys on their toes.
2)RETAIN ONE CENTRE OF POWER
The problem we have been having is because of concentrating alot of power around one individual.That is why we are now rooting for DEVOLUTION ( or is it Majimbo???).Power should be devolved to reduce the concentration of it on just one individual.If well documented in the constitution- it can really act as check and balances .Maybe just to give you a taste of it- Do you think the goverment would have changed their initial stand on extra-judicial killings in Kenya without the PMs input???

3) Any one who wants to run for president must have experience of running something successfully.
Although this sounds good to peoples ears, it may not be a real yardstick for measuring a good leader Some people may not have done it because they have not been given the oppotunity.Remember that running a school succesfully for example does not mean you can run the country.The situation is very different.You could have run say, KPCU very well in the 70s ( because coffee was booming then so you were actually propelled by circumstances rather than your own initiative ) but that cannot be a key to being a good President in Kenya.
I would therefore propose that we change it to- IF YOU HAVE RUN DOWN ANY ENTERPRISE THEN YOU CANNOT RUN FOR ANY OFFICE – not just the presidency.
It would be a good starting point though.
Lets get more ideas from the other Kenyans.

Can we find a way of putting back the clause of CONSTITUENTS CALLING BACK THE MP incase of non-performance before the term ends? Could we also limit the MPs term to 2 – and not just the president`s????

Ayuaya Masira
Shanghai China.

— On Thu, 6/4/09, Areba Collins wrote:

From: Areba Collins
Subject: Consider this for a moment | This could just be what Kenya needs for a President….
Date: Thursday, June 4, 2009, 1:24 PM

Dear Wanabidii,

Tribal and petty politics aside, here is a roadmap, and a leader that
we can unite, rally behind as common wananchi and elevate to national
leadership, then wait to see Kenya blossom as a country. (I of course
stand to be corrected, but a Man who shuts me to attention when he
opens his mouth to speak surely deserves to make us who we want to
be).

Roadmap:

1: Amend the constitution to have a single ten year term for any
president. (that way, we can lay ten year development plans for our
country, half the cost of the ECK. That way, a sitting president will
only be worrying about the legacy he / she shall leave behind and not
how to win the next election.

2: De-link the presidency from parliament, require the president not
to run for MP at all. that way, losers dont take advantage of
parliament to mess up things and only those who are sure they stand a
chance actually attempt to run.

3: Retain one center of power, remove the post of PM or anything like
that. too costly for us, also, limit the number of ministries to
eight. We have eight provinces and are in no crisis, we can merge
everything into one tidy group.

4: Require anyone who wants to run the country have proven experience
running .. something. SUCCESSFULLY.

What do you guys think of this Mister? Dr Kipngetich, currently KWS mkubwa.

Ps:
This is one man im sure wont print a 50 bob coin just to have his face
on money.

—
If you have an apple and I have an apple and we exchange these apples
then you and I will still each have one apple. But if you have an idea
and I have an idea and we exchange these ideas, then each of us will
have two ideas.

George Bernard Shaw