JAMILA’S MEMO: On walking in someone else’s shoes

On my Memo tonight, the wearer of the shoes knows where it pinches, in fact let’s say this, kitanda usichokilalia hujui kunguni wake. Bear with me, I am going somewhere with this.

Let me introduce you to Syokimau/Mlolongo Ward MCA Daniel Mutinda….aliona siku mrefu sana leo…here is why…

This all started yesterday when Citizen Television aired a story about the state of the roads in Syokimau. It’s a daily torture for residents of this densely populated area..yaani unafikiria tena na tena before venturing onto the road.

The roads are impassable…what makes it worse is that most of the roads were constructed barely nine months ago! In fact there is a section of the Chaddy road where contractors left without finishing a walk way or installing a proper drainage system. The results, roads which are barely three months old are already wearing out…this is the same area where a few months ago, during the heavy rains, residents were marooned and needed to be rescued.

Back to the local MCA Daniel Mutinda; he is a local leader, and it is only right for the people to expect more from their leaders, especially those they elect.

MCA Mutinda was forced to walk in the people’s shoes..ahisi vile wao huhisi kila siku wanapopitia barabara hizi…he has been forced to feel the pinch. Makes me wonder what our leaders would feel if faced with what the ordinary Kenyan is experiencing every day. For instance, going to a hospital and after handing over the up to date NHIF card, he/she is told, we don’t accept this anymore, pay cash before any services are rendered. Or as a dialysis patient, whose Ksh.9,500 was covered by their NHIF card, but suddenly siku moja anaambiwa, lipa kabla ya huduma…this card is useless here…the shoe is pinching.

Or when your child is unable to join university because you were put in a band and are expected to pay an amount you cannot afford. The new funding model is just not working for you…kiatu kinaendelea kufinya. Ama unaangalia payslip na kujiuliza wamekata tena? There is no other source of income. Hakuna sitting allowance, car allowance, mileage allowance, being on the right side of government allowance…mshahara ni huo huo mmoja..kiatu kinafinya sana sasa.

The leaders in this country have been accused many times of not listening, forcing unpopular policies on an unwilling populous. Public participation sittings end up looking like an exercise in futility, the outcome had long been decided. I wish our leaders walked in the people's shoes just once, and maybe just maybe they may start listening. As for the people of Syokimau, I do hope your MCA is now listening to you.

And that is my Memo!