The recent decision by a member of Parliament to pay women for giving birth, may sound hilarious and a mere political gimmick by a politician, but beneath this veil lies myriad of issues that need to be addressed. These issues should get the entire nation deep into thinking on how to navigate its way past them. The honorable member is Kareke Mbiuki, Mp for Nithi.
True to his words, the Mp awarded shs 5,000 and a baby gift hamper each, to eight mothers who delivered at Kariakomo Dispensary in Maara District. This `cash for babies’ will surely result to a boom in Nithi, at least going by Kenyans’ unmatched love and passion for free things, especially from their honorable waheshimiwas.
The Mp’s argument that Kenyans are shunning this whole business of giving birth to more children due to difficulties of delivering and poor health care facilities is the reflection of an mp well versed with the real situation on the ground. That child delivery and health care facilities, especially in public hospital are in deplorable conditions is no longer a secret. This is the harsh reality many pregnant women have to contend with, whenever their nine months are over. Child delivery to the average Kenyan woman is a trip through hell. Poor services at these public maternity wards, coupled with the mysterious disappearances of new-born babies, are some of the harsh realities that the average Kenyan woman has to come face to face with whenever giving birth. These are issues all over the country and the government must step from its comfort zone and walk the talk. Unless this is addressed, population is endangered, at least in Mbiuki’s Nithi constituency.
Harsh economic times are another reason as to why Kenyans are seriously cutting down on giving birth. This is especially hard on the average Kenyans, who form the bulk of the country’s 40 billion plus, population. The fact that the Mp’s wife is expecting their fourth child, and can happily say that, does not augur well with the poor Kenyan. Hard economic times have hit them hard, leaving them in an economic turmoil, exemplified by lack of jobs and a cost of living that has literally shot through the roof. Otherwise, how does an Mp who lives off a hefty salary from the taxpayer’s hard earned money, hoodwink poor Kenyans into getting as many children as him? Come on honorable member, life to the average Kenyan is not a bed of roses, and telling them to have more children is like rubbing salt into wound. Kenyans no longer enjoy the economic capability of yester years, when life was affordable. Things have changed and times are hard. Whereas the rich, like the political class can relish prospects of getting more children, the same cannot be said of the average Kenyan, who is poor and sees this as an unwelcome intrusion into his life, already burdened by hardships. Mr. Mbiuki, all these need to be addressed before you can confidently advise poor Kenyans to have more children.
Cheap illicit liquor is also to be blamed for the low births in Central Province and other parts of the country. The recent images on our TV sets of women in Central Kenya, protesting because of the havoc these brews have wrecked on their husbands and young men, should have by now awoken the nation from slumber land. Reason, their husbands could no longer father children. These protests showed the unthinkable extent to which this illicit liquor has reduced men in these parts into vagabonds, in their child bearing responsibilities. I am saying the nation, because the government alone cannot stem this issue. It came as no surprise when women across the country applauded new law on alcohol, popularly known as the Mututho law was enacted into law by the tenth house. This law is aimed at cutting down on the preparation and consumption of chang’aa. This new law, if you ask me is a step in the right direction but more to be done. Kenyans who continue flocking these chang’aa dens for some cheap intoxication have to stop it; otherwise they are slowly drinking their way the grave.
On a light note, Mbiuki has his eyes set on the country’s top seat in 2027. It is for this reason that he needs to muster the numbers from his home turf, to support his bid. Trust Kenyan politicians to have vested interests in anything that they do to the very people, who elected them. Now that’s politics.
A wise thought indeed by the Mp, at least for his political ambitions.
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