Mohammed Hersi . A hotelier passionate about Tourism & Governance in Africa

Today I want to address leadership in Northern Kenya which also happens to be my ancestral home.

Growing up in Marsabit 40 years ago what you see in this video is what is going on in many parts of Northern Kenya be it Garissa. Wajir. Mandera. Marsabit. Isiolo and you can also add Tana River county home to one of Africas permanent and longest tiver where this video was taken.

You will notice that locals through their own initiative have been able to strike water and in the process they line up along the walls of the dam to fetch water . This is water for their animals and their own consumption.

Now each MP gets Ksh 140 million or $1.4 Million per year while every women rep gets Ksh 7M per constituency per year then add the county allocation. Some counties are known to receive Ksh 10B++ a year which is $100million ++.

Water is the most basic thing that you can ever give to mankind. Surely how much does it take to harvest rain water or worst case scenario set up boreholes and use solar or windpower to pump water and avoid all this.

I dare say as an African that we are one big let down to our people. Getting elected is a privilege, you were not elected to hide in Nbi and even worse invest your loot in Nbi.

If you are member of parliament who has served 10 years it means you handled Ksh 1.4 billion or $14 Million.

I am taking the liberty to state the figures in $$$ so that Kenyans in the diaspora can relate and above all donors . I recall some years back I was invited to an event where a western country was donating some stuff and one of them quipped ” when I look across the parking lot I see nothing but prados, half of those prado is more than the donation we are giving today “. As usual guys giggle and laughed it off but you see the shameless feel nothing but that was a heavy statement and it did stick with me for many years down the line.

Folks Africa and Kenya is NOT short of resources. We have plenty but sadly the leadership of the day feel nothing for the ordinary man and poverty is never ending.

I have seen Governors waste public resources building palatial homes and offices yet basics medicines is lacking in their county hospitals. When they fall sick they all want to be rushed to Nairobi Hospital but one thing they cannot cheat is when death comes calling.

This world is vanity , be nice to your people because they deserve better and dont come and tell me that drawing water like this is a tradition they enjoy because that is one big baloney.

If you are an MP or Governor and your people are going through these difficulties then you earn yourself a bouquet of barbs. Shame on you .

Mohammed Hersi
Mombasa