ODM-Kenya's Plan To Stop The General Elections: Does It Have Popular Support?

Majority of Kenyans are sick and tired of their members of parliament and the move by ODM-Kenya to stop the general elections in December if the government does not agree to reforms, will be the biggest blunder on the movement's part.

Kenyans can't wait for the general elections to vote out these greedy legislators who have upped their salaries and allowances to the tune of almost Sh 1 million per month, over US$ 14,000 in a country where over 70% of the population lives below the poverty line on less than a dollar a day.

Over 50 MPs endorsed the ODM-Kenya move last weekend in a pro-reforms rally under the banner of a loose coalition of organizations which favor some changes to the constitution before the elections failure of which they will mobilize Kenyans to stop the polls which must be held on or before December 29.

Those on the forefront of the no-reforms-no-elections crusade are leading presidential aspirants Kalonzo Musyoka, Raila Odinga and official opposition leader Uhuru Kenyatta among others.

It is common knowledge among majority of Kenyans that over 80% of the current MPs will never see the doors of parliament after the general elections and Kenyans can't wait to kick them out as there are plenty of aspirants lining up and prepared to take over from the greedy and lazy lot.

If ODM does not wish to un-popularize themselves with the voters, they have to seek alternative methods to push for minimum reforms but not delaying the elections as majority of Kenyans want the general elections to go ahead as scheduled. Several opinion polls in recent times have confirmed this fact.

And again, stopping the elections will be contravening the constitution as this will mean extending president Kibaki's five year term and yet the law says the president has the powers to dissolve parliament and call for general elections at any time but does not have power to overstay and extend his time at the helm.

It has now become clear that the ODM quest for using elections to force minimum reforms is for their own selfish interests as they have not consulted Kenyans over the stoppage of polls and as I have said before and will say again, with or without a new constitution, Kenyans can still vote out president Kibaki even if the current constitution favors him and does not provide for a level playing field.

The way things are now, the government is dragging its feet over the minimum reforms debate and chances are Kibaki won't allow the reforms to be conducted before the polls which means the opposition should try other avenues, maybe through parliament first before calling for a drastic measure like stopping general elections.

What ODM-Kenya must realize is that they can't take the goodwill of Kenyans for granted. Especially after the overwhelming support they received during the referendum where the government was defeated. It is therefore imperative that they consult the people before making these selfish decisions that will have far reaching effects on Kenya's political landscape.

Something else, ODM should never assume that they are always right and if they intend to be dictatorial and impose orders on their supporters without consulting, they will only realize then that Kenya is a democratic country and their supporters will defect to other political party's, which are more sensitive to their views and aspirations.

Kenyans hold general elections after every five years and whatever differences the opposition have with the government, whether its over the constitution or whatever, majority of Kenyans are already prepared to go to the polls on or before December 29 this year and they are really looking forward to making their statement at the ballot box.

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