New players with quality skills should be allowed to lead to end impunity

A culture of impunity has slowly and assuredly evolved in this country in the recent past. Cases of corruption and hate speech are rife. Kenyans are faced with the unpleasant reality of economic meltdown, court orders are ordinary, yet the ruling power continues with audacity, to give the country’s progress a clean bill of health.

With only a year left to the General Elections and the opposition apparently unable to hold the government accountable for the current trend is worrying. This is despite them ruffling their feathers every now and then.

One of the most serious and appalling weaknesses in our political platform currently is a lack of an institution and focused opposition group that can take on the government. Although the current opposition party has been vocal in criticising the government, citing the Eurobond saga, they have done it sporadically and in an inconsistent manner. Similarly, the opposition has not presented itself as a government in waiting by offering policy alternatives.

The key institutions created by the constitution to allow transparency in governance are all underperforming. Parliament’s oversight role has been brought under condemnation, as have the roles of the executives and the judiciary.

This should offer some reflection and insight to politicians and the citizens to open a national forum to aid in charting the way forward. It is crystal clear that the country lacks leaders with charisma and integrity to chart this debate.

In the ninety’s it was the combination of the clergy and the civil society leaders that helped in forcing Mr. Moi to make changes that have undoubtedly catapulted Kenya to where it is at the moment.

It took a mammoth effort on the part of human rights activists, governance organizations and religious groups to force the regime to finally embrace comprehensive constitutional reforms.

The politics that have evolved since that victory have instead divided the country, denying Kenyans the opportunity to engage in constructive debate or even create room for the emergence of new players to spearhead the process and reforms. Religious leaders have become incompetent; they no longer have the title “neutral players.”

The opposition and civil society must change tact on how they engage the government. The past four years have not yielded the results innocent Kenyans expected. For the sake of the nation, key players must reform the playing field, put their house in order and be democratic, to allow new players with quality skills. A strong opposition can force the government to listen and think of the possibility that the 2017 elections might not be a sure win. This might allow policy based politics to thrive in Kenya and nullify the idea of bloc voting or voter apathy.