By Kipkirui KÕTelwa

The Grand Coalition Government spends too much money on little or no meaningful services to its citizens. Imagine it built Ônice housesÕ in LangÕata and forced former Kibera residents to move in. It forcibly moved them from the comfort of their slum dwellings and dumped them in multi-storeyed houses.

But does a maize-roasting businessman or mkokoteni man need a two-bedroom house? Who will pay for his electricity, garbage and water? IÕm told they are busy renting out their ÔpalatialÕ houses, at a higher fee of course, and moving back to their old shanties.

They, too, want to become landlords. It has never been the core function of the State to put up houses for wananchi.

The Government also intends to Ôpay salariesÕ to people who live in the slums. But will the millions of Kenyans in the villages also collect State stipends through the M-pesa? I fear this will create a large pool of lazy but State-coffer dependent citizens. Kenyans will no longer see the need to work. After all, those who work will have to pay taxes that feed non-working persons.

Do you remember that last year, the State bought tractors to plough peasantsÕ farms?

This, it was argued, will increase food production and reduce poverty. This was another ridiculous and scandalous generosity from the overbearing and overtaxing state given it was done when Kenyans were starving after maize had ÔdisappearedÕ from strategic grain reserve. But hunger, famine and shameless appeals for food donations from international donors continue to be the hallmark of the Grand Coalition Government.

Rains are here and Kenyans, who will survive it, expect the torturous power rationing to end. Instead, Kenya Power and Lighting Company has sneaked in what its officials call Ôspecial bulbsÕ or Ôenergy saving bulbs.Õ But I will call them State-approved bulbs. Mr Ready Kilowatt wants to supervise how Kenyans use the unpredictable power supply. It forgets that electricity supplies both heat and light.

But could someone be benefiting from this arrangement? Think about VW Passat, money to the poor, IDPs, and Ôenergy saving bulbsÕ.

May be Energy Minister Kiraitu Murungi should take a lesson from his Rwandan counterpart Alfred Butare who plans to slash electricity tariffs by one third and double power generation by 2012.

GovernmentÕs attempt to hoodwink Kenyans that it could provide free education failed. Corruption, inefficiency and bureaucracy have undermined these noble plans.

That is why public schools will continue to churn out semi-literate graduates, as their private school counterparts grab the best places in secondary schools and universities.

I do not like when the Government pretends it can supply anything from pencils, biros, erasers and even bulbs.

But if the Government provides free food, then I shall be there early enough. On matters food, please count me in.

ÑThe writer (ktelwa@standardmedia.co.ke) is Online Sub Editor at The Standard