Much touted Saba Saba rally was a major flop

The nation was evidently expectant with fever-pitch anxiety and despondency; an unprecedented apprehension and intimidation about threats of mass action that could quickly breed violence, reminiscent of the 1990s Saba Saba. The country had been warned that the ‘donkey would lay off its burden’ on that day and Kenyans would taste freedom; a storm of change would sweep across the country and Kenya would never be the same again! Thank God, it never came to pass!

If the intention was to cause fear and despondency, CORD succeeded. Many Kenyans evacuated their homes in various parts of the country. Many more lost their livelihoods for fear of venturing out to work. There was heightened level of ethnic animosity and hate sowed among some communities. Worse still, the economy lost big time. However, if the intention was to test the resolve of Kenyans towards mass action, the result was negative. A majority of CORD leaders, like most Kenyans, gave the function a wide berth; others simply condemned it as an act of incitement.

The CORD leader came out bruised, badly. His followers are still dumbfounded about the intention of the much-hyped Saba Saba event that was not different from the previous rallies. Nonetheless, they held that the national dialogue window was now closed and demanded a referendum be called on the issues raised. Still, the latter too entails dialogue albeit through a structured, due process. That was the position Jubilee had proposed — a constitutional mechanism that will involve relevant institutions too.

The call for a referendum is, therefore, a welcome proposition that nonetheless requires a conviction by all that it is necessary. That would be a hard sell if the issues raised were to be considered as none meets the threshold for a referendum.

Much of the issues raised are merely political rhetoric that can neither be resolved through a public dialogue of hundreds of delegates at Bomas, nor a referendum. Perhaps through a one-on-one meeting with the Presidency, as is the practice in other democracies; for instance, the security proposals that CORD leaders may have.

How does the Safaricom security contract already before the House committees, and the Judiciary, become a subject of the Saba Saba event? Or the requirement that Parliament should quickly bring up to speed its examination of public accounts from the Auditor General, when it is their member who chairs PAC that slept on the job?

And the declaration that minimum revenue allocations to counties be increased, when all the CORD leaders in the National Assembly decidedly voted against such a proposition from the Senate? How is the so-called poor performance of IEBC team, jointly appointed by the National Accord principals, be blamed on a Jubilee regime not in office when the elections were conducted? The cost of living? Remember the two-priced maize flour Cabinet order and the ‘unga’ demos in the city in 2010 when the PM dismally failed to find a solution to the escalating food costs!

My take is that CORD has a silver lining in the latest demand for a referendum — could it be the piece that calls for a review of the relationship between the Executive and Legislature? The CORD leader may be pursuing a review of the Constitution to introduce a parliamentary system, his pet subject and the ‘panacea’ for all our problems. Well, if it is, it will be a tall order too.

While he is at it, my advice is that CORD needs to get its act together in the National Assembly to demonstrate its commitment to the resolution of these issues. Their members should apply themselves to the Bills and resolutions before the House in tandem with their party’s positions. They must provide alternative solutions to those placed on the table by the Government. They cannot preach water in the House, and take tea in the rallies! Still, Uhuru loses nothing pulling a surprise invitation to the CORD leader for a tete a tete, to mollify the distraught Kenyans!