Ministers’ deaths big loss for Kenya

Letters

Ministers’ deaths big loss for Kenya

The sudden and shocking deaths of the Internal Security and Provincial Administration minister George Saitoti and his assistant Orwa Ojode and five others in a horrendous helicopter crash is devastating news to all.

The death of the two great and gallant sons of Kenya, who were at the forefront to ensuring the next elections are held in a peaceful environment, is a big blow to our leadership. Their enthusiasm, energy and vigour in enforcing Government policy or explaining the official Government positions in Parliament on various matters will be missed dearly.

Saitoti and Ojode had a good working relation although they came from different coalition wings. The two must be honoured for having put their personal, political and social differences and interests aside for the sake of the interests of Kenyans. Perhaps, this was the only ministry — with a PNU minister and ODM assistant minister or vice versa — that delivered service to Kenyans indiscriminately.

Meanwhile, it’s now becoming a great concern for Kenyans as the rate and frequency of air crashes that have led to the demise of Cabinet ministers and senior Government officials. It is worrying, unacceptable and has now reached alarming level that must be addressed by the Government. We cannot afford to lose key leaders at this rate.

This, therefore, calls for a thorough and comprehensive audit on senior Government officials schedules vis-a-vis their private engagements. More importantly, and this been an election year, although one cannot prevent death, it’s prudent and timely for the sake of national stability for all key presidential candidates to seriously rethink, evaluate and critically assess their campaign movements especially when using the now killer helicopters.

Finally, as a show of love for each other, key presidential candidates should put their campaigns to halt for a while as we mourn the death of one of their own, Prof Saitoti.

{Enock Onsando, Mombasa}

Prof Saitoti will be remembered for a statement he made in Kasarani during the Kanu and NDP merger in March 2002 that ‘the nation is bigger than an individual’. Saitoti has held that ideology to his death. No doubt, he was a rare and intelligent politician in our times. He would be remembered as a politician who kept his cards close to his chest and who could not engage in dirty politics. He was a straightforward man who had a strong belief for democracy. He played mature politics and was an ideal candidate to take over from President Kibaki next year. He and his deputy Ojode died when sanity was creeping into the police force.

As we mourn their deaths, we should remember how they shaped the country’s political landscape. As minister, Saitoti lived up to his duty. Before joining politics, Saitoti, a mathematics professor from the University of Sussex pioneered the founding of African Mathematician union. Perhaps, many say his politics was mathematical and calculated every move he made. At no point was he wrong. He bowed out of Kanu at an appropriate time to secure a place in the government that followed. After showing interest in leading the country many knew that he was an ideal candidate. His maturity in politics would propel the county to successful level.

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