Our politicians only care about power and wealth

To compound our problems, there is no sign that either side of the divide – the government or the opposition – is willing to give in and play the adult in the room. The government dug in its heels by ramrodding its preferred amendments without a single concession to the opposition; who in turn have called for street demonstrations beginning January 4. PHOTO: COURTESY

This week we were treated yet again to the ugly side of our political leadership. The scenes from Parliament, in which opposition legislators hurled abuses at President Uhuru Kenyatta, were anything but respectable. And equally deplorable was the manner in which Parliament passed amendments to the Election Laws (Amendment) Bill.

And so here we are, less than a year ahead of the General Election next August, with a complete intra-elite dissensus over the rules of the game. How are we going to conduct free and fair, and peaceful, polls without an agreement over the rules and the impartiality of the umpire?