Only genuine progressive concern for public will determine MPs’ re-election

The question of whether some of our MPs in 55 perennially one term

constituencies "Are Jinxed", considering the outcomes of the last

three general elections ( STD Dec 17, 2011) raise fundamental

questions of leadership performance and voters judgements. Some

legislatures, once elected to the August House with great hope,

promise and fanfare, immediately forget the first law of their job:

The people have hired the MP and the easiest way to be regularly

re-elected is to govern well.

The voting public in every nation have placed their trusts, lives, liberties and

livelihoods in the hands of their elected leaders. Opportunistic

betrayal is therefor fatal for political careers. Citizens painfully

detest alibis. They know true, authentic leader when they see one.

Representation, whether at the national level or county, is always

plural; it always occurs within the context of others; all the

stakeholders of the democratic process, where the center of gravity is

the voter/citizen.

Legislatures and other representatives and the voters are engaged in a

common enterprise. They are dependent on each other, their fortunes

are supposed to rise and fall together. Few people knew the " True

Compass" of the citizens of a democratic country as Edward Kennedy

who, before he passed on in 2009, served his people for almost 47

years as the Lion of the USA Senate with his famous, timeless clarion

call. " For all those whose cares have been our concern (

citizens/voters), the work goes on, the cause endures, the hope still

lives and the dream shall never die."

At every election, people bring their strong fears, expectations and

experiences to the polling booths. They expect and hope their

representatives will enable them achieve extraordinary things.After

all, as Peter Drucker said, it is the test of great leadership to make

ordinary people perform better than they seem capable of, to bring out

whatever strength there is in its members and to use each person's

strength to help all other members perform and accomplish

socioeconomic prosperity.

The fact that for the initial time and in subsequent elections the

voters returned to parliament Minister Sam Ongeri, Deputy Speaker

Farah Maalim and MP Isaac Ruto among other notables is proof that

every election season comes with it its unique  social dynamics. Then

the voters judge an incumbent MP against clear, expected, objective

governance parameters. what do the people say ?  Little happens to them without those at top "turning up large rocks." After all bottlenecks are the head of bottles.

In the present Kenya, many things are changing for the better beyond

recognition. These includes absolute constitutional requirements of

leadership of integrity. integrity has number of dimensions. Honesty, truthfulness, reliability and loyalty to people and country are known to be some of the corner stones of integrity.

You cannot acquire integrity on the job training. It

is not abstract, it is concrete. It is one quality which is advisable

that leaders and managers of public affairs must bring with them

on seeking office.  It is a public demand.

Another aptitude seekers of elective office should work to acquire, apparently, are skills of selling oneself and ideas to the electorate. A successful salesperson find out what the people want and help them get it. This is a good lesson for any politician who cares to endure with public applause.

Just as the purpose of business is the creation of a satisfied

customer, the purpose of a political leader is the creation of

empowered, happy citizen, capable of scaling extraordinary heights in

life. Not making or unmaking laws. Profitability and enacting laws are

not the purposes of business and legislatures respectively; only the

test of their validity.

Therefore, overcoming unplanned high parliamentary turnover, jinx, is

an individual commitment, luck or otherwise. Once our  political

leaders internalize and appreciate the purpose of their mission in

terms of those " whose cares have been " their privileged duty,

everything else would fall into the correct place. They should,

however, always have sense of strategic timing of when to let it go

and say to all and sundry, " Thank you, goodbye".

That is good and proud moment for everyone.

Bullet proofing the National Police governance reforms

There are many definitions of policing and policing strategies. The one I like most defines policing as the process of a state providing security, safety, peaceful environment, law, order and welfare to all its citizens through a standing, yet effective, efficient professional police service. Whereas community's need for effective and trusted policing is a fact of life, in one of his famous nine principles, Sir Robert Peel, founder of London's Metropolitan Police, in 1829 captured the heart of the strategy of modern policing in a democratic society.

He said, "The police are the public and the public are the police; the police being members of the public who are paid to give full time attention to duties which are incumbent on every citizen, in the interest of the community welfare and existence." The fundamental principle of policing in a democratic, non-authoritarian society is that without overwhelming public cooperation and trust, police cannot effectively manage crime, disorder and antisocial behavior. We recognized this basic policing axiom in the Independent Constitution of the Republic in 1963 before any other African country. When we look up to Nigeria, Ghana and South Africa among others as inspirational models of best police practice, it is a demonstration of how much we have fallen behind.

