Story by: OMAR ALI
Since the era of the John Michuki when he headed the Ministry of Transport, Kenyans were erroneously made to associate the Ministry’s core duty and responsibility to be that of supervising the Matutu industry. First and foremost, there is a need for everyone to understand and appreciate the fact that the supervision of the matatu menace is not the core duty of the Ministry of Transport alone. In addition, for the most efficient management of the Matatu industry requires the work of at least three ministries — a tripartite factor. The Ministry of Transport is responsible for the formulation of transport rules and regulations.
Next comes in the Provincial Administration and National Security docket for effective traffic police law enforcement of those rules and regulations. The then Roads and Public Works portfolio is crucial because it is this Ministry’s responsibility to building and maintaining the roads. Transport Minister Chirau Mwakwere’s achievements are underestimated because the Matuga MP does not go out of his way to publicize them. The excellent work being done by the Ministry under his watch is not being highlighted by the local media because it will paint the Minister positively.
When admirable work is done by this docket under its various departments, agencies and parastatals, the media always go at every length to give credit to the individuals heading those departments, agencies and parastatals and totally ignoring the Minister. But when censure is to be made on the Ministry, then that blame is heaped on the Minister in a form of banner headlines. Take the case of the multi-billion shillings airports expansions at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, Moi International, and Kisumu Airport. We hardly see the Minister given credit.
Even bigger strides have been achieved at the Mombasa port. Kenya Ports Authority recently announced the completion of the automation of waterfront cargo operations at the Mombasa port. This waterfront project, according the KPA, kicked off in 2006 and was developed at a cost of Sh200 million and is now complete. But we don’t read this accomplishment being credited to the Minister for Transport. But when other Ministers speak only on their intensions, when they just think of something they intend to do in their respective ministries, the public is showered with the news of these Ministers “intentions” as if they have already achieved what they intend to do.
In fact in some extreme instances, the media even ignore real breaking news that positively reflects the Mwakwere, steal his thunder and in a biased move give it to one of their darlings. An excellent example of stealing the thunder was a story in one of the local dailies titled; “Raila reaps more goodies for Kenya.” The story read in part: “Prime Minister Raila Odinga reaped more goodies for Kenya during his American trip when he signed an agreement that opens the route for Kenya Airways direct flights to the US.
Raila and American Secretary of Transport Mary Peters signed the US-Kenya Open Skies Agreement for direct flights for airlines from both countries…Raila signed the agreement with Peters just a day after the approval by congressmen, agencies and key US financiers to endorse Sh5.8 billion funding for rehabilitation following post-election violence.” The fact of the matter is that if you remove Raila’s name, the rest is true. Sadly, with a hidden agenda, the particular daily gave the unsuspecting public a total fabrication of facts; Prime Minister Raila did not sign the agreement with the US Transportation Secretary Mary Peters.
Our Transport Minister Mwakwere did, because by law only the Transport Minister can sign such an agreement. But another daily had a photo that clearly showed Ms Peters and Mwakwere signing the Bilateral Air Service Agreement (Basa), also known as US-Kenya Open Skies Agreement that will provide for direct flights for airlines from both countries. This Open Skies Agreement was not just an agreement secured and signed during Raila’s three day visit to the US as the newspaper would like us to believe.
It was a project that the Narc government’s Ministry of Transport (yes, under Mwakwere) has been working on for sometime. As attested by Mwakwere who noted: “It’s been a long process of negotiations.” Earlier in the year then newly appointed Transport Permanent Secretary Abdulrazaq Adan was in the US to tie up the final touches and set the ground for the official signing by the two countries’ ministers.
With every European country demanding Kenyans in transit (through their respective airports) obtain transit visas, this Open Skies Agreement which will start direct flights between the two countries will come along way in alleviating this hassle of obtaining visas and of course the cost of getting it. But the story made it appear that, it was only PM Raila who brought goodies to Kenya during his three day visit to the US; as opposed to have been the work of Mwakwere who was responsible for the Open Skies agreement. It is one thing to love to hate a politician or politicians, but it is completely another when media people change facts to suit their hidden agenda.
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Commentary & Analysis
Sunday Times
Sunday, June 29, 2008
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