BBI debate slowly turning into a project of muzzling opinions

Kenya belongs to its entire people and the future of the country is collective. Making it work is collective responsibility. All Kenyans seek a better future for themselves and their children. Young people deserve better educational and economic opportunities, and focused efforts are required to eliminate gender inequality.

The country must uphold, respect and implement the 2010 Constitution and pursue strengthening of its democracy, to avoid deepening political divisions.

After that the country can say no to violence, repression and impunity; and a resounding yes to building trust in institutions and processes.

Preserving the institutional, operational, structural and financial independence of the Judiciary and constitutionally mandated institutions is paramount.

Robust checks and balances are the prerogative of every healthy democracy. The direct affront and attack on Judiciary is solely intended to force it into political submission. It is unfortunate that President Uhuru Kenyatta keeps saying Kenyans should speak freely while senior government officials are issuing threats and intimidating any one expressing different views from those held by him and Opposition leader Raila Odinga, especially on the Building Bridges Initiative (BBI).

Senior government officials have ramped up intimidation and threat tactics against those with contrary opinions.

By its own yardstick, the country is consolidating rollbacks to constitutional gains. This is unacceptable and should stop. National Police Service should desist from regime policing and remain politically neutral in accordance with the Constitution.

Politicians threatening others should be arrested and prosecuted. Impunity fosters a culture of violence and mistrust, the opposite of what Kenya needs. It is precisely when political tensions are high that government should do their utmost to let people express their grievances and protect their rights. 

One of the founding values of democratic Kenya is the supremacy of the Constitution and the rule of law. This means that the level of a country’s democracy is determined by its adherence to the basic principles in which all people – regardless of their economic or political status – are subject to equal legal rules. 

The Handshake had one core mission; restoring normalcy and stability of the country to create an environment where political dialogue on electoral malpractice and democratic transfer of power can happen peacefully. Unfortunately, BBI has turned into political project against people of Kenya. This is not what handshake was about. 

The country cannot afford a costly political project that is not informed by coherent reasons and justification rather than desire by few political leaders to have public offices created for them without considering the economic and financial consequences of their actions to the wider good of the country.

Civil service should remain politically neutral in accordance with the constitutional principles of separation of powers and public service.

National Police Service should immediately be delinked from and control by the Office of President in accordance with the Constitution.

The Service should enjoy full institutional, structural operational and financial independence. Civil servants and security organs must realise that elected governments are transient. They may come and go but civil servants enjoy security of tenure.

They exist to serve people of Kenya and Constitution and not the President and politicians.

The Jubilee government should admit economy and fiscal policy mismanagement. There is no hiding the fact that the economy and financial status of the country are in serious trouble.

Growth rates have dipped; unemployment and cost of living has hit the roof; there is a debilitating liquidity crisis; exports are virtually dead; banks are behold to the government bonds/bills; crippling borrowing, debt and spending is hurting; agriculture sector is reeling under very low productivity and private sector investments are at a worrying low if not negative.

While economic measures outlined by the President recently are highly welcome, unfortunately they did not go far enough to address the core structural problems bedeviling the economy and fiscal crisis.

It is ironical that while many Kenyans’ businesses are dwindling and shutting down, one or two families are robustly thriving and expanding their tentacles in all sectors of the economy. We have to take painful measures to fix, expand and diversify the economic security for all Kenyans.

Kenyans want quality jobs and genuine money in their pockets. BBI, which is political show of much ado about nothing rather than creating political offices for few individuals, has a serious implication on already deteriorating economic and financial situation of the country.

- The writer is the Executive Director, International Center for Policy and Conflict @NdunguWainaina