It's time to take stock of our democratic values, social justice

Boris Johnson just put to rest our traditional notions of coups and assaults on democracy. No longer are we subjected to khaki clad figures taking over streets and airwaves and announcing that new figures have taken power. Democracy has been always under threat but Johnson’s assault and attempted takeover has taken place in the holy of holies, Parliament itself. The man who promised to ‘take back your country’ this week attempted to take over Britain by shutting down parliamentary democracy.

Perhaps this should not come as a surprise as the man was selected Prime Minister of Britain by 0.14 per cent of the population all of whom were members of his Conservative Party. By not requiring a popular or parliamentary mandate, Mr Johnson presumed that he did not need approval to prorogue Parliament and avoid debate on his plan to exit the European Community without a deal by October 31st.

He got quite a shock when twenty one of his own MPs resisted this move and joined the opposition in support of a Bill that rules that Britain could not Brexit without an agreement. However, like a child throwing his toys out of the pram in rage, Johnson proceeded to deregister those dissenting MPs out of the Conservative Party. Quite apart from questions as to where this will end up the larger issue is where this leaves democracy and what is its future in Britain and elsewhere.

For Johnson anything that does not satisfy his whims and ambitions is not democratic. He insists that the Irish must cave in to his desires that would result in a hard border dividing the tiny island ravaged by conflict ever since the colonial master set foot on it seven centuries ago. That his ambitions would scuttle the Irish peace process and probably lead Scots into seeking another independence referendum thereby breaking the union does not seem to bother him at all.

But now he has become a hostage at 10, Downing Street without a Parliamentary majority and unable to call an election to garner public support. This is the price to pay for trampling on democratic values and behaving like a tin can autocrat. Despite the anger over his actions, a weary public have not taken to the streets in significant numbers to demonstrate their outrage.

With power in the hands of autocratic, wealthy figures serving the interests of big business in India, USA, Britain, Brazil – add Kenya to that list – then the public no longer feel that their voice or vote matters. India has shut down the internet on dozens of times, most recently in its curfew and attack on Kashmir. The voice of the indigenous people in the Amazon is not heard as Bolsonaro slashes and burns to make room for beef producing farmers. Democracy is under attack and no wonder that some pundits claim that we are in a ‘post-democracy’ era, but what will replace it is not evident. 

Yet, recent events in Hong Kong, Algeria and Sudan have shown that the voice of people, freedom, the rule of law are values that are worth fighting for in a non violent manner. The Hong Kong demonstrations have lasted 14 weeks with millions taking to the streets. The Governor Carrie Lam was obliged to eventually completely withdraw the Extradition Bill but the protestors want more reform. They are sending a very strong message to the Chinese mainland and Beijing must be getting anxious that these demands will surface in China too.

No one was quite prepared to anticipate how Sudanese protested in such large and peaceful ways. That they managed to oust the corrupt and autocratic Bashir was a delight and inspiration. The will of the people must and will always be heard. Democracy is ultimately about meeting the needs of the Common Good, providing them with services they can afford and giving them dignity, equality, respect and justice in the workplace while providing security and space for families to live comfortably.

That struggle is a lifelong, never ending one and witnessing these events happen live on our phones reminds us that we are one family and the rights of all and the environment are of concern to the future of each one of us. All of this of course must get us thinking as to where democracy and social justice are in Kenya. The BBI team is no different than Boris Johnson in forcing unpopular decisions on the public. It is just a palace coup by another name in both cases.

- [email protected] @GabrielDolan1