BY JOE MODIE
Kenyan motorists might be wondering where the no nonsense Former National Transport Safety Authority (NTSA) Director General, Francis Meja disappeared to after he left the transport authority in early 2020.
Well, the can rest easy as the man has no intention of coming back to harass them on Kenyan roads as he has set his eyes on becoming Kajiado governor in 2022, where he hopes to become a thorn in the flesh of corrupt county officials.
Meja recently received praise from Tanga tanga for his nuanced extrapolation of the Bottom Up economic model as espoused by the Hustler-inspired UDA party.
Bottoms up philosophy
Meja, who was speaking to a Kajiado-based online TV channel, Kajiado Star, explained that he supports the Bottom Up philosophy as it involves empowering the masses at the bottom of the economic pyramid, so that they can be able to fend for themselves without relying on resources that are ordinarily channeled from big government institutions but rarely trickle to the bottom.
He gave the example of Equity Bank, which came to the rescue of the common mwananchi by allowing them to open accounts without the requirement of minimum balance, as was the practice of big banks then.
“Not too long ago, most of the international banks based in Kenya had ignored the bottom of the pyramid and they invested on the top-notch customers…not many people could afford to maintain minimum balances of sh10,000; as a result, many poor people were unable to open bank accounts,” explained Meja.
Loan facilities
“However, one local bank (Equity) came and changed the narrative by focusing on the bottom of the pyramid and giving them loan facilities. Today most of the international banks that had closed branches in the rural areas have gone back there,” he added.
He also gave the example of Safaricom, which has revolutionised communication among the poor by introducing scratch cards of as low as sh10 and sim cards retailing at only sh50, as opposed to when mobile telephones were the sole preserve of the rich.
Meja knows the story of Equity Bank only too well as he was tapped to open the bank’s first branch, in Narok. Meja, who is an economist, later left Equity and is today credited for starting NTSA from scratch.
Seeking to oust Ole Lenku
After retiring from NTSA in January 2020, Meja is now eyeing the governor’s position, in Kajiado County, on an UDA ticket. He is seeking to oust former Interior CS, Joseph ole Lenku, who is the current governor.
“There is rampant corruption in Kajiado County and the only reason the governor is not talking about it is because he is a beneficiary of the same,” says Meja, adding that Ole Lenku has lost the moral authority to lead.”
Meja, who has no prior experience in politics, faces two seasoned politicians with massive support on the ground, in the battle for UDA nomination. Peris Tobiko has been the Kajiado East MP since 2013, while Katoo ole Metito has been Kajiado South MP for the last 20 years.
On the Handshake side he faces Ole Lenku and David Nkedianye, who was defeated by Ole Lenku in 2017. The is also Tarayia ole Kores a former chairman of Olkejuado County Council.
On Friday, December 3, Meja hosted Deputy Prime Minister William Ruto at his Kibiko home in Ngong, where he officially launched his gubernatorial bid.