The 1963 constitution provided for a Police Service Commission (PSC), autonomy to the police, Inspector General of the police who was to be appointed by the President on the advice of the PSC and with security of tenure (Articles 157-162). Over time all those constitutional firewall provisions evaporated through series of regressive amendments that culminated in a one party state in 1982 and the President possessing absolute authority over the Kenya police through the right to appoint and terminate the commissioner of police.

If the various recent reports on the performance of the Kenya police are anything to go by, the majority of Kenyans strongly believe that cherished communal relationship between the members of the public and the police has broken down and broken badly. This reality had hit us hard during the Post-election Violence of January, 2008. The Reports of the Committees of Justice Philip Waki, Philip Ransley on Police Reforms, Prof. Philip Alston on Extra-judicial killings and own Kenya Police and Administration Police's strategic plans of 2003-2007 confirmed what were public worry all the time; that owing to multi-storied factors the police and the public are not getting on well together. According to Ransley Task Force Report the citizen's trust of their police is, at 8 %, among the lowest in the world.

It is argued that these African-wide factors which impede policing success range from colonial and post colonial legacies of authoritarian rule, lack of autonomy of policing institutions because of the prevalence of patrimonial- big man rule, lack of appropriate normative and legal framework, weak institutional resourcing and capacity and pervasive insecurity. The Kenya police have 125 years non-linear history beginning in 1887 with Sir William Mackinnon of East Africa Trading Company recruiting Indian police and watchmen for the security of its stores and premises, while invoking the laws of India. Even though the foundation of modern Kenya police was first built in 1920 with the proclamation of Kenya as a crown colony, our police and administration police have had a punitive, authoritarian citizen containment history lasting to the present day.

Despite the current systemic police governance reforms being in top gear, there is skepticism among the public that the rhetoric behind the police transformation may be a public relations exercise, common feel good platitudes. Apparently there are waves of resistance to the reforms within the higher echelons of the service. Both the public skepticism and the resistance to change coming from the institution's top flight are all understandable and expected. Some of the anxieties of the officers concerns little bolts and nuts of internal policing base ball affairs.

The public's low level confidence in our security agencies is based on their past historical experiences. This is curable. The negative signals coming from the top hierarchy of the police are not all bad. Some of their apprehensions may be based on genuine fear of the institution falling into “a speed trap"" and also the present inability to see through the fog of change. Besides, there are the challenges of habit, insecurity and the fear of the unknown to overcome. Reforms are also threat to the expertise specialized groups, established power relationships and resource allocations. Good communication, participation and building of support and commitment will easily overcome any undue resistance

At this point in time there are number factors that can have bullet proofing effects on the national police governance reforms. First, we have new, very progressive constitution in which the police reforms are safely anchored. Second, the three Acts of National Police Service, National Police Service Commission (NPSC) and Independent Police Oversight Authority have together created powerful armoured mechanisms with the potential of making the NPS one of the best, most effective, efficient and respected in the world. Yes, it will take quiet inordinate amount of resource inputs to unfreeze the current police structure, mindset and group inertia. The Kenyan people are seemingly ready to provide the required resource for the police service to perform beyond the expectations of the public, the wow! Factor.

There is however serious danger of miscarriage of the much awaited police reforms. Despite the existence of battery of legislation to help the reforms, there is high likelihood of business remaining as usual in our public safety and law and order sector, if we do not bullet proof these nationally critical reforms from inherent in-competencies, resources inadequacies, lack of state goodwill, and much needed managerial policing smarts at all levels. Managerial policing smarts are best described as police officers who are clear thinkers, brave, innovative, good at identifying what needs to be done in a given situation and skilled in making it happen and delivering not only good but great results. Kenyans will demand and expect nothing less from occupiers of the state offices of NPSC.

Studies done elsewhere regarding what distinguishes great police departments from their peers-those whose performance are only good, found that the great law enforcement departments had some ten crucial practices in common, almost in tandem with Jim Collins' book of 'Good To Great' fame. These best practices include; humble, non-egocentric leadership with vision and values, selective hiring of the best and high premium on officers training and education. Others include, excellent equipment and technology, employee empowerment through synchronized thinking, delegation and “letting the horses run in the direction they are running". Finally, first class customer service, police innovation teams, result orientation  management approach and supportive, progressive distinct institutional culture distinguish great police departments from mediocre, average, or just plain good departments. As management Guru Collins put it, good is enemy of great. No doubt these are great lessons for the management of our reformed, restructured, re-branded, resourced and reformatted NPS to attain global place of merit.

