Well done Mr. President

By Joseph Kamotho

President Mwai Kibaki deserves a pat on the back for rekindling sanity and hygiene in the legislature that was about to become  like  a gambling casino  and  an arena for experimenting  political manipulations and intrigues.

The  president  vetoed the  infamous and retrogressive  fundamental  legislative changes  to the Political Parties and Elections Acts initiated  by no lesser person  than a  man of God, Reverend Mutava Musyimi who dreams  of succeeding Kibaki any time  soon.  Because of the  self serving  nature of the  amendments, the  head of State  referred the  changes  back to the  legislature for further deliberations.

Had the president signed into  law the changes, switching of  parties  without the  constituent’s authority would  have been legal and presidential contest  would  have  as  many spoilers  than serious  contenders as is the case today.

A presidential   candidate would  contest  other positions  and be eligible for  a  nomination slot   in parliament  in the  event he fails  to capture the seat. A  member of  a party for  45 days  could have  contest an election on  the  ticket of the  new party in contravention of the law that  stipulates  six months.  

Under the new  and the previous constitution, a member who   decides  to change   parties before the end of the  term,  must  seek fresh mandate.  Many of the lawmakers  have taken  advantage of weaknesses  in the  enforcement of this legislation  and hopped from  one party to another. Defectors  are also expected  to inform the Speaker of the  decision. In known history, very few of renegades have  taken the bold step.

The proponents of the ill-fated changes  should be  reminded that parties  nominate  candidates  for parliamentary  seats  in  various  constituencies in which  they are expected   to serve the electorate  for  a period of five years not less and   perform  legislative  and oversight roles  not  on a part time basis.  Notwithstanding  this  contractual obligation, defection is   fashionable  since  the  country was transformed into a multi party and that is what the likes of Musyimi want to encourage and condone in the new dawn. 

Kenyans wondered aloud  what  sort of  a country  the Reverend and other presidential hopefuls  would lead   with  a  split  cabinet  and  a legislature full   of  dual   party members or renegades. Little  does   the churchman  know that passing laws in a legislature of unruly  members would  be a problem.

But  the electorate    were  in shock  to hear  their  representatives  sit  and deliberate  on  amending  the law   to  provide  for  hopping from one party  to another  without losing  a parliamentary  seat. As  a result, they  are in  court  to challenge   the  membership status  of  these defectors.  Parties  have been relegated  to  election conveyor belts, gutters for party  nomination rejects and dissidents.

Parties worth the name should discipline   erratic members  regardless of their position  in society.  But party leaders  are constrained  by a  number of factors to act, one  being  the  influence  some of the deserters wield amongst their  tribes.

It is  emerging  that the  motive  behind  the  ill fated changes was  to   pre-empt legal  action against   100 colleagues  that  had  changed parties,  bought others in an auction  and launched new ones as election conveyor belts.

State Officers  are also  banned  from holding  positions  in political  parties  but it did not come  as  a surprise that   the  MPs amended that   law  to exempt themselves  from the rule that  could have instilled discipline  in political entities. The  latter day amendments  are   dress rehearsals  for  further mutilation of the  constitution to   suit circumstances.