Images of the Molo Tragedy that will not be in the mainstream media
Since last night, many have debated on whether it was right or wrong for the first lady, Mama Lucy to direct her diatribe towards Hon. Saitoti, the Minister incharge of internal security. My take is that she has a democratic right to comment on any issue that she wishes to. Her privileged position so near the centre of the executive arm of Kenyan government also affords her an insight that many of us may not have.
On the Sunday morning that NTV broadcast live from the scene of that grisly accident, I was angry at the run-of-the-mill speeches made by Hon. Saitoti, Rt. Hon. Raila Odinga, Hon. Ongeri, Hon. Beth Mugo, etc that "tunawaomba wananchi wetu.......", "nihatia ku....", "serikali yetu inajitahidi...." etc . This was the usual government-speak that you hear coming from all government officials right from the village chief all the way to the highest office. "..if funds become available....", "we urge the relevant arms of government to re-dedicate themselves...blah, blah....."!
With the Molo tragedy coming so soon after the Nakumatt inferno in Nairobi, what I expected to hear was that government will implement, sack, charge, amend a law here or a bye-law there, change the way we transport inflammables, store them, etc. I also expected that the "leaders" would acknowledge the factors that caused the mad rush to scoop oil despite the underlying danger. I was hoping they would concede that poverty drove the poor villagers to their untimely and un-necessary deaths.
All the "leaders" who spoke at the site have the ability to make real change in the country with specific regard to safety laws and eradicating poverty. They are not mere wananchi! They are members of both the cabinet and parliament- who can influence positive changes in this land. They are the expected to make a show at leading. Pep talk will not do. I hear that the cabinet has ignored an inter-ministerial cabinet memo on Disaster Management which was put together by a task-force comprising numerous ministries and city council. Such a policy shaping document is obviously not as lucrative or as interesting as maize, oil, telecommunciations, privatisation and IPO! While our cabinet handles the "fun" agenda, the people's interests will remain in the back burners forever while we continue to die of inaction.
Who will save us?
