In this time, the president needs honest, truthworthy advisors

By Donald B Kipkorir

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Kenya is not at war. Neither are we at real peace. Al Shabaab brought war to our house. During its presidential campaigns, Jubilee made electoral promises that it must fulfill, but we are yet to strike exportable oil and rare earth.

Slowly, the general populace is getting impatient and despondent. Crime is on the rise. The Judiciary is reeling in leadership crisis. Our President and his Deputy still have a date with the ICC. We have problems with our traditional Western allies. It is such times that the Presidency needs advisors with mettle of honour, integrity and fortitude.

Presidential advisors have to be men (and women) who tell the President what he ought to hear, not what they think he wants to hear. And they must be ready to put their lives and careers on the line with the advice they give.

In ancient times, advisors who misled the King were beheaded. And those who also refused to lie received same fate. Thomas Cromwell who stands head and shoulders above many royal advisors was executed for being truthful to his office and refusing to implement wrong choices of King Henry VIII. Our Constitution prescribes oath of office to those who serve our President. In it, they swear to “true and faithful counselor” to the President. This does not demand infallibility of the advisors, but honesty in their advice.

Once Westgate Commission of Inquiry is established, its conclusions will allow us to know who deliberately misled our President.

If someone lied to the President on Westgate, what guarantee is there that they don’t lie to him on other matters? Barack Obama says that if he were stranded in an island and he had a choice of one book, he will choose “Team of Rivals: The Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln”; a masterful book by Doris Kearns Goodwin.

In it, Ms Goodwin demonstrated why Abraham Lincoln remains America’s greatest President. When he was elected President, he appointed his biggest political rivals, William H. Seward, Salmon P. Chase and Edward Bates as his Secretary of State, Secretary to Treasury and Attorney General respectively. 

Their political rivalry notwithstanding, the three Cabinet secretaries offered the best advice and made Lincoln Presidency unrivalled across America’s history.

A good advisor doesn’t prevaricate once he has decided on a course of action. Back to the Westgate tragedy. The President has been given an opportunity, though one that no leader prays for, to re-engineer his government.

The President can now remove those he doesn’t want and bring in those he wants. In times of crisis, a country always yearns for new direction and leadership.

In happy and peaceful times, people want status quo. The President has an historical moment to make a clean slate of all state corporations, the armed forces, Intelligence agencies, Judiciary, civil service and diplomatic service.

It is a moment he can tinker with the law. It has to be done now before we relapse to status quo.

In the Middle Ages, working in or around the royal court was both prestigious and risky. Loyal and honest service brought honour, wealth and prestige.

Falling out was extremely dangerous. The Treason Act 1351 laid out the risk. Those falling out with the King were charged with treason and the punishment was by drawing, hanging till near death then quartering. In the present time, those chosen to serve as advisors to the Presidency in whichever capacity must have the same stark choice now. They ought to understand that their calling is not a scout’s jamboree.

Our President and Deputy have to be given the best advising, but truthful and honest one at all times. Such advice demands courage and high degree of patriotism, and love for country above self.

The writer is an Advocate of the High Court of Kenya