Hardening positions over IEBC not good

NAIROBI: Today marks the fourth consecutive Monday the Opposition CORD coalition will stage protests against the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC). The concern is that IEBC, as currently constituted, cannot be trusted to arbitrate fairly in the August 2017 General Election. This fear revolves around the contested 2013 presidential election results and claims that some of the commissioners received kickbacks from a UK company to secure a printing tender in 2013. Two of the givers of the bribe are serving time in a British jail. No one has been prosecuted in Kenya.

Yet despite that, there are greater concerns that judging from last week's demonstration that turned ugly after police violently dispersed the demonstrators, things are likely to get ugly today. Already, business leaders have warned that continued protests will hurt business and ultimately, the economy. Demonstrations are provided for in law, but only if they remain peaceful. That is highly unlikely.

But did it have to get here? What would have happened had the leadership given dialogue a chance? Commendably, the Church is engaged in arbitration efforts to bring the two sides to round-table discussions. But that might amount to nothing if the belligerent sides stick to their guns; the government saying the law must be followed and the Opposition vowing to stage demonstrations until the commissioners leave office. This hard-line position can also be seen in the doublespeak coming from the ruling Jubilee coalition. While Deputy President William Ruto had indicated that the government would engage the Opposition in talks, President Uhuru Kenyatta says the law must be followed. No one can begrudge the Presidency its legitimacy to uphold the Constitution. But then, this is no time to moralise about the law; extreme circumstances call for extreme measures.

Grandstanding hardens positions. It doesn't help anyone. It sets the country on the path to needless confrontation in an electioneering period.