Comments on: President’s trimming of motorcade could be just the beginning http://www.sunwords.com/2009/11/08/presidents-trimming-of-motorcade-could-be-just-the-beginning/ Tue, 07 Feb 2012 08:24:23 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.1 By: Mike Mwendwa http://www.sunwords.com/2009/11/08/presidents-trimming-of-motorcade-could-be-just-the-beginning/comment-page-1/#comment-44213 Mike Mwendwa Sat, 28 Nov 2009 22:35:53 +0000 http://www.sunwords.com/?p=787#comment-44213 Thats a good step in the right direction. I remember the days in primary school where a president's visit into town had a negative effect on the local economy. One incident far too many of my generation remember was us being told to leave class in the morning around 8am to go to the main Nakuru-Eldoret highway to wait for President Moi to pass, as you can imagine the local provincial administration ordered schools and businesses closed. Guess what after standing along the highway all day we were told that he took a military chopper all the way to his intended destination. In the end we never got to see him and a day was wasted just like that for the kids it was just an excuse not to be in class and were happy. Sunny, even if we got to see him believe me people were more admiring of the 50-60 top of the range vehicles than him. I dare say the way our leaders behave is a function of ourselves, look at this example you go to Netherlands where the Prime minister can actually ride a bike to work, the local citizens rarely brag of the property they amassed even thought they are wealthy. The reverse in Africa where a leader travelling you would think he is showcasing latest German engineering, the populace spends time talking and bragging about their wealth and lusting after property as if it is a big thing. Thats a good step in the right direction. I remember the days in primary school where a president’s visit into town had a negative effect on the local economy. One incident far too many of my generation remember was us being told to leave class in the morning around 8am to go to the main Nakuru-Eldoret highway to wait for President Moi to pass, as you can imagine the local provincial administration ordered schools and businesses closed. Guess what after standing along the highway all day we were told that he took a military chopper all the way to his intended destination. In the end we never got to see him and a day was wasted just like that for the kids it was just an excuse not to be in class and were happy. Sunny, even if we got to see him believe me people were more admiring of the 50-60 top of the range vehicles than him.

I dare say the way our leaders behave is a function of ourselves, look at this example you go to Netherlands where the Prime minister can actually ride a bike to work, the local citizens rarely brag of the property they amassed even thought they are wealthy. The reverse in Africa where a leader travelling you would think he is showcasing latest German engineering, the populace spends time talking and bragging about their wealth and lusting after property as if it is a big thing.

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