Countdown to Thursday afternoon vote starts today!
Thursday, alas, is 1st of April, aka April fools day.
No! foolering gobledegookingness!
Katiba ni sasa!
MPs must pass the constitution as it is.
WHY?
Because, honestly, we must realise that we will never get a constitution that fits every body's demand, a constitution that satisfies all.
Kenyans must understand that the reasons used today to defeat the constitution will be irrelevant tomorrow and that others will rise up to defeat any other future attempt.
if we delete clauses 2, 3 and 4 in the Article 26 and we delete all clauses referring to the Kadhi's court - to assuage some Christians - we will have to delete others...so far unknown... to assuage Muslims, pro-life campaigners and minorities.
if we create regions - to assuage the anger of some rift valley leaders and to please the coastal people - we will create village assemblies to assuage MY consternation (why can't the people of Mangwe, and all small isolated and unconnected villages legislate!).
That is the point, we will never see the end of this.
Those politicians saying that we have the opportunity to create a better constitution now should know that they define "better" from the viewpoint of the clause they want amended, not from my or your perspective.
let us learn humility, to accept that we have failed for 20yrs plus, and it would be a great boost to the morale of this country to succeed just this once.
and so April fools day beckons, may it be that some MPs - who have suggested amendments- will fool themselves by trying to cheat the world that they are the true nationalists.
this is the week that matters.
Monday, March 29, 2010
the week that matters
Committed to the preservation of any positive gains of the human race especially those that relate to the socio-political arena and those that people have fought for.
Monday, March 22, 2010
I have no problem with KIA, but...
KIA
this is a place where they train administrators of the Provincial Administration ilk...as in, it is a place where you go to to learn how to work for the government, how to implement policies handed down to you by the President...
the constitutonal debate is talking about a change of culture, a change of the essence of service provision from the monolithic presidential to the communal devolution. Can this be done in a strait jacketed place?
NO.
I am not paranoid about where MPs meet. I was against Naivasha, and now i am against KIA, but judging from the fact that MPs by Friday 19th Marcg 2010, one and half days into the "retreat" had agreed to decentralise resources as oppossed to devolving power, this is the wrong place.
can you imagine an MP legislating at the National Level then going on to be a Governor of the Constituency? Ati the constituency is the lower level of devolution? and the MP is the sole decision maker? ostentation! plus!
These guys are too much!
so what is the right place? Parliament. You know in parliament there is freedom of speech and you dont have to fear libel charges...it provides an opportunity to say the truth without being afraid.
xxxxxx
the CoE must be strong enough to just say no to any suggestions that go against the wishes of the people. kudos so far to the committee, but this is the time for you guys to be strong, msimame kidete na mseme vile mliambiwa na Wakenya.
this is a place where they train administrators of the Provincial Administration ilk...as in, it is a place where you go to to learn how to work for the government, how to implement policies handed down to you by the President...
the constitutonal debate is talking about a change of culture, a change of the essence of service provision from the monolithic presidential to the communal devolution. Can this be done in a strait jacketed place?
NO.
I am not paranoid about where MPs meet. I was against Naivasha, and now i am against KIA, but judging from the fact that MPs by Friday 19th Marcg 2010, one and half days into the "retreat" had agreed to decentralise resources as oppossed to devolving power, this is the wrong place.
can you imagine an MP legislating at the National Level then going on to be a Governor of the Constituency? Ati the constituency is the lower level of devolution? and the MP is the sole decision maker? ostentation! plus!
These guys are too much!
so what is the right place? Parliament. You know in parliament there is freedom of speech and you dont have to fear libel charges...it provides an opportunity to say the truth without being afraid.
xxxxxx
the CoE must be strong enough to just say no to any suggestions that go against the wishes of the people. kudos so far to the committee, but this is the time for you guys to be strong, msimame kidete na mseme vile mliambiwa na Wakenya.
Committed to the preservation of any positive gains of the human race especially those that relate to the socio-political arena and those that people have fought for.
