{UAH} Pojim/WBK: GAITHO: Dr Juma was let down by the system - Opinion | Daily Nation
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GAITHO: Dr Juma was let down by the system - Opinion
The full extent of the rottenness of our politics was put on display last week with the noisy antics that accompanied the National Assembly's rejection of Dr Monica Juma's nomination as Secretary to the Cabinet.
The only reason the vetting committee chaired by Mr Asman Kamama could offer for rejecting President Uhuru Kenyatta's nominee was a letter she wrote as Principal Secretary for Interior decrying the tendency of MPs to make all sorts of irregular demands on hiring, transfers, and promotions for relatives, friends, and political acolytes.
Thus Dr Juma had to be punished simply because she was a doing a good job in resisting political interference in the running of a key security docket.
The MPs who voted by acclamation to reject Dr Juma have since been trying to concoct all kinds of reasons for their greedy, selfish, and vindictive action.
The fact, however, is that the report of the National Assembly's Administration and National Security Committee that vetted Dr Juma took issue only with that very polite letter objecting to their irregular and illegal demands.
The vetting report actually was full of praise for her professionalism, expertise, intellect, and track record. But they had to concoct just one dubious reason to reject her.
It did not help Dr Juma's cause, however, that the appointing authority did not do much to push through her nomination. Even in the face of the threat from Jubilee MPs, President Kenyatta and Deputy President William Ruto did not do anything effective to forestall the rebellion. They did not call a Parliamentary Group meeting to lay down the party line.
They did not warn their MPs that any defiance came at the risk of de-whipping, removal from House committees, and denial of the party ticket come the next elections.
Nothing was done in defence of Dr Juma, and that halfhearted effort on the floor led by National Assembly Majority Leader Aden Duale was bound to flop. It was actually quite bizarre that the most spirited effort in support of President Kenyatta's nominee came from the Opposition side.
The problem here was that Minority Leader Francis Nyenze, my old Department of Design buddy at the University of Nairobi, approached it as a Kamba ethnic cause rather than support for excellence in public service.
Yes, we may assail members of the National Assembly for resorting to petty, vindictive, manoeuvres, but at the end of the day, Dr Juma was let down by the system she has served so diligently.
My only hope now is that President Kenyatta can make amends and do whatever it takes to show Parliament that he will not succumb to greedy and bullying ways.
Watching Treasury Cabinet Secretary Henry Rotich drone on with his Budget speech last week, I was reminded of an old encounter with one Chris Kirubi.
As Mr Rotich dwelt on the Buy Kenya, Build Kenya slogan, I recalled that at the turn of the millennium, way before he become DJ CK, Mr Kirubi was singing the very same song as spokesman for the Kenyan Association of Manufacturers.
Writing for The Analyst news magazine at the time, I noted acerbically that it was richly hypocritical for Mr Kirubi to campaign against Kenyans wearing mitumba (imported used clothes) while dressed right down to his underwear in imported attire.
Soon enough I got the royal summons and made my way to Mr Kirubi's office. I approached with a bit of trepidation for the man's reputation preceded him. I expected to find a replica of Hugh Heffner's Playboy mansion, with a bevy of skimpily-dressed lovelies scampering all over me.
To my relief, no, disappointment, it was nothing like that, just a well-appointed corporate suite. Mr Kirubi made his case that he has every right to expensive designer outfits from across the seas because it was his own money.
He did not see why Kenyans of less means should wear imported used clothes instead of supporting local industry. He lost me there, and after a long argument, we cordially agreed to disagree.
The same argument applies today. For Mr Rotich, President Kenyatta, and anyone else selling the Buy Kenyan mantra, please lead by example and abandon the imported suits, shoes, underwear, and even maize and beans.
mgaitho@ke.nationmedia.com. @MachariaGaitho on Twitter
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