LET’S ALSO RESPECT EX-PROVINCIAL ADMINISTRATION LEADERSHIP

By Alfred Mosoti   10^th June, 2022

It is clear to any average Kenyan: Regional Commissioners (RC), County Commissioners (CC), Sub County commissioners (SCC), Chiefs, Assistant Chiefs and Village Elders; formerly known as provincial administration; are valued less to their contemporaries elected leaders namely: The Governors, Members of Parliament (MP) and Members of County Assembly (MCA)…!!

Ironically, in-line with the perverted capitalistic structure applicable in other sectors of the labor market; despite the fact that the of leaders contend with many and more severe occupational hazards than their counterparts: To make matters worse, they have lower remuneration and consequently are less popular among wananchi.

To those make matters worse being an election season, it is ironical that majority of Kenyans are able to memorize those contending for offices of the governor, legislature and MCAs at times even  their competitors; yet they would hardly remember hardly recall their local chief, assistant chief or village elder; until when they services shall be needed.

To add insult to injury, ex-provincial administrators who happen to be the real executers of government policies at grass-root level; seldom receive state and public recognition, media coverage of events they preside and crisis they successfully solved amicably courtesy of their mediatory measures hazards notwithstanding. To the contrary their colleagues’ politicians attract huge crowds and numberless accolades but only specialize in ‘empty rhetoric’.

For instance, whenever a chief who has dared to ‘go against the grain’ in his/her locality by: Successfully dismantling local notorious criminal and hard-drug cartels; nonetheless they rarely capture attention of local media stations, or allowed airtime in public events like funerals.

The same can be said of his/her contemporary in the countryside who is ever ‘hopping to and from hotspots’ intervening emotive land disputes, fighting Female Genital Mutilation and/or cattle rustling ; yet when MP or MCA notorious for spewing ‘hard statements and anti-government statements’ in public arena, are ever followed by a host of  journalists.

On the other hand, ex-provincial administrators are exposed to greater occupational hazards owing to their ‘anti-public’ simply because they execute unpopular state policies such as: Fighting narcotics, identification of parents who have defied sending their kids to school, discouraging cattle rustling and Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) but receive less protection.

Under such a scenario, it calls for personalities with big hearts and patience of a saint to be a provincial administrator in a hostile and under rewarding circumstances. It is therefore imperative that if Kenya is to prosper, both the citizenry and the state through, the Ministry of Finance gave disadvantaged but more patriotic leaders what they rightfully deserve: - moral support and commensurate remuneration .

photo showing Alfred Mosoti