It is utterly amazing that we were even discussing 44 cabinet positions. Not even a superpower needs that many ministers in government, let alone a tin-pot country like ours.
What do all these ministries cost us to have? Quite a bit, by all accounts. There are around 16 ’super-ministries’: those with huge staff complements; complex, nationwide operations; ‘mission-critical’ mandates. These ministries are vital. They include Education, Health, Finance, Roads, Foreign Affairs etc. These are arguably the 16 ministries that we ACTUALLY need, and they account for the bulk of the money we spend - some Shs. 400-billion-plus every year.
What has become fashionable since 2003 is to have lots of ‘other’ ministries: small, largely inconsequential ministries with unimportant mandates - all in the name of building a ‘big tent’ government. This is, by the way, a recent phenomenon. Research by my friend Karuti Kanyinga reveals that there were just 21 ministries (on average) in the Kenyatta years; and 26 in the Moi era.
These extra ministries have been growing in numbers, and look set to grow further. They may be small, but they still consume plenty: they need top-level pay-and-perks for the boss class; salaries for at least 100-200 people doing non-jobs; lots of lavish offices; and, of course, the familiar quotient of top-end vehicles for the high and mighty.
There are 18 of these smaller ministries at the moment, and they cost approximately Sh 50 billion per annum. So adding another ten might add something like Sh 30 billion to the taxpayer’s bill.
What does that mean? Well, 30 billion is almost exactly the amount that the President and the Prime Minister Designate were begging the donors for the other day, in order to resettle and rehabilitate all our newly displaced refugees. So, wananchi, which would you rather have - 10 more waziri doing nothing important, or an immediate end to the refugee crisis?
Which would you rather have - 10 more ministries, or 150,000 more classrooms in the country? Which do you think is better for the country: 10 more self-aggrandizers swanning around giving speeches written by others, or one million computers to give to all the public schools in the country? What will stimulate the economy more: another 2,000 civil servants pushing files around (and losing them), or a proper 6-lane highway from Nairobi to Mombasa?
But hang on: some are saying we actually NEED 44 ministers: not because they will do anything meaningful, but because without them we cannot have peace in the country. All ethnic groups must be represented in government; all must feel they have a stake and a say.
Hmmm. OK, you answer that one, wananchi. Which would you rather have: a couple more ministers from your tribe named in the cabinet, or several billion more shillings coming to your province in development funds? What say you: without more ministers are you going to reach for your panga and head for your neighbour’s house again?
This argument is entirely wrong-headed. We are not risking peace by having a smaller government; we are risking peace by not having more equitable distribution of resources and opportunity. Expanding the cabinet does nothing for the latter goal. Indeed it retards the process.
And if we are really convinced that we must give money and importance to our tribal chieftains, let’s do this: give them each a swanky title, an office with some staff and bodyguards; and a couple of sleek cars. They will feel happy, and hopefully will not lead their people astray. But for God’s sake, let us not create joke ministries and ask them to pretend that they are doing anything useful for the nation!
To cap it all, we saw the ultimate folly earlier this week. A group of civil society activists went to Uhuru Park to protest against the plans to expand the cabinet that Kenyans pay for. They were led by the indefatigable Wangari Maathai. Our boneheaded policemen refused to let them carry on with their peaceful protest, and finally gassed and dispersed them.
Which brainless people in government come up with these ideas? What purpose was served by firing tear gas at our only Nobel laureate - what harm was she about to do? How did it help us to have images of elderly people flattened by the security forces flying around the world? Our economy was just about picking up the pieces again; tourists were just about thinking of coming back to Kenya. Thanks a lot.
More importantly, are we now officially a state in which no form of peaceful protest is permitted? Is it no longer acceptable for taxpayers to ask questions about how their money is spent? Many right-minded, business-minded people would have wanted to join that procession, because many believe that expanding the cabinet is madness: should they always stay at home, because this country no longer allows anyone to question anything?
Let us come to our senses. That way lies dictatorship.
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6 Responses:
April 11th, 2008 at 5:07 am
When will the leaders realise that creating community and regional portfolio balances government posts is not really the way to go but seeing each other as Kenyans is and where performance should be gauged not ones ethnic background. The PM should always be under the President otherwise we cannot afford two echelons of power. What can be done to make the the kibera holigans realise not to destroy the railway line and hold hostage our neighbouring states? When shall we realise that the president and PM are institutional positions and not individual posts? What will happen after Kibaki exists the scene after his last term? Are we going to create or discard the PMs post? GOSH!!!! Lets have another election I say with a new crop of candidates, not the existing ones.
April 10th, 2008 at 11:27 am
Remember MP’s get lots of tax free allowances, they don’t feel the pinch of ” pay as you earn” so no surprise at ridiculous suggestions for top offices, it’s not their money that that will be used to pay them !
April 8th, 2008 at 3:48 pm
The 44 ministers with their hefty salaries and allowances among other expenses, all this in a country where half of our people are liking on less then a dollar a day.
At this price, re-election certainly doesnt look so expensive then we can send the whole bunch home. These politicians just redefined selfishness and self-centeredness.
April 8th, 2008 at 3:45 pm
Nothing in this world is free; there is an opportunity cost to everything. We in Kenyan have chosen tribalism as our way forward. We must now meet the demands of the Gods of tribalism. The offering will be a sacrifice of 44 ministries. We may loose out on all the things Sunny mentions but least the Gods of tribalism are not angry with us, their appeasement is all that maters, if the Gods are happy we are happy.
April 7th, 2008 at 12:37 pm
When we started looking for political solutions to legal problems, trouble began
April 7th, 2008 at 4:15 am
There is need to delink cabinet posts to rewards. In addition, ministries should be stable and more or less permanent institutions with minimum change, where change if neccessary should incorporated in existing institutions. For instance, a ministry like transport should also include public works and infrastucture development (ie Ministry of transport, public works and infrastructure development) and or gender, youth, social services could be encompassed under a single ministry of Social Services, Welfare and development. What we are witnessing in the country is an individual being larger than the country rather than vice versa. Cabinet posts should not be given to MPs but select professionals. MPs should be limited to legislative work and have their salaries reduced since they have proved worthless in their endeavour as Cabinet ministers.