Is there a conspiracy between the Executive and Legislature to sabotage key institutions meant to ensure the General Election meets constitutional standards?
Four key institutions are supposed to ensure Kenyans elect only leaders who meet the requirements of Chapter Six of the Constitution on Integrity, and that elections go on peacefully.
Unfortunately all four are now in limbo because Parliament and the Executive have failed to do their bit, or simply conspired to render the institutions toothless.
We now have a Police Commissioner and his senior command who are bravely soldiering on even though they know that the legality of their actions or commands can be called into question. As a result there are disturbing signs that this is eroding discipline in a section of the force who have various grievances and might be exploiting what they perceive as a grey area.
The Registrar of Political Parties is in the same boat as her term has expired and her actions in office might not have the same legal weight as before. This is serious since her office is the clearinghouse for parties nominating their candidates for various political offices, including the Presidency.
As things stand, various parties can flout the Political Parties Act at will without fear of consequences.
Meanwhile, the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission is in limbo because a nominee of the two principals has a case in court.
Hitting the road
The grounds for the successful prosecution of three former State officials and a tour firm was laid by the EACC’s predecessor the Kenya Anti-Corruption Commission whose leader was sent packing for venturing too close to powerful ministers and politicians.
Come January 15, the Tenth Parliament will be gone. By December, parties will be nominating their candidates and hitting the road. There is simply too little time.
And to make matters worse, there are two warring centres of power in the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission.
God help us all!
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