For the last one week, the medics strike and issuance of fake fertilizer at the National Cereals Board (NCPB) has hit the headlines.
On Thursday, the court-sanctioned mediation talks between government and the Kenya Medical Practitioners, Pharmacists and Dentists Union (KMPDU) aimed at arriving on a return-to-work formula collapsed after the government allegedly demanded that doctors call off the strike before the talks proceed.
The doctors on the other hand remained adamant that they would only call off the strike if the government agreed to a return-to-work formula.
We have had extensive discussions on whether the role of government is instituted. The strike has not been stayed or suspended, disabling the rule of the whole of government approach to proceed to deal with the 19 issues the union raised,” Deputy Head of Public Service Josphat Nanok said.
“In that regard we have halted the meeting and asked the union between now and April to suspend the strike and we will proceed to call a meeting to discuss the issue. Failure to do that each of the parties will be reporting back to court.”
KMPDU Secretary General Dr. Davji Atellah, on his part, accused the government of coming to the negotiating table with insincere intentions.
And while patients continue to be the recipient of the hardline position between the government and doctors, it is no smile to farmers who have been busy tilling their land in preparation of the short rains but could not believe their eyes after getting fake fertilizer from the government stores (NCPB) a move that forced the government to halt the fertilizer manufactured by a local company over quality concerns.
The company in question is among those supplying the NCPB with fertiliser being distributed under government’s subsidy programme.
In response to the huge public outcry, the government through the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development confirmed that the controversial brand is substandard.
In a letter, State Department of Agriculture Principal Secretary Paul Ronoh asked NCPB Managing Director, Joseph Kimote, to suspend the NPK 10:26:10 manufactured by the local firm immediately.
The PS said field inspections by top ministry officials revealed that the fertiliser being supplied by the firm under the subsidy programme does not meet required standards.
“Your institution is requested to suspend the distribution of this fertiliser with immediate effect from being issued to farmers,” PS Ronoh said in the letter.
“Additionally, you are required to carry out an investigation to ascertain the specifications of this fertiliser before being re-introduced into the subsidy programme.”
In the two unfortunate incidents that have affected patients and farmers, President William Ruto, were it not for his close working relationship with Opposition chief Raila Odinga, would have dismissed the issues by dragging Raila’s name into the issues.
“He would have blamed Raila for sponsoring protests by medics and working in cahoots with greedy companies to distribute fake fertilizer to disrupt the God given government and would have asked Kenyans to pray for him and the ignorant Kenyans would have listened,” Mugo Thandi a political pundit analysed.
He said given that Raila would have wanted to capitalize on the woes bedeviling the nation to gain political mirage, Ruto would have an easy way out and doctors’ pleas would have been watered down while the substandard fertilizer issue would have been ignored.
“Ruto decided to work with Raila in a strategy aimed at reducing the criticism and Kenyans realizing that the person who puts government on toes is not on their side decided to fight for their battles and this will put Ruto and his administration between a rock and a hard place,” Thande noted.
While agreeing with Thande, Allan Wanjiku another analyst said the Ruto Raila relationship could birth a dangerous revolution which would unseat Ruto in 2027.
“The coming together of the two leaders could ignite a strong political front that could change the 2027 political matrix because the two have been using the corruption and tribal card against the other but with their union, the two issues will not be in the card in 2027,” Wanjiku noted.
Just this week, politicians from the ruling United Democratic Alliance (UDA) led by Githunguri Mp Gathoni Wamuchomba joined hands with ODM mps led by Embakasi East Mp Babu Owino to criticize government and this may lead to a political formation of a tribless political group that will chart it’s way forward without depending on their current party leaders.
“If their party leaders who could never see eye to eye have worked together, the group seem to have decided to work together not for the interests of their political masters but to push for their own political interests,” Wanjiku added saying that could be the mwamko mpya in Kenyan politics.
The Mps who convened a presser included Mark Mwenje (Embakasi West) Caleb Amisi (Saboti) Cate Omanyo (Busia) Amos Mwago (Starehe) and Charles Njuguna (Mwingi West)