Yes, let us dialogue on IEBC

By postponing demonstrations against the besieged electoral body, and giving dialogue a chance, CORD has finally acted in good faith.

The demonstrations had taken a dangerous trajectory capable of paralysing progress. This coming at a time when Kenya is wooing foreign investors and encouraging local entrepreneurs could not have come at a worse time. We need more efforts to bring majority of our people out of debilitating poverty and deprivation.

Indeed, at least four lives have been lost in confrontations between protesters and the police across the country and scores are nursing serious injuries. Some affected families have been left without breadwinners and others have lost their only hope in the slain or injured young men. What shall the widows left behind tell their children when they come of age and ask why their fathers had to die?

It is unfortunate to spill blood in this day and age agitating for reforms in the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC).

Majority of Kenyans are agreed that the IEBC needs an overhaul to effectively handle next year’s General Election. The way to go about it is what political players in CORD and Jubilee should agree on. The law is clear about it, but at this point in time, a political give and take is needed. We must give dialogue a chance where a memorandum will then be sent to Parliament and let lawmakers chart the way out of this stalemate.

CORD principals Raila Odinga, Moses Wetang’ula and Kalonzo Musyoka have made their point. Let them now pursue non-violent means of reforming the IEBC. No more lives should be lost on account of how to conduct the 2017 polls. The disruption of order, peace and economic activities in the last few Mondays will hurt Kenya’s growth in a big way. Already, we have been depicted in foreign media as a nation on fire, literally with bonfires, teargas, stones and even live bullets.

Several Kenyans going about their business have been derailed and the Monday hours lost forever. Let reason, respect for human life and the ever aching need to build our nation together, now prevail. We cannot grow our economy, politics and social systems through picketing and demonstrations. We must talk with each other instead of at one another.

President Uhuru Kenyatta and his Deputy William Ruto have expressed their willingness to dialogue and it is only fair for the Opposition to agree to the talks. The talks should be structured and no side should come to the table with conditions or hardline positions. Let us embrace dialogue.