The State of Affairs of Kenya in 2017 (Article Sample)

THE STATE OF AFFAIRS IN KENYA IN 2017
LYNET MUTHEU
DEPARTMENT OF LANGUAGE AND PERFORMING ARTS
APRIL 29, 2017
OUTLINE
1 Politics
* Jubilee Party
* National Super Alliance (NASA)
2 Strikes
* Doctors’ strike
* Lecturers’ strike
3 Inflation surges
4 Drought
5 Conflicts in Baringo
6 Conclusion
7 References
THESIS STATEMENT
This paper examines on current affairs and its effects to the Kenyans. Most of the things happening are affecting people negatively like drought, inflation surges, strikes, and conflicts.
THE STATE OF AFFAIRS IN KENYA IN 2017
State of affairs is a set of circumstances that are happening. This paper examines on current affairs and its effects to the Kenyans. Most of the things happening are affecting people negatively like drought, inflation surges, strikes, and conflicts. 2017 is the year of general election and on one hand, the leaders are campaigning to try their luck in August while on the other hand, people are trying to decide whom they should elect to make the country a better place in terms of working conditions, pay, and cost of living
Jubilee is a party that has over 10 other political parties. The party has one common goal, objective, and vision. It wants to serve the people of Kenya as a united party. The party leader is Uhuru Kenyatta, and the deputy party leader is Willian Ruto. The party aims at uniting the people of Kenya despite of their tribe, create jobs opportunities for the unemployed youth, achieve vision 2030 by providing better services, increase the number of houses that are connected to electricity, and equip all county hospitals with radiology machines, and intensive care units which will help prevent congestion at the referral hospitals like Kenyatta Hospital. Despite all the common goals, aims, and objectives, the jubilee party seems to have failed the Kenyans by allowing doctors’ strike last for 100 days, lecturers’ strike for more than one month, and corrupt leaders walk freely.
National Super Alliance is a coalition that was formed in January 2017 by the opposition parties. It has brought together parties like the Coalition for Reforms and Democracy (CORD), Amani National Congress (ANC), Wiper, and other parties. The leaders are Raila Odinga, Kalonzo Musyoka, Musalia Mudavadi, and Moses Wetang’ula. They formed the coalition to challenge the Jubilee party in terms of the leadership and also in general elections. Once the NASA leaders are elected, their aim will be to reducing corruption, and ensuring that the county government has all resources they need, reduce tribalism in the country, and good governance.
Doctors’ strike lasted for 100 days. They claimed that the payment was not good considering that they spent six years studying, and also poor working conditions. In June 2013, the government and the doctors’ union had agreed on salary increment and better working conditions, but when the strike started the government denied that it did not recognize the collective bargaining agreement. The patients or clients who were seeking for medical services were affected so much. The strike led to the death of critically ill patients and even those who were in need of medical emergency services and could not afford the services in private hospital setups. During the period of the strike, the doctors were not paid any salary, to some of them life was not going on as smoothly as it was when they were working.
Although the doctors resumed their normal duties, it is not clear how much their demands were met because they do not seem to be comfortable. The strike greatly affected the public health system. Since the strike was called off, the hospitals are overwhelmed, especially in the maternity ward mothers are forced to share a bed after delivery. The president told the county government to pay the doctors their salary for the period that they were not working, this was to motivate and encourage them to continue working.