While the impeachment of Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has garnered substantial media traction, one is tempted to question whether this political drama serves as a convenient distraction from far more pressing national issues.
While the public is engrossed in political theatrics, controversial decisions are being quietly implemented behind the scenes, with significant impact on the citizens.
One such move was the unconsented migration of all National Hospital Insurance Fund members to the new Social Health Authority. Nationwide, Kenyans received text messages stating that their NHIF accounts had been migrated, leaving many puzzled about the implication.
This unilateral decision raises concerns about transparency and the potential erosion of citizens’ control over their healthcare options.
Equally alarming is the recent announcement by Energy CS Opiyo Wandayi regarding a 30-year Ketraco-Adani deal worth Sh95.68 billion. Under this agreement, the Indian conglomerate Adani will manage Kenya’s energy transmission infrastructure for three decades, before handing it over to Ketraco.
As the government frames this deal as a solution to power outages and an opportunity to boost industrialisation, the long-term consequence of foreign management of critical infrastructure remains to be seen.
There are concerns about transparency and whether Kenyans will truly benefit from this deal.
Adding to the list of controversies, the Court of Appeal’s recently overturned the 67-year prison sentence of Sirisia MP John Waluke over a Sh313 million fraud case, sending worrying signals on the state of the justice system.
Waluke’s earlier conviction was a rare win against high-level corruption and its reversal could be interpreted as a claw back.
Moreover, Senior Economic Adviser Moses Kuria announced that mobile money pay bill and till number accounts will be converted into Electronic Tax Registers by December 25, to curb tax evasion.
However, analysts warn that this policy could increase the cost of doing business, especially for SMEs. Rather than encouraging tax compliance, it risks stifling businesses that rely heavily on mobile money transactions.
It is important that we focus not just on political drama, but also on issues such as the SHA migration, energy privatisation and changes in tax policy, which have far-reaching implications on the future of our economy, health and governance.
Political distractions should not blind us to these critical realities.
Vivian Njagi
Student, JKUAT