Party hopping ban antidote – stay put, don’t dissolve your parties

When I think of Kenya’s political ecosystem and last week’s passage of the 2016 Election Laws (Amendment) Bill and the Election Offences and the forthcoming formal Jubilee Party merger meeting this coming Thursday September 8, 2016 I am reminded of the old adage, “Fools rush in where angels dare not tread”. Specifically because of how Kenya’s parliament was quickly steamrolled, intimidated and rolled over by the coalition principals to pass the law in record time without as much of any debate, I mean that was epic.  To many Kenyans, when they realize what the law really means, it will probably go down in history as one of the worst affronts to the constitution and democracy by parliament. It is one of the follies Kenya’s law makers are notorious for, just doing things on a whim and passing laws without really thinking through what they are signing onto. The law, designed and supported by the principals of the major political coalitions including President Uhuru Kenyatta and opposition leader Raila Odinga to preserve their political interests, bans politicians from switching parties after nominations.

On the surface, it looks and sounds reasonable– well that is until you really take a closer look. Truth is, it was motivated by selfishness to secure the interests of the principals and nobody else, pure and simple. So how would you level the playing field if you are forced to sacrifice your own career and deny your employer an opportunity to decide on whether or not to hire you? What’s the antidote to this? If I were these parties that have either dissolved themselves or considering to do so to join the major parties, I say reconsider – don’t do it. And here is why: