On Saturday, two of Kenya’s top intellectuals, Professor Makau Mutua and Dr David Ndii were in a heated debate on social media over Kenya’s expenditure and its wastage of public resources.
Professor Makau began and tweeted that Nigeria, despite their huge population only had 109 senators, 360 members of the lower house and 36 states compared to Kenya’s 67 members of the Senate, 349 members of parliament and 47 continues.
Compare:
Nigeria: Pop — 200 million; GDP — $1.2 TRILLION; Senate — 109. Lower House — 360; States — 36.
Kenya: Pop — 50 million; GDP — $175 BILLION; Senate — 67; Lower House — 349; Counties — 47.
Amend Kenya’s 2010 constitution. Reduce the waste.
— Prof Makau Mutua (@makaumutua) February 16, 2019
In his tweet, Makau suggested an amendment of the Kenyan constitution in order to reduce the wastage.
In response, David Ndii told Professor Makau that if his logic were to be applied, Botswana and Namibia would have 4 members of parliament. He also noted that the members of parliament to population ratio was non-linear; meaning that the smaller or bigger the population, the bigger or smaller the ratio.
Prof @makaumutua by this logic, Botswana, Namibia should have 4 MPs. MP/Pop ratio is non-linear, the smaller/bigger the pop the bigger/smaller the ratio. The costly constitution is a clickbait by the counter-reformists. This is my opinion on the subject. https://t.co/IfuCF2Dp3y pic.twitter.com/56zEECC0lb
— David Ndii (@DavidNdii) February 16, 2019
Makau Mutua replied saying that he heard David but his point wasn’t a formalistic statistical question but more about the larger matter of the wastage of public resources.
I hear you my brother @DavidNdii but the key point isn’t a formalistic statistical question. It’s about the larger matter of the wastage of public resources — a structure of legalized looting — in the guise of representation and devolution.
— Prof Makau Mutua (@makaumutua) February 16, 2019
Ndii finished off by saying that Jubilee cannot account for over two trillion shillings of borrowed money and that the Presidency alone spends more money than constitutional commissions combined.
Prof, we cannot explain what Jubilee has done with 2 trillion shillings of borrowed money. The presidency alone is spending more money than constitutional commissions combined. MPs are greedy, but who isn’t. We have a cardinal duty as intellectuals to frame the right issues. pic.twitter.com/n45BmcxWgH
— David Ndii (@DavidNdii) February 16, 2019
He also told Makau that it was their “cardinal duty” as intellectuals to frame the right issues, a point which Makau fully agreed with.
True — nothing but the truth.
— Prof Makau Mutua (@makaumutua) February 16, 2019
