Why President should go on leave for one month

Audio By Vocalize

Why it’s important for President to take a break for one month

Fellow Kenyans, I strongly feel that we should all unanimously ask President William Ruto to take leave from all public engagements and use a month’s break to reflect on how best to fix our country.

We should all resolve to put on hold our demands to the President, including inviting him to various functions, which make him lack time to rest and reflect.

The whirlwind tours, almost every week, are denying Dr Ruto enough time to reflect on where he found the country, where it is and where he is leading it amidst growing public disquiet.

His numerous public engagements seem to have denied him enough time to implement his own 2022 manifesto, which mainly promised citizens a better Kenya.

His daily engagements, coupled with countrywide tours, hosting of huge delegations at State House and State Lodge meetings, have forced him to make unbudgeted financial promises with an eye on his re-election next year, with little reflection on the country’s poor economy.

It is evident that Ruto doesn’t want to say no to any request put to him. He has given in to requests for major roads, institutions of higher learning, health centres and even airports without seeking Parliament’s input.

Going by his recent pronouncements in his latest tour of Kisii and Nyamira counties, Ruto’s options are extremely limited and push him to give in to everything any leader from MCAs, MPs, senators, to governors and even vendors publicly request of him.

During his tour of Gusiiland, for example, the President was so generous that he hardly said no to any request put to him. While Nyamira Governor Amos Nyaribo pleaded for a 5km road at Ikonge, others sought the Head of State’s support in constructing a roof that was blown off at a tiny village market. Despite the two examples squarely falling under county governments, Ruto promised to fix the development projects as requested.

After the four-day tour of Gusiiland, the President announced allocations running into billions of shillings and nowadays, after he flew back to Nairobi, the public has already started to demand immediate implementation of the projects.

After his tour of Gusiiland, Ruto now faces public anger and a threat of mass action by the United Opposition that wants to force a review of the taxation regime. 

The country needs Ruto’s fixing on high inflation, lack of enough capitation as schools prepare to open for the second term, huge disruption of international trade and the World Bank’s verdict that Kenya’s economic growth is on a sharp decline.

This, coupled with ODM’s decision to suspend talks on a joint approach to the next general election, is enough trouble to be fixed by a single mind.

Being Ruto now is the most unadmirable ‘situation’ for anyone. That is why we should all ask our dear president to take leave and reflect on where he is leading the country.

During the break, scientist Ruto should come out with the best ways to end political ‘goonism’, lower the political temperatures, ensure smooth preparations for the next elections and fix the country’s economy.

He should also figure out how to restore public trust in the fight against corruption and re-evaluate the purpose of having over 20 advisers when every sector seems to be reacting negatively to all the changes he tries to initiate.

A month’s leave for the President – the Opposition leaders should also consider keeping away from public rallies during the period too – will do Kenya good. 

Mr Omanga is a media practitioner

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