Is Kenya ripe for secession as per Kaluma Bill handed to electoral agency?

If you look at the Peter Kaluma Bill that seeks to carve out 40 of the existing 47 counties from the People’s Republic of Kenya, then you will get the true picture of why secession is inevitable. The 40 counties that want to walk out are in fact among the poorest in the nation save for Nairobi.

The others are mysteriously rich. Their poverty has been a historic pain of paying taxes in exchange for injustices, marginalisation and inequalities in distribution of national resources.

When they (aggrieved counties) fought for devolution thinking it would help, they are still sidelined and the presidency treats the devolved functions with contempt, as was seen in the case pitting Jubilee’s Uhuru Kenyatta and Turkana Governor Josephat Nanok.

The latter was talked down by the former on a resource (oil) in his county. Basically, the Government of the day feels the counties in the Opposition should be punished. You also remember that after the 2007/08 post-election violence, Judge Johann Krigler’s report pointed out the skewed distribution of national resources as a matter that should be addressed but it has been ignored even by those who want us to talk now.

The general feeling across the nation particularly in the 40 counties after the recent shambolic elections is that their voices will never be heard. They are left with one inevitable option after trying all means to be part of the nation called Kenya- Secession.

Mudenyo Wilberfoce Oundo is Funyula MP

I am against the secession agenda for three reasons. First of all, the smaller units will not be economically viable compared to what we are having together as a nation.

In fact that idea is against the spirit of having large viable economic blocks with many people as is the trend world over. Look at the European Union and the African Union. Secondly, the very reasons that the proponents of secession are giving will still linger.

Be it inequalities or election rigging as long as the new state has multiple tribes, there must be someone who will feel oppressed or sidelined. And in most cases the new states don’t prove to be a success like is the case with Southern Sudan, which hived from (Arab) Sudan and Eretria, which hived from Ethiopia.

If their agenda goes through, what then will happen to the Kikuyus in Kisumu or the Luos in Murang’a? Lastly, what the secession proponents are complaining about can be solved in Kenya through many ways. They can for example go for constitutional reforms, which will help bring the inequalities they keep mentioning to checks and balances.

I think the pushers of the agenda are not being imaginative. You don’t run away from a problem; you solve it! Let them work on solving the problem from within the Republic of Kenya.