is unfortunate that the shift from the presidential system of governance to parliamentary system came with teething problems that now evoke nostalgia in many people. The most notable thing is the consignment of the institution of the presidency to ceremonial duties. The President, apart from being the Commander-in-Chief of the armed forces, mostly performs duties that have no much political relevance such as nomination and appointments to the civil service.
He is a ceremonial President without much powers and Parliament has not hesitated to drive home that point by blackmailing everybody, the President included, into getting their way in terms of remuneration. Legislators made it abundantly clear that Kenyans were subject to parliamentary tyranny when, without batting an eyelid, they averred that existing laws were not, in any way, an impediment to their mean demands. They only needed to create or discard laws if and when need arose and that need was subject to their foibles.
The priviledge of making laws has so bloated parliamentarians’ heads that institutions opposed to their excesses face retributory disbandment just to show who calls the shots. I have also noted that the zeal with which the President and his deputy took the reigns of power has since waned upon realisation they were at the mercy of Parliament and other dark forces for small favours when it came to running the country. Nowadays the Deputy President is less visible and talks less. Too busy perhaps?
Kenya needs a benevolent ‘dictator’ for President to get the country moving. The President, the symbol of national unity, must have unadulterated power to realise his goals and dreams for a greater Kenya without worrying about a Parliament that can sabotage and destroy him as easily as make him.
Those of goodwill in Parliament should start a campaign to revert this country to the presidential system and while at it abolish many of the superfluous institutions and the worthless, manipulatable commissions that are an unnecessary drain on the economy.
{Alexander Chagema, Kakamega}
Kenyans are generally united in their fight against salary demands by MPs. MPs have even been baptised MPigs. When it appeared the name MPigs did not register in the MPs’ brains, real pigs were dumped outside Parliament. In my view, a lot of energy is being misdirected. Most Kenyans seem to think that their collective noise will drive MPs to submission. Whereas such energy was useful in bringing down the walls of Jericho, it will cut no ice with such thick-skinned ‘leaders’.
Having discovered the so called MPigs were jobseekers wearing leaders’ clothes, the electorate should immediately have looked for a way to eject them. This could have been accomplished through the recall clause. Alternatively, we could have collected 20 million plus signatures. Faced with an ejection threat, Kenyans would soon have discovered that MPs were an ungrateful chest-thumping colossus standing on mosquito legs. I urge Kenyans to direct their energy into more viable economic activities other than dragging unwilling pigs to Parliament.
{Kenneth Irungu, Maseno}
