MPs deserve praise over choice of Eala members

From the ugly scar of 2007 over nomination of Kenyan members to the East African Legislative Assembly (Eala), the country has finally regained face in the region – thanks to the credible polls held in Parliament last Thursday.

Indeed, our MPs deserve praise for smoothly executing the exercise, the first in Kenya’s history, since the establishment of Eala in 2001. Unlike the chaotic exercise of 2007 that ended up in the East African Court of Justice (EACJ), the Thursday poll was conducted democratically in conformity with EAC laws.

Contrary to initial threats by PNU affiliate parties over sharing out of the four available slots, an agreeable formula was struck. Equally, ODM MPs allied to Musalia Mudavadi and William Ruto, who had vowed to scuttle the exercise, played ball by using the ballot instead. The end product is a team of nine Kenyans fairly representative of the face of Kenya and gender – four women and five men.

The Kenyan team is ready for Arusha, unlike in 2007 when squabbles within the Narc Coalition were solely responsible for the delay of Eala’s second Parliament, this time around the fingers are pointing elsewhere.

The EACJ has, for instance, temporary halted Ugandan Parliament from conducting Eala elections until they conform to Article 50, which partly demands that seats be shared out according to the strength of parliamentary parties.

As the Kenyans head to EACJ, they will be doing so as a team and not disjointed representatives of ODM, PNU, Narc-Kenya or Wiper Democratic Movement.  They must now discharge their parliamentary mandate in a knowledgeable manner by espousing views and positions that help to advance Kenya’s interest.