Thursday, March 18, 2010
The Church and the Constitutional Debate
A [wo]man can get exasperated!
You know, i have always thought, now i know it was due to my naivety, that the church, and all religious groups for that matter, were makers of peace.
But i should be quickly reminded that Jesus took a whip and chased people who had turned the house of God into a market! In the same vein, the church of Christ shall not compromise evil.
In 1992, in Rift Valley, i was told a story by a girl who was a victim of ethnic clashes that went on like this " I have, all my life, known that man as the man who preaches the word of God, but that day i saw him cut my father's head off...i was at the window, and i saw my father's head fall down...see the blood sprouting from his shoulders...seeee!" of course what followed was a cataclysmic cough, a violent shiver and convulsion....
She was nine years old.
Every time i think of clashes, i wonder, where did she go?
In 2007, i was told that some churches were uncomfortable with people seeking shelter in their compounds, that actually some sent people, who sought refuge there, away.
Of course the Kiambaa church burned itself, it got annoyed with the people inside and as a result it caught fire.
Let me repent: the examples i give above can only be associated with the rotten apples in the basket of the church, people of evil spirit who hide in the church, and not the church itself.
You see, the most admirable part about the church in Kenya is that it has a clear sense of guilt for commission: The religious group apologised later in 2008 for having let us down, having let the country down, and [if i heard correctly], there was a promise that they shall preach peace.
The church, by a statement signed today, is preparing to REJECT a constitution that has Kadhi's courts. In other words, the church is prepared to make war.
OK. so be it.
If the church rejects this proposed constitution, we shall still have Kadhi's courts since they are there in the present constitution. The church should have ensured that the Kadhi's courts were struck off from the present constitution.
Secondly, the constitution that we have, and the one being proposed are CLEARLY written in the JUDEO-CHRISTIAN spirit and tradition.
Nobody sees this.
Whom does the church consider evil? Muslims? Pagans? Atheists?
Kenyans, we are not making a constitution for Christians, we are making a constitution for Kenyans! And in Kenya, there are Atheists, Muslims, Pagans etc.
You know, i have always thought, now i know it was due to my naivety, that the church, and all religious groups for that matter, were makers of peace.
But i should be quickly reminded that Jesus took a whip and chased people who had turned the house of God into a market! In the same vein, the church of Christ shall not compromise evil.
In 1992, in Rift Valley, i was told a story by a girl who was a victim of ethnic clashes that went on like this " I have, all my life, known that man as the man who preaches the word of God, but that day i saw him cut my father's head off...i was at the window, and i saw my father's head fall down...see the blood sprouting from his shoulders...seeee!" of course what followed was a cataclysmic cough, a violent shiver and convulsion....
She was nine years old.
Every time i think of clashes, i wonder, where did she go?
In 2007, i was told that some churches were uncomfortable with people seeking shelter in their compounds, that actually some sent people, who sought refuge there, away.
Of course the Kiambaa church burned itself, it got annoyed with the people inside and as a result it caught fire.
Let me repent: the examples i give above can only be associated with the rotten apples in the basket of the church, people of evil spirit who hide in the church, and not the church itself.
You see, the most admirable part about the church in Kenya is that it has a clear sense of guilt for commission: The religious group apologised later in 2008 for having let us down, having let the country down, and [if i heard correctly], there was a promise that they shall preach peace.
The church, by a statement signed today, is preparing to REJECT a constitution that has Kadhi's courts. In other words, the church is prepared to make war.
OK. so be it.
If the church rejects this proposed constitution, we shall still have Kadhi's courts since they are there in the present constitution. The church should have ensured that the Kadhi's courts were struck off from the present constitution.
Secondly, the constitution that we have, and the one being proposed are CLEARLY written in the JUDEO-CHRISTIAN spirit and tradition.
Nobody sees this.
Whom does the church consider evil? Muslims? Pagans? Atheists?
Kenyans, we are not making a constitution for Christians, we are making a constitution for Kenyans! And in Kenya, there are Atheists, Muslims, Pagans etc.
Committed to the preservation of any positive gains of the human race especially those that relate to the socio-political arena and those that people have fought for.
Wednesday, March 10, 2010
Katiba ni Sasa! Don't Open the Document!
Ten Reasons why the National Assembly should not open the Proposed Constitution of Kenya
Parliament has the leeway to open and with 65% majority, effect changes to the Proposed Constitution of Kenya as was presented to them by the CoE on 23rd Feb 2010. We must beseech them not to bother satisfying their egos. We must ask them, for the interest of this country, to let go of this right they have. The prospect of their changing the draft is very disconcerting. The reason is not that the Proposed constitution is good, no, it has many flaws some of which include a weak Senate, a debased sense of devolution, the AG office being unchecked, the NA having no one to check it, etc. The reason is that it is totally impossible to know where the MPs would stop. A close friend the other day [re]told the story of the ogre that told the small girl left at home alone by her mother and warned not to open the door to any one "I won't eat you, i just want to suck your small finger!" the rest is known! I was reminded of the story of the camel that asked to have only its head sheltered,this was accepted, the Gabra story goes on to tell how very soon the owner of the home and the camel were shelterless.
Some members of parliament, pushed by personal interests, group interests and most of all by the desire to maintain status quo, may be tempted to go the PSC way and murder the proposed law. All kinds of changes may be made and then we will have an annoying document.
I say to MPs: do not touch the document, ignore PSC, don't even be worried that you may seem to support a certain political party...no, do it for Kenya!
Here are some reasons.
1. There is a framework to ensure checks on executive power for instance through requirements of approval of appointments by the National Assembly and provision of a role for Senate in impeachment of the President in line with requirements of a presidential system
2. There are provisions that will enhance representation of women in elective and appointive positions
3. Some of the issues that have been over time raised by the disability sector such as recognition and representation have been provided for
4. There is an expanded bill of rights
5. Provisions for realisation of socio-economic and cultural rights have been strengthened
6. There is a framework for devolution of power through counties and the Senate as a legislative body
7. Introduction of proportional representation at both the National Assembly and Senate
8. There is provision for citizens to recall non-performing MPs and to petition parliament for legislative actions to redress their concerns
9. There is provision for citizens to take part in amending certain parts of the constitution via referenda, which is empowering for citizens
10. Progressive provisions have been made on the Land Chapter which will enable the country to commence serious land reform. These include provisions providing for maximum and minimum acreage that an individual may hold, recognition of community land and the limitation of lease on land held by non-citizens
These are some of the things we have been fighting for. Imagine the window of opportunity we got in 1991 with the repeal of Section 2A of the present constitution! That alone laid the groundwork for a wide range of democratisation processes! Then, now imagine what opportunities for reform will exist with these provisions coming to bear.
As MPs debate the Proposed Constitution of Kenya in Parliament, Kenyans must collectively call upon them to safeguard the gains made so far. Kenyans must prevail over Parliament not to change progressive provisions of the Proposed Constitution of Kenya that capture their collective aspirations.
Committed to the preservation of any positive gains of the human race especially those that relate to the socio-political arena and those that people have fought for.
kiplagat kiplagat kiplagat
kiplagat, kiplagat, kiplagat...why is it that some people chose not to appreciate the nature of healing...that it feeds from truth and that truth lights the healing fire...kilagat, kiplagat, kiplagat...why is it that you have taken the stance of former ECK chairman, the man kivuitu, why are you seeming to arrogantly say "if Kenya does not heal, i do not heal with it too"?
and let me tell you, this is not a matter that can be dealt with by means of a legal argument. no it can only be dealt with through a moral argument.
and it is not because you come from a certain community, no. it is about your morality, your truthfulness.
who, i ask, is the man woman force government country office behind you that gives you so much