The Kenya police governance reforms are uniquely placed to fundamentally change how we have been doing policing business since 1908 when the first colonial commissioner of police,  Brig-Gen F S Edwards, was appointed. It is strategy, structure and combination of top of the range resources which brings about a form of policing, locally focused, operationally independent and accountable, that is recognized was world class. A policing style where performance is measured against reduced crime rates, absence of disorder and comparatively low per capita public expenditure on general policing. Presently our per capita police expenditure is about US$ 12. Per any standard this is high.

As a country this year, 2012, we should and must have NPSC members who have the confidence and commitment to look direct into the eyes of 40 million Kenyans and say, “Trust us. We shall know within short time what problems you face with crimes, motor vehicles traffic, human rights abuses, corruptions, and disorders every day. Together we shall address these issues to the best of our abilities and we won’t be satisfied until you, Kenyans, are and join us in calling the Kenya National Police is for sure one of the best in the world".

 Institutions are hardly murdered. They simply commit suicide by failing to do what the public wants them done. The National police governance reforms are efforts in that direction, saving the country's law enforcement agencies from reckless demise. Thus bullet proofing and protecting the reforms.

No jinx, only performance and social dynamics determine MPs successful re-election

Since Kenya's 1969 single chamber elections, there have always been constituencies where voters apparently got fed up fast with their MPs within one five-year term of their legislature's tenure of office. Yet there is no time voters in any constituency congregate to establish central structure to conspire against a sitting MP.

I think therefore, there are no persuasive basis for asking hypothetically whether some of the MPs in 55 perennially one term constituencies " Are jinxed" considering the outcomes of the last three elections (STD Dec 17, 2011). The fact that in subsequent elections the voters returned to parliament minister Sam Ongeri, Deputy Speaker Farah Maalim and MP Isaac Rutto among other MPs demonstrate that every election season arrives with it its unique social dynamics. Then the voters judge an incumbent legislature against clear, expected, objective, performance governance standards.

We should never underestimate the average voter's judgment. Many times the common public have acute understanding of issues affecting their lives and what are possible and just.

Some MPs, once elected to the August House, forget the first law of their new job: The easiest way to be re-elected is to govern well and on issues, ever be at the center of gravity of the people. The voting public have placed their trusts, lives, liberties and livelihoods in the hands of their elected leaders. Opportunistic betrayal is fatal. It is the sacred duty of every people's representative to preserve the peoples' lives, hopes, liberties and property in an open and accountable government. A government that will most likely bring about their security, safety and happiness  in accordance the time honoured constitutional doctrine: government derive its just powers from the consent of the governed.

It has been argued elsewhere that institutions are rarely murdered; they meet their end by suicide. They die because either they have outlived their usefulness or fail to do the work that their people wants done. MPs are the face of their institution.

If they want to be re-elected again and again "unjinxed" then, they should and must collectively and individually remain useful and continue to do with great enthusiasm the work their respective voters wants done.

Leadership: In Search Of The Qualities Of The Ten Perfect Waheshimiwas Who Shall Take Us To The Promised Land Of Prosperity

Next year, 2012 will in no doubt be a watershed period for us as a nation and people.  It will be the year when for the first time the national levers of power will change under the dictates of the current one year old Constitution.

It will be a game changing time. A year when the number of new constitutional office bearers with the formal title of “Mheshimiwa” - honorables shall increase many folds.  It will be the year when the bullet train “Kenya Express”, shall depart the station for the promised land of social stability, peace and prosperity. The promised land of economic competitiveness among comity of nations, just like our inspirational athletes did outperform the World’s super powers, at the recently concluded the 13^th edition of the IAAF World Championships in Daegu, South Korea.

Today, we are all anxiously set for a momentous national journey. The Legislature and the executive have done a sterling job by putting the necessary Acts for departure in record time.  For all purposes, it appears soon all we shall be doing are “pre-departure checks”. The critical process for the success of this for mission is having the right people at the right places. The first step of that process has began with the sourcing for  Mheshimiwas of the Judiciary and the process is going so well.

The second phase of filling the Kenya Express with the right caliber of Waheshimiwas (Commissioners) is in respect with Commissions in accordance with Chapter 15 of the constitution. The process of formulating specific Acts and sourcing for the perfect Commissioners in every of the 10 commissions is work in progress. Panelists are everywhere just doing that.  Kenyans expect at the end of the day to have 10 commissions with 90 commissioners of high intellects, intensity and fidelity to lead these commissions and help run the “Kenya Express” to its desired vision with greatest of precision.

