How Kenyans robbed the President of Kenya and shouldered a heavy burden

Seven years ago, Kenyans adopted a new constitutional framework through the promulgation of the largely home-grown Constitution.

The new constitution was supposed to transform this nation by bringing a new political culture of accountability, transparency, greater public participation, fair distribution of resources and respect for civil liberties among other virtues.

As Kenyans, we all knew that the new constitution is a big sigh of relief and it was going to make our life easy and our leaders more open to what they do.

Despite making several steps forward there are some of the things that Kenyan by accepting the new constitution erred.

By adopting the new constitution without doing some vital changes has had a very big impact on the common mwananchi.

First and foremost Kenyans robbed the president some powers making him a toothless dog.As a Kenyan, you decided that some crucial bodies like the judiciary and the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) to be independent.

This is why you have heard severally President Uhuru Kenyatta saying that his hands are tied by the constitution.

He cannot just act on his own. That is why you see the court sometimes overturning the ruling made by the president.

Also by voting for the new constitution, we accepted to have so many leaders whom right now we feel are a burden to us. Our resources are overstretched by the huge salaries paid to these leaders.

Thirdly the new constitution does not allow us to choose the deputy governors and the deputy president and in case the president or the governor dies he will automatically become the next ruler. The constitution clearly states that.

Recently we saw what happened in Nyeri County. The deputy took over and as a matter of fact, the constitution was silent on whom should deputise him.

All in all, we can amend the constitution to take care of some things. For example, give more powers to the president for him to be heard and felt.