Irony of gathering to feast, pray and shed predator tears

It is regrettable that the annual National Prayer Breakfast in Kenya has been turned into an occasion for political leaders to display, with pious solemnity, the hypocrisy that has come to mark virtually every public promise they make to improve the lives of long-suffering Kenyans.

Last Thursday’s was not any different. Although most attendees were online, the main function coordinated from Parliament grounds saw the usual notables present, starting with President Uhuru Kenyatta. His deputy William Ruto shared a table with his boss for the first time in months and of course the Speakers of Parliament and Senate, the Chief Justice and others attended.

They came, they prayed, they ate and they spoke. Solemnly, prayerfully, extolling Godly values and dreaming how different this country would be if they, yes, they applied even a dash of God’s teaching to their daily actions as politicians and leaders. It would rapidly transform from a warehouse of broken promises and suffering souls to a thriving laboratory of happy and enthusiastic explorers of a promising tomorrow.

Contradictory reality

After affirming that, they left. Just as they affirmed and left after praying and feasting last year, the year before and the one before that. And like in previous years, they listened to a powerful sermon about the great power and opportunity they have to influence circumstances in a positive way. This year, it was advocate Peter Waiyaki who eloquently and courageously described the contradictory reality of Kenya’s immense promise and our leaders’ abject failure to tap into the opportunity by doing the things that nurture prosperity and encourage Kenyans’ creative genius to thrive.

Since none of the truths Mr Waiyaki was saying are completely new, what was going through the mind of these leaders as they listened to what they have heard in many different forums before? Is what was the “digital presidency” of Mr Kenyatta and DP Ruto at all concerned that with hardly 14 months to the next general election, hardly any of the promises of the first five years, or the Big Four agenda items that anchored the second term, will have been fully realised?

In the first five, the promise was that there would be food and clean water on every Kenyan table; that every child in Kenya would get quality education (and a laptop); they would create wealth; ensure every Kenyan would get quality and affordable healthcare; empower Kenyan women to take their rightful place in developing this country; keep Kenya safe internally and externally; and develop a cogent foreign relations and trade policy.

In the second five, the promise was provision of food and nutrition security to 100 per cent of the population; affordable housing, which meant the government building 500,000 units and encouraging the private sector to build many more, boost manufacturing to contribute significantly to the country’s GDP and job creation, and universal and affordable health care for all (meaning raising coverage from 36 per cent in 2017 to 100 per cent by 2022).

Disheartening report card

These were not promises plucked out of the air but carefully thought-out plans with detailed blueprints on how the country was to get there. But what we have now is a disheartening report card that even the most generous examiner would be hard pressed to justify a score of D.

Corruption has never been more prosperous and it has struck at the core of government.

The government is disjointed with a divided presidency forcing the President to create a parallel system to enforce and monitor policy.

Unbearable public debt

Education is a series of crises and the roll-out of the new curriculum far from trouble-free.

The mess in health has been mercilessly exposed by the pandemic. Manufacturing fares worse than before and it is not solely because of Covid. Hunger still stalks Kenyans and there will be no 500,000 houses by August next year.

It is hard to applaud the SGR, the Lamu berth and the roads being constructed when it is the Chinese laughing as we choke under unbearable public debt.

We have a deeply divided political system preparing for an election that will once again revolve around tribe and dishing out stolen money.

One that will not heal this country because the collaboration of tribal ruling elites will ensure that troublesome voices remain out. Until the next National Prayer Breakfast when we will meet, eat, pray and shed the famous crocodile tears over Kenya’s pain and lost promise.

The writer is a former editor-in-chief of the Nation Media Group and is now consulting. [email protected], @tmshindi