The third and the most critical pre-departure phase of our national journey of having the right people at the right places will be ushered in by the sovereignty of the people on the day of the coming general election. The forthcoming general election will usher in eight additional Waheshimiwas. These are the President and his deputy, the governors and their deputies, the members of the two chambers of the legislators, the women MPs and members of the county assemblies.  Finally, the President will form his or her cabinet secretaries and appoint principal secretaries for the lean yet more powerful and highly resourced ministries.

While searching for the perfect Waheshimiwas, we, the voters should appreciate that we are acting as vetting panelists for the President, MP’s and other elective positions. The voters as well as respective Panelists for vetting constitutional office holders need to know the categories of leaders, what motivates them and their action logics.  Being aware of these categories of leaders will help us make great judgment in selecting or electing perfect Waheshimiwas for the right positions in our Kenya Express. These six categories are; 1) still-borns, 2) Opportunists, 3) Diplomats, 4) Peacocks, 5) Achievers and 6) Stars

First, still-borns are people who, for some reasons, positions of leadership have been thrust upon them.  They did not earn them.  Good examples are situations where children of achievers have inherited the leadership positions of their parents but failed miserably, never coming closer to the expectation of their followers.  It is amazing to note across the World how people with Einsteinian brilliance and courage have off-springs who are so dim witted and so non-public spirited. The voters and others who hire public leaders should be wary of giving public responsibility to those interested only because of having famous surnames.

Second, opportunists are non authentic leaders, unethical, self-centered individuals, who like a good trader, have good business sense. They cannot be trusted with constitutional public office, because most of the time, through words, actions and decisions, they act opportunistically.  They are characterized by mistrust, ego and they have tendency to focus on personal wealth and promotion and see the office as opportunities to be exploited. They treat other people, even those who supported them at great sacrifice as objects or as competitors who are also out for themselves.  They have low opinion on everybody else except themselves.  The voters must always ask, to what extent are their candidates opportunistically self-serving, before giving them their approval.  Examples of these categories of leaders are strewn across our landscape. Corrupt leaders and managers belong here.

Third, diplomats are also professionals who operate from the action logic view that avoids conflicts, seeks to appease higher status and rational efficiency where possible.  They may be branded as the careerists “running with the hare and hunting with the hounds”.  May be they are good as supportive glue and individual contributors to bureautic structure of public and private sectors. They always boast of being the longest serving this or that in Africa. They do not make great political leaders. Voters and panelists alike must seek more adventurous and courageous leaders who are ready to bring about “creative destruction” societal advancement in a Schumpeterian sense.

Fourth, the peacocks are category of leadership that is characterized by type of leaders with too much self-importance, intellect, culture and full of display but little substance.  In one defense academy, the peacocks were identified as officers who spoke many languages, poets, with outstanding dress, institutional ability and physical presence, but when assigned to field operations, could not deliver one major victory in battle. In the same breath, panelists should know that there are people who are gifted in passing very well interviews but who, like the peacocks, cannot deliver any sustained memorable results of their institutions when assigned to those jobs.

Some people could ask, is Prof. P.L.O Lumumba in this category of peacocks?  As in game of football as in most of elements of live, we need scorers, not entertainers. The voters should not be mesmerized by the display of “peacocks”. They should look deeper, discover the real diamond of leaders and hire them in the next election. Peacocks play important roles though, and can occupy special places in the Kenya Express.

Fifth, achievers are people who are mostly desired for goal achievements.  They are team players, have high sense of responsibilities and managerial duties. They are able to achieve their goals through strategists, personal and organizational transformations. They see themselves as a means to the ends of the needs of the people who hired them.  They avoid “blame-storming”. They see issues, own them, solve them and do them. People, who have had history of substantial achievements, belong to this category.

Sixth, stars are uncommon institutional founders and leaders who posses, extraordinary ability to renew or even reinvent themselves and their organizations in historically significant way.  They generate social transformation. The best example is the founder of Singapore, Prime Minister Lee Yew and Nelson Mandela. They integrated, the material, spiritual and social transformation of Singapore and South Africa respectively, though Mandela’s legacy is still work in progress. The stars are also called Alchemists.  If voters can find possible Alchemists in Presidential candidates and governors, they should not hesitate to give them their votes and hire them.

The people who will be seeking elective and other constitutional offices, for sure, will fit well one category or another out of these six. Members of the legislature will consist of people sent to the National Assembly by folks back home. They are expected to consist of extraordinary members and some not so extraordinary on both sides of the aisle and few old soreheads. The voters should vote wisely and help the nation to cross to the promised land of prosperity.

In other key positions, the appointing authorities and concerned recruiting panelists should only be guided by one thing; strategic interest of the Kenya Express by getting those who are most qualified for the existing positions and fit the billings of the qualities of the perfect Waheshimiwas.

Mr. Khalid is a commentator on social issues

People in their hundreds were killed in Wagalla massacre, not just 57

  For a long time Kenyans will ask these enduring questions: who approved the ungraspable Wagalla massacre in Wajir in 1984, how many people exactly died there or were injured and why? Today the Truth, Justice and Reconciliation Commission (TJRC) is just doing that, endeavoring to unmask the mystery of this historical atrocity committed against hapless ordinary citizens who had not done anything criminal against  the Republic.

  It is being reported frequently with authoritative sense of finality that ’57 people from the Degodia community were killed at Wajir airstrip in the 1984 incident’ (DN June 12, 2011). This creates the wrong impression that what happened then was a mere incident and the casualties involved were ‘only 57’. The outrage and shock of the victims of Wagalla mass killings is not so much due to only of the atrocities visited on them on those days and nights of February 14-19, as it is the attitude of those responsible of ‘hiding in plain sight’ what transpired and the lack of outrage, remorse and empathy on the part of those were in positions of authority then and now. Are we not left with any humanity at all?

  There are different versions of the causes and effects Wagalla killings which the PC then, Benson Kaaria, just like Bosnian Serb commander, Ratko Mladic, termed “was a big success” without defining the measure of that success, save the scale of its horror. Some matters are known with certainty nevertheless. That following common, low intensity inter-clan rivalry that was supposed to exist between the communities of Degodia and Ajuran, who live in Wajir,as result of routine competition for resources and political representation, a strange, yet very elaborate scheme based on governmental and political process was designed  much earlier than 1984  targeting the victims of Wagalla. Given the centralized nature of our public administration, the highest authority in the land must have stealthily approved the Kenya intelligent community the way it did as hinted by the former PS J. Mathenge.

  Consequently ethnic settlement mappings was done and some 5,000 men from the Degodia community were rounded up and herded into disused, barbed wired airstrip at Wagalla, a small settlement about 11 Kms west of Wajir County Headquarters, leaving behind death and destruction. At the end of four long days of horror, according to the minister for internal security then, Justus Ole Tipis, “only 57 were killed in crossfire”. There was no crossfire and that was the beginning of an iceberg of deceptions, disinformation and cover up. The residents since then have been crying that over 3,000 of their men are unaccounted for.

  One blessed soul, Anna Lena Tonelli, an Italian Catholic volunteer who worked in Wajir as a medic then but who was later  deported to Somalia and cruelly assassinated there wrote “ over 1,000 people were eliminated in the Wagalla atrocity” and prayed “ one day goodness will shine forth and the Envelope of Wagalla will be opened.”

The late minister Ahmed Khalif compiled and published in the local newspapers, including the Daily Nation, the names of 365 people whose bodies and their sub-clans were identified and properly buried.

  Therefore while the TJRC continues with its demanding task, it would be highly gratifying if the press were to acknowledge that “hundreds of Degodia community members perished at Wagalla massacre in 1984”. This will correct the erroneous basis of history being created before our very eyes.

Why building police officers’ leadership capacities will boost their emotional stability

Following disturbing series of incidences of police officers either
shooting themselves, their superiors, their spouses or risking the
lives of colleagues and the general public, who they are mandated to
protect, the commissioner of police, Mathew Iteere, did the right
thing to commission a team of experts to determine within two months
matters affecting the morale and emotional well-being of officers from
the rank of constables to chief inspectors. Only that whereas the
emphasis of the team’s focus should naturally be on the welfare of the
cutting edge, frontline officers, the team’s terms of reference must
have depth and should not have been limited, and should extend to all
members of the service and their work environment. As it is, it might
send the wrong message as a public relation exercise, underlining a
power distance, upstairs, down stairs, ‘them and us’ dichotomy way of
viewing issues.

It has been argued many times at many places that “insufficient
budgetary allocation, poor working conditions, equipments, long
working hours and lack of counseling” are some of the causes of stress
among officers and thus emotional instability leading to shooting
incidences. Whereas this could be partly true, the question is, in
Africa, Asia and America, dear Kenyans, where is budgetary allocation
for any public department is “sufficient”, working conditions,
equipments and working hours are top flight and most ideal? Like the
weather everyone is unfairly blaming the Treasury! We should be
mindful of the fact that scarcity and inadequacy of resources is a
universal law of economics, more so in this part of the world.  We
should know better.

In institutional management, the single greatest determinant in
personnel motivation, pride, loyalty, team work, enthusiasm and
therefore health is leadership. More than anything else, we need to
build strong leadership capacities of all ranks of the service, from
the desk officer to the county boss, who may be called County
Commissioner of police under the reformed structure underway. Why
would young, educated, trained police officers, full of live in a
peace time loving society and country go berserk, shooting their
colleagues, the members of the public and eventually ,not all,  turn
the guns  onto themselves? Apparently these officers did not feel they
were part of a team, a system.  Rather they appear to have been
neglected, felt lonely, without friends and no one to listen to and
act on their emotional needs. They did not respect and love their
seniors. Why?

As history confirms and they say in the military, “there are no bad
troops: only bad leaders”. Senior police officers must partly take
responsibilities for what is happening to their officers under their
watch. Police officers, just like their counterpart public officers,
are expected to be men and women with ambition and strong belief in
Kenya and the goodness of their loving communities. Stress is defined
as a response to excessive physical or psychological demand on person.
The sources of it could be from outside the police service, within the
police structure, immediate colleagues or the individual officers
themselves.

Good leadership can for sure moderate the effects these factors have
on the morale, performance and emotional stability of the police
officers. One way of enriching and renewing the leadership capacities
of the police service is through international training and exchange
programs in selected countries such as UK, Australia, USA and South
Africa on bilateral arrangements. Every two years a few middle ranking
officers could be selected competitively for such programs and
training. The commissioner should be supported in his good initiative.

Make Human Rights compulsory examinable subject in all learning institutions

There is a strong need to make the concept of Human Rights (HR) more tangible, less abstract and immediate to the lives of the majority of 40 million Kenyans. The struggle for our independence and the new 2010 National Constitution were mainly driven by demand for greater human rights and better democratic, accountable governance practice in our public affairs management structures. That is why the new constitution has such elaborate Bill of Rights provisions, perhaps the world’s most detailed, with some 41 articles. 

The challenge is how to institutionalize human rights values not only in our personal lives but also in the culture and management of the national institutions. Some people even think that HR is a narrow field which is a domain for lawyers. Nothing can be further from the truth. Best of teachers have always reminded us,” Whatever career you may choose for yourself, doctor, lawyer, teacher, military, make a career of humanity, human service professions. Commit yourself to the noble struggle for human rights. You will make a greater person of yourself, a greater nation of your country and a finer world to live in.” 

By HR we generally mean those rights which we say belong to all people because they are simply humans,  regardless of national origin, race, culture, religion, age, gender, or anything else. Human dignity is first of them. Whereas such rights are universal and apply to everyone, everywhere, some of us argue that human rights is an exclusively western cultural construction, “colonialistic concept and in language”. This is not true.

Though the term  ‘human rights’ may not always be used, as author Jim Ife put it, ideas of human dignity and worth, ideas that all people treated according to certain basic standards, ideas that people should be protected from ‘human right abuse’, and ideas of respect for the rights of others are not confined to the western intellectual tradition.  To assume that they are is to devalue those other religions and cultural traditions that such critics claim to be supporting.

What is more or less given is Africa has the lowest human rights values of the world’s continents. This is so because culturally, apparently African societies have low levels of human right traditions, as Chinua Achebe immortalized in his book, ‘Things Fall Apart’, where all types of human rights abuses were committed and where  twin babies were dumped and killed as evil spirits. Add that to four centuries of slavery, brutal European colonialism, apartheid and post-independent African dictatorships of Idi Amin’s and Robert Mugambe’s proportions and what do we have: the world’s saddest and most pessimistic, stoic people!

In order to make HR practices the norm and be appreciated everywhere in the country, and make Kenya the best in Africa, humans rights should be made a compulsory examinable subject in all our learning institutions. The countries with best human rights records are also the most prosperous. Therefore, from universities and across all faculties, teacher training colleges, Government owned Institutes to police, prison and military academies; human rights subject should be made a must. If not the provisions of the new constitution will just remain that, good sounding, far-fetched abstracts that have little bearings on the lives of majority of Kenyans.