A South African Member of Parliament has been left bewildered after witnessing the level of technical support accorded to his Kenyan counterparts.
The MP, Nqabayomzi Kwankwa is in the country for a consultative meeting together MPs from African countries.
On Thursday, February 6, the MP visited the Albinism Society of Kenya at the invitation of nominated MP Isaac Mwaura.
It’s during his interrcation with Mwaura that Kwankwa noticed the level of ‘facilitaion’ that comes with being an MP in Kenya.
Kwankwa wrote on Twitter:
“Spending a day with Hon. Dr Mwaura today in Nairobi, I realized that I am an MP for a wrong country.
MPs here have a driver, a body guard, a PA, a researcher, a communications officer & an admin assistant. In SA, we fend for ourselves. We don’t even have PAs.”
However, the tweet did not augur well with a s section of South Africans and Kenyans who took time to remind the South African legislator that Kenyan leaders enjoyed the trapping of power at the expense of impoverished mwananchi.
Sharon Nembaleni: “I don’t believe this. How can you praise such wastage? Have you not seen the poverty and absolute desperation of the citizens of the state you are visiting? Have you not seen how our fallow African brothers are suffering under these useless politician friends of yours.”
Collins Wahanda: “Kenya is not even closer to SA.. I wish you peeps knew how we look upto you. Recently we just sent some samples to get checked in your country. Kindly never/ don’t copy our MPs lifestyles you will end up in tears.”
Mariga Thoithi: “That really isn’t aspirational. Members of parliament in Kenya are heavily overpaid and underworked. They don’t need bodyguards and PAs. They’re barely doing any actual work in a country that’s struggling. They don’t have these perks because of our willingness but their greed.”
Philosopher 254: “South Africans are laughing at us Kenyans. Sir, we’re powerless and divided along our tribal lines and they take advantage of that. The MPs only unite when passing legislation to increase their pay and give themselves other benefits”
Rev Basani: “I worked in Parliament most MPs lack the support staff to brief about technical subject matters to be discussed in portfolio committees, at least a researcher per MP.”
Stanley: “Don’t praise us my friend,here in Kenya we have corruption everywhere, resource mismanagement without accountability and high cost of living.only politicians/thieves and drug lords are rich.the common citizens are pooooor.”
Sylvester Odero: “My friend dont go bak 2ur country n start demanding the same,in Kenya we call them MPigs not MPs, they gormandize n milk this country dry,If u came 4 benchmarking in Kenya then I pity ur country… Kenya has never been a role model to any country in world.. Unless looting-wise.”
A few however thought the MP made sense and there was something South African leadership could emulate from Kenya.
Bantu Holomisa: “Tshawe I understand your frustration but Kenya has been there long before us. However, we may have to benchmark with Kenya. Although we are renowned with the best constitution in the continent or world but the support systems to SA MPs are a challenge.”
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