Apparently King Solomon was one of the wisest kings that ever lived - according to the Bible anyway. He asked for wisdom, because when he became king after David, he was young. Very young- what many people do not know (or selectively omit) is that he was not the first born son; he was not an obvious selection. David had promised his mother that he would be King and rightful heir.
The story that always fascinates me is the two women and a crying baby. This is the case that apparently sealed the deal for his people to prove his discernible wisdom. Two women come to him, with one baby, claiming to both be the mother. As we know how the story goes, Solomon asked for the baby to be sliced in half, since both mothers were more than convincing to prove that indeed that is their son.
So when a swordsman is called to slice the child in half- one screams out in anguish let her have the baby- the real mother. She would rather see her son live than die. It has been a road of meandering hills and valleys these past few weeks of protests. Not just in Nairobi but in other counties as well. We have seen 6 people lose their lives. Also, hate speech flooded our social media platforms and some action was finally taken on the members of parliament.
It has been grueling and tiring to say the least. This battle that appears to be happening between two parties: Jubilee Alliance and CORD. Just like the story I began with, Kenya- we are the baby being dangled in front of Solomon (Parliament). CORD states IEBC commission members (about 9) should resign.
The last elections that were held were not credible and they have every constitutional right to petition. The agreement between the Jubilee Alliance and CORD on the motion to establish a Parliamentary Joint Select Committee on matters relating to the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) are set to occur in the coming days.
Looking at the situation, perhaps we may not have a problem of corruption as we loudly proclaim. We have a problem with the law. A nation is only as good as the laws that govern her and this include those who enforce and follow that same law. Laws are supposed to bring order, they are supposed to be for the greater good of majority, which unite us, then discipline us, and then translate to respecting our nation, which should translate to love.
Our constitution is well written from behavior of leaders of integrity (which are not followed) to the accessibility that every Kenyan has a right to access. We admire first world countries so much (not all of us, but most) because of the order, where there is a red light in traffic, people actually stop, the small things.
Laws are so ingrained, not because someone is watching but because of the discipline to follow. Where there is a service to be provided, it is almost automatic- there is no way to bribe your way through things. There are less ways of cheating your way up a ladder or having access to things through the back door. Then we come home, everything you do is expected to be followed with a bribe.
We do anything to omit our law. People will bribe a policeman, even though they were speeding because they do not want to deal with the court system. I have seen those who follow the law, and they look foolish! A case can take years and it is more taxing than alleviating. The system almost makes it unbearable to follow.
We have no respect for rules. Tanzania cannot fathom the level of corruption we propagate and President Magufuli openly criticizes it .If we followed our law, there would be less rampantly obvious corruption.
Our law says different but, shows that corruption pays. And like IEBC, if we followed law- there would be no Monday's on the streets and we may have not even been here at this moment. But as we are dangled between the two "mothers", because that is what it looks like- it is time we woke up and realized we are not a baby anymore. We can actually speak and say where we would prefer to go. And perhaps choose, for our own benefit.
