Updated Wednesday, July 17th 2013 at 22:00 GMT +3
Because of the complexity of governing under
the new Constitution and the great number of factors that needed to be
perfectly aligned and working in harmony before the government could
start work, it is no wonder the glass is either half full or half empty.
Though the Jubilee Government has faced many challenges since it was sworn into office on March 4, 2013, perhaps, the biggest has been meeting the heightened expectations it set in motion during the campaign and swearing in ceremony.
That has meant that it continues to draw criticism even after
it delivers on one of its key promises of abolishing maternity fees in
all public hospitals and dispensaries.
The criticism is that the fees were abolished even thought it would result in the doubling or even tripling of the number of expectant mothers turning up to deliver in public hospitals and other health facilities.
Had the increased patient numbers been factored into the equation, the argument goes, the number of doctors and nurses, particularly midwives, and their salaries and wages would have been increased proportionately. Unfortunately, this hasn’t happened yet and even the promised recruitment of 14, 000 health personnel will be a drop in the ocean because the shortage is around 60,000.
Failure to address the health professionals’ grievances — including an extra Sh60,000 per month in allowances for nurses — has only made a bad situation worse. Coupled with the continued scarcity of drugs and other medical supplies, the initiative could have created more problems than it has solved.
But perhaps it is the delay in crafting a framework to direct the Sh6 billion that was meant for the election runoff towards youth and women that galls the most. Interestingly there exists a Women Enterprise Fund that can accommodate the youth.
This would have reduced the number of interest groups fighting to be given the management of this new honey-pot.
Although the young learners don’t have a say in the matter, the proposal to give pupils who enrol in Standard One each a laptop might be seen by future generations as the best initiative of the Jubilee Government, because it holds the key to transforming the country’s economy from its agrarian base into a knowledge-based one.
But the government and private sector must agree to radically change the way business is done, particularly in tackling corruption and investing for the future. But the government has to take the first step.
As President Kenyatta takes stock of his first 100 days and plots his next move, he can thank members of the National Assembly for setting the wrong tone at the beginning of their term when they demanded higher salaries and wages and did everything in their power to discredit the newly established Salaries and Renumeration Commission going so far as to seek to disband it.
That set the stage for the on-going teachers’ strike. It is equally, not surprising to sense other public workers are rearing to go out on the street demanding equal, if not better, treatment than the teachers. The hope is that amidst all cacophony of noise, the government will keep its eye on the ball.
Though the Jubilee Government has faced many challenges since it was sworn into office on March 4, 2013, perhaps, the biggest has been meeting the heightened expectations it set in motion during the campaign and swearing in ceremony.
The criticism is that the fees were abolished even thought it would result in the doubling or even tripling of the number of expectant mothers turning up to deliver in public hospitals and other health facilities.
Had the increased patient numbers been factored into the equation, the argument goes, the number of doctors and nurses, particularly midwives, and their salaries and wages would have been increased proportionately. Unfortunately, this hasn’t happened yet and even the promised recruitment of 14, 000 health personnel will be a drop in the ocean because the shortage is around 60,000.
Failure to address the health professionals’ grievances — including an extra Sh60,000 per month in allowances for nurses — has only made a bad situation worse. Coupled with the continued scarcity of drugs and other medical supplies, the initiative could have created more problems than it has solved.
But perhaps it is the delay in crafting a framework to direct the Sh6 billion that was meant for the election runoff towards youth and women that galls the most. Interestingly there exists a Women Enterprise Fund that can accommodate the youth.
This would have reduced the number of interest groups fighting to be given the management of this new honey-pot.
Although the young learners don’t have a say in the matter, the proposal to give pupils who enrol in Standard One each a laptop might be seen by future generations as the best initiative of the Jubilee Government, because it holds the key to transforming the country’s economy from its agrarian base into a knowledge-based one.
But the government and private sector must agree to radically change the way business is done, particularly in tackling corruption and investing for the future. But the government has to take the first step.
As President Kenyatta takes stock of his first 100 days and plots his next move, he can thank members of the National Assembly for setting the wrong tone at the beginning of their term when they demanded higher salaries and wages and did everything in their power to discredit the newly established Salaries and Renumeration Commission going so far as to seek to disband it.
That set the stage for the on-going teachers’ strike. It is equally, not surprising to sense other public workers are rearing to go out on the street demanding equal, if not better, treatment than the teachers. The hope is that amidst all cacophony of noise, the government will keep its eye on the ball.
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