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why do brilliant minds accept govt jobs ?
FRM2011
#1 Posted : Wednesday, March 30, 2016 2:38:24 PM
Rank: Elder

Joined: 11/5/2010
Posts: 2,459
I have been toying with this question in my mind over and over.

You are a brilliant chap, at the pinnacle of your professional path, and then you take up a govt job that undoes all you have built over the years. Examples may suffice.

Amos wako was an internationally recognized lawyer who once served as UN special rapporteur for east Timor. Joined moi's govt and the rest is history. Dr. Wilfred Koinange of goldenberg and that other Harvard educated economist who received a msomo from justice bosire during the goldenberg inquiry.

My question is based on the assumption that when you take up a govt job, you are being set up to fail.

I can understand prof githu muigai wanting to serve nyumba, but what about Philip Kinisu? He knows for sure he is being set up to fail. After working on your professional reputation for all these years, why risk it all with a govt job ? Is it worth it ? And poor Nzioka Waita ?

And my second question, why not try to stand out and leave a mark and a legacy ?

Two names here. Brig. Boinett and former CGS Daudi Tonje. Moi must have thought these were fellow tribesmen but each left a mark that changed the institutions they headed for ever. They refused to swim with the tribal tide and thought about posterity and future generations. After the 2002 elections, the clowns from the MoPW refused to build a dias that would accomondate kibaki's wheelchair. Brig. Boinett supervised the construction and made it clear to Moi, he had to respect the people's will.

Uhuru has one in the name of CBK gov Dr. Patrick Njoroge.

Funny enough, I don't remember any name that stood out during kibaki's reign. Arguably our greatest president ever.
chemirocha
#2 Posted : Wednesday, March 30, 2016 2:52:41 PM
Rank: Member

Joined: 1/30/2016
Posts: 332
Location: Rift Valley
It is a golden opportunity at career progression whichever way you look at it.
masukuma
#3 Posted : Wednesday, March 30, 2016 3:02:09 PM
Rank: Elder

Joined: 10/4/2006
Posts: 13,823
Location: Nairobi
chemirocha wrote:
It is a golden opportunity at career progression whichever way you look at it.

explain....
All Mushrooms are edible! Some Mushroom are only edible ONCE!
Mike Ock
#4 Posted : Wednesday, March 30, 2016 3:03:18 PM
Rank: Member

Joined: 1/22/2015
Posts: 682
FRM2011 wrote:
I have been toying with this question in my mind over and over.

You are a brilliant chap, at the pinnacle of your professional path, and then you take up a govt job that undoes all you have built over the years. Examples may suffice.

Amos wako was an internationally recognized lawyer who once served as UN special rapporteur for east Timor. Joined moi's govt and the rest is history. Dr. Wilfred Koinange of goldenberg and that other Harvard educated economist who received a msomo from justice bosire during the goldenberg inquiry.

My question is based on the assumption that when you take up a govt job, you are being set up to fail.

I can understand prof githu muigai wanting to serve nyumba, but what about Philip Kinisu? He knows for sure he is being set up to fail. After working on your professional reputation for all these years, why risk it all with a govt job ? Is it worth it ? And poor Nzioka Waita ?

And my second question, why not try to stand out and leave a mark and a legacy ?

Two names here. Brig. Boinett and former CGS Daudi Tonje. Moi must have thought these were fellow tribesmen but each left a mark that changed the institutions they headed for ever. They refused to swim with the tribal tide and thought about posterity and future generations. After the 2002 elections, the clowns from the MoPW refused to build a dias that would accomondate kibaki's wheelchair. Brig. Boinett supervised the construction and made it clear to Moi, he had to respect the people's will.

Uhuru has one in the name of CBK gov Dr. Patrick Njoroge.

Funny enough, I don't remember any name that stood out during kibaki's reign. Arguably our greatest president ever.


People are hungry for lucrative tender and bribe money. Don't think educated people hawana tamaa.
hardwood
#5 Posted : Wednesday, March 30, 2016 3:09:51 PM
Rank: Elder

Joined: 7/28/2015
Posts: 9,562
Location: Rodi Kopany, Homa Bay
After reaching the pinnacle of ones career, there is always the urge to serve the public and give back to society. Billionaires go the philanthropy route, the "smaller fish" join govt e.g Adan Mohamed, CS Macharia etc. Still others run for political office.
FRM2011
#6 Posted : Wednesday, March 30, 2016 4:51:42 PM
Rank: Elder

Joined: 11/5/2010
Posts: 2,459
Mike Ock wrote:
FRM2011 wrote:
I have been toying with this question in my mind over and over.

You are a brilliant chap, at the pinnacle of your professional path, and then you take up a govt job that undoes all you have built over the years. Examples may suffice.

Amos wako was an internationally recognized lawyer who once served as UN special rapporteur for east Timor. Joined moi's govt and the rest is history. Dr. Wilfred Koinange of goldenberg and that other Harvard educated economist who received a msomo from justice bosire during the goldenberg inquiry.

My question is based on the assumption that when you take up a govt job, you are being set up to fail.

I can understand prof githu muigai wanting to serve nyumba, but what about Philip Kinisu? He knows for sure he is being set up to fail. After working on your professional reputation for all these years, why risk it all with a govt job ? Is it worth it ? And poor Nzioka Waita ?

And my second question, why not try to stand out and leave a mark and a legacy ?

Two names here. Brig. Boinett and former CGS Daudi Tonje. Moi must have thought these were fellow tribesmen but each left a mark that changed the institutions they headed for ever. They refused to swim with the tribal tide and thought about posterity and future generations. After the 2002 elections, the clowns from the MoPW refused to build a dias that would accomondate kibaki's wheelchair. Brig. Boinett supervised the construction and made it clear to Moi, he had to respect the people's will.

Uhuru has one in the name of CBK gov Dr. Patrick Njoroge.

Funny enough, I don't remember any name that stood out during kibaki's reign. Arguably our greatest president ever.


People are hungry for lucrative tender and bribe money. Don't think educated people hawana tamaa.

@mikeock I was hoping there is a small group doesn't need bribe money. The few who are driven by a different set of values than the rest of us. No ?
FRM2011
#7 Posted : Wednesday, March 30, 2016 4:54:07 PM
Rank: Elder

Joined: 11/5/2010
Posts: 2,459
hardwood wrote:
After reaching the pinnacle of ones career, there is always the urge to serve the public and give back to society. Billionaires go the philanthropy route, the "smaller fish" join govt e.g Adan Mohamed, CS Macharia etc. Still others run for political office.


And yet when they get the opportunity, they offer nothing worth writing home about. And rather than give back, they join the takers who take even the little we have.
Impunity
#8 Posted : Wednesday, March 30, 2016 4:56:40 PM
Rank: Elder

Joined: 3/2/2009
Posts: 26,334
Location: Masada
FRM2011 wrote:
I have been toying with this question in my mind over and over.

You are a brilliant chap, at the pinnacle of your professional path, and then you take up a govt job that undoes all you have built over the years. Examples may suffice.

Amos wako was an internationally recognized lawyer who once served as UN special rapporteur for east Timor. Joined moi's govt and the rest is history. Dr. Wilfred Koinange of goldenberg and that other Harvard educated economist who received a msomo from justice bosire during the goldenberg inquiry.

My question is based on the assumption that when you take up a govt job, you are being set up to fail.

I can understand prof githu muigai wanting to serve nyumba, but what about Philip Kinisu? He knows for sure he is being set up to fail. After working on your professional reputation for all these years, why risk it all with a govt job ? Is it worth it ? And poor Nzioka Waita ?

And my second question, why not try to stand out and leave a mark and a legacy ?

Two names here. Brig. Boinett and former CGS Daudi Tonje. Moi must have thought these were fellow tribesmen but each left a mark that changed the institutions they headed for ever. They refused to swim with the tribal tide and thought about posterity and future generations. After the 2002 elections, the clowns from the MoPW refused to build a dias that would accomondate kibaki's wheelchair. Brig. Boinett supervised the construction and made it clear to Moi, he had to respect the people's will.

Uhuru has one in the name of CBK gov Dr. Patrick Njoroge.

Funny enough, I don't remember any name that stood out during kibaki's reign. Arguably our greatest president ever.


In @Kibaki's case we can mention @Githongo...our time to eat fame.
Portfolio: Sold
You know you've made it when you get a parking space for your yatcht.

tycho
#9 Posted : Wednesday, March 30, 2016 9:50:50 PM
Rank: Elder

Joined: 7/1/2011
Posts: 8,804
Location: Nairobi
I think this question is unclear. 'Brilliant' doesn't mean anything useful save that you like or prefer or admire something.

For example, one could restate the question as, 'Why do people I admire join government?' Then there's the question of do all people you admire join government?

I think there's something toxic about such questions because they appear to promote thought when in fact they do not...
rurinjaa
#10 Posted : Thursday, March 31, 2016 6:30:25 AM
Rank: New-farer

Joined: 7/10/2013
Posts: 29
@Kibaki case is different, it's debatable whether Githongo stood up. If he hanged in there, working at State House he had the opportunity to lay strategies to slay corruption. he chose to bail. I sometimes wonder why he had more punch when he was in TI than he has now and even the "other" side seems not to embrace him except when they want crowds and big names to storm the streets, shouting!
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