OPINION: BWIRE - Tolerance, measured actions required to deal with the situation

The cost of politics and related activities witnessed over the last few weeks is adding worries to the already fluid economic situation facing the country.

While it’s true that democracy is expensive, and reforms have high political and economic costs, tolerance and spirit of give and take are critical in these processes.

Reforms in the government unlike in the public sector take time- for regimes change, but government remains, and outside the established constitutional order, removing people from offices might be the easier option, as some of the challenges facing the country are structural.

Kenya at this moment requires collective thinking and caring for the country as we walk the reform path, and the disruptions contained within the legitimate demand for hearing each other. As they say, insanity is where you continue doing the same things, same way and expecting different results.

Even during the most trying moments in the history of the nation, the post 2008 election violence, dialogue took us out of the challenges.  

People dialogued and listened to each other for the sake of the country, and once the irreducible minimums were agreed on, we moved on, and our country survived. Some of the agenda 10 items are yet to be implemented until today, but key issues were dealt with, and we progressed.  

Once we isolate the items and categorize them into short, mid and long term, get credible and respectful Kenyans lead the process and address them through the laid down constitutional order, a solution will be found.

We can’t manage to run the country through anarchy and disorder all through, and ceding ground on some issues is more critical now than ever before. We cannot continue doing things the same way, and many times individual responsibility is required.

There are some things, that it’s only the President can do as guided by the Constitution, and as demands are made on him, he carefully seeks the best way to deal starting with the most obvious, to the most difficulty. 

But some institutions and individuals have refused to accept that the current challenges facing the country need different approaches and seem to be adding fuel in the crisis by acts of omission and commission.  

There is a lot of anger in the country, and everyone seems annoyed by everything and anything, so cation is required in some situations especially from duty bearers. Routine way of handling situations seems to add fuel to the anger.  

Recklessness and erratic actions could continue rising temperatures in the country, and excitement or unguided patriotism is the least the country requires now.

The business community is worried that the ensuing environment in the country, which is linked the politics and corruption, might erode the hard-earned stability that has enabled trade and business development in the country.

While the democratic process and which the Constitution bestows to Kenyans must be enjoyed, we need to be careful that other sectors especially business do not get caught up.

Leaders in the country should not allow such uncertainty to prevail in the country, for its dangerous not only for economy but for Kenyans at all levels.

An unstable environment will provide challenges to both the government and the private sector in offering an enabling environment for businesses to thrive and prosper, building of institutional capacity, facilitating infrastructure and service development.

These are vital things for trade and development, and their absence will deal the country a major blow.

The environment will make it impossible for the country to navigate the terrain required for dealing with the economic challenges facing many other countries. We need to embrace dialogue and spirit of give and take, to deal with the current situation.

Government commitment to make Kenya a globally competitive and export-oriented economy, through ensuring that necessary policies are developed and implemented, key among them, the Industrialization Policy, the Kenya Trade Policy, Investment Policy, and the Competition Policy among other frameworks will not be practical if such tension and high political temperatures fly for long.

The level of disinformation and manipulation of information flying around is worrying, and threats to the media by anyone or denying information to the media, creates room for speculation and credibility issues that might heighten the situation.

Violence against journalists seems to be gaining ground within the situation, while at the same time demand for credible information is constant, making the work very complicated.

The least people want now is manipulated information, information vacuum and actions seemed violating basic human rights of citizens.