Kenya's political scene is unique in many ways. Apart from the previously unprecedented way of forging coalitions being practiced in these shores, that involves forming a coalition over one year before the elections (that is what Narc-Kenya and ODM are), Kenyans also have a unique and reckless way of making laws. (By the way are you surprised that Kumekucha's prediction that both ODM and Narc-Kenya will self-destruct for this reason long before December is rapidly being proved correct?)
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Also published today;
The two anti-kikuyu constitutional amendments
Jimnah Mbaru's hilarious joke in bad taste to the stock exchange
Nation sex scandal: What next for major players?
Kalonzo predictably changes his mind about the Steadmann polls: who is fooling who?
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Laws in Kenya are basically made for the sake of individual gain and advantage. This dangerous trend was started by the Kenyatta administration, which used Tom Mboya as Justice and Constitutional Affairs minister then to make numerous amendments to the constitution to benefit the Kenyatta administration and inevitably cause the chaos we find ourselves in today. However anybody who judges Mboya only on these amendments (which he was under pressure from Kenyatta to fulfill so as to prove his loyalty) is doing a great dis-service to the memory of one of the greatest sons to have come out of a Kenyan woman's womb. Interestingly a reader of this blog recently quoted Jaramogi Oginga Odinga and lied in writing that he is one of my heroes. That guy must have been out of his mind. Jaramogi was little more than a tribal chief in my book and I don't think it is possible to be a Mboya buff and also an admirer of the late Jaramogi at the same time.
But I digress.
The reason why it has been so difficult for politicians to agree on a new constitution is simply because they all have selfish interests and objectives that they want to see fulfilled in that constitutional amendment or new constitution. Nobody is asking themselves the right questions, which should chiefly be;
i) Will it benefit the people of Kenya today?
ii) Will it benefit future generations of Kenyans?
Take the controversial opposition proposal that seeks to introduce an amendment requiring a president to garner 50 per cent of the votes cast plus one to be declared duly elected as President of Kenya. This is apart from the already existing requirement that they garner 25 per cent of the votes cast from at least 5 provinces out of the total of 8.
A casual glance will convince anybody that it is a good law, with good intentions, which will dilute the power of tribal politics because a president will now require support from a cross section of more tribes to win? But somebody can also argue that it could in fact heighten tribal tensions because the run off will create two distinct tribal groupings that will be bitterly opposed to each other and chances are that the wounds will be difficult to heal long after the elections. For example it I widely expected that if this new proposal becomes law, we will end up having the Kikuyu (with the Merus and Embus) throwing in their lot with President Kibaki and the rest of Kenya supporting whoever will be the runner up, against him. So what will happen to the Kibaki supporters after the elections if their candidate loses? How will they feel as Kenyans knowing that the whole country ganged up against them?
Contrary to what some people think, I never spare anybody in this blog. And it is for this reason that we have to closely examine where this 50 per cent proposal is coming from. Already the opposition have said that it is a non-negotiable demand. Meaning that when they seat down to discuss, this is one amendment that will not be discussed or negotiated over, it will simply be passed.
My investigations have proved that this proposal is coming from Raila Odinga who feels that this constitutional amendment is his best chance to win the presidency. It is already clear that he will not get the ODM-Kenya nomination as easily as he had earlier anticipated. My information is that all other presidential candidates had said "yes" to Raila save for the son of Musyoka who strongly opposed. However things were taken out of his hands when a swift coup instigated by powerful forces caused the London bonding session to abort at the eleventh hour and Raila came back home to meet colleagues who had change their minds over a resolution he thought was more or less in the bag.
Raila Odinga has done a lot in helping Kenyans win more freedom and political expression. But in this case what he is doing is totally selfish. We need to stop this habit by Kenyan politicians of wanting to pass laws for selfish interests.
President Kibaki and company are not guiltless in this regard. If anything, it is now clear that the reason why we do not have a new constitution is just one simple petty thing. So petty that history will judge you very harshly for it, Mr President.
The reason we do not have a new constitution is simply because Mr Emilio Mwai Kibaki wanted to rule Kenya for 5 more short years. Yep! That's it! Just because one fence-seating blundering proud Kenyan from Nyeri wanted a second term. For what?
Kenyans should get very angry at this. I mean innocent Kenyans died, the country spent hundreds of millions that went down the drain and so many bad things have happened and are yet to happen, simply because somebody wanted to be a two-term president. Luckily there is a God in heaven and because of this selfish motive on the part of a person who took an oath on December 30th 2002 to protect the interests of ALL Kenyans and not just that of himself, his son Jimmy and the others, that oath will haunt him and he will live to deeply regret it. If it is true that the almighty has decided that Kibaki will lose the forthcoming elections, then I can assure you that this reason will be one of the ones that will be right at the top of the Almighty's list.
Now President Kibaki is involved in yet another situation where he will be forced to put his own interests first—that of negotiating over the minimal reforms required before the elections.
Mr President you are wrong. Hon Raila Odinga, you are so selfishly wrong. The rest of you 210 members of the disgraced 9th parliament, you are all so wrong. That is why I say to Kenyans once again…
Let us vote in a totally fresh 210 new faces to parliament.
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Well spoken Chris albeit with too much bile that neighbours sacrilage. You nearly chose to prod God to destroy His own creation. Your vitrol is understandable but unacceptable.
ReplyDeleteOur politicians are the most selfish lot you can locate on the Kenyan map and you have no guarantee that the so-called fresh faces will not dance themselves lame in joining the eating chiefs. Kenya's main problem is attitude to life and success. We worship anything that signifies opulence and since politics has proved the most lucrative business, enterprising Kenyans are ready to to sleep their way to fame and wealth at the collective expense of all other ordinary mortals.
Until we have individual renewal and accept our falliability, I am afraid we are busy digging while already in a bottomless hole. Moreover our commercialized version of politics gives no room for novices with no deep pockets even if they have Plato and Socrates minds both blended together.
Kibaki and Raila are only perfecting what they know best-bleed the host dry when they are still alive. We fight their wars oblivious of the fact that we don't feature anywhere near their inner radars of conscience. Politicians can cut deals even with the devil provided their interest are catered for. We unwittingly remain at their beck and call when they readily exploit our vulrenebility to cheap tribal protectionism. We only prove useful as handy tribal loud-mouths protecting what will never benefit us a nation.
One common thread running in the veins of all polticians is laced with SELFISHNESS and SELF-PRESERVATION. All others are mere grandstanding and showmanship meant to grease our collective backs for their flawless rides to fraudulent wealth.
Hi Chris
ReplyDeleteThank you for 2 very good posts "anti-kikuyu amendments" and "Kibaki And Hon Raila Are After Selfish Gain"
what struck me most? "whatever your views are on the Kikuyu the fact still remains that they are Kenyans.."
I'll never forget the way the referendum divided the country...even the church it seemed was afraid to speak out
My prayer is-regardless of the outcome, let Kenyas remain united
Dear Luke, if we could have many of you in this country and with similar sentiments, then am sure Kenya would be a much better place to live in. Infact referendum divisions were caused by selfishness. One cannot completely disregard the reforms outcome and completely stay united when the likes of Martha Karua continue to display utmost arrogance on the negotiation table.
ReplyDeleteWe want to forget referendum divisions quickly and hope that all kenyans will be treated equally and no one will try to tailor the constitution to suit certain interests.
Childish mutterings and playing to the gallary. Raila is accused of selfishness, which selfishness??? Is it a crime/selfishness to aspire to the highest office in the land? Does one not plan and connive to attain it, or do you imagine one is woken up in the morning and sent to live in the big house on the hill?
ReplyDeleteRead Machiaveli's The Prince and you will understand what I am talking about.
Kibaki has read it, but not too wisely and that is why he will lose, not because he is selfish. Man by nature is selfish, you must be selfish in order to live or else you could just as well forget about eating because every time you open your mouth to eat you destroy life.
The world is a man eat eat man society, if you teacher told you anything else, they LIED. Smell the coffee, dont just go about saying selfish, selfish, selfish... More fingers are pointed at you than you point.
We are all selfish for as long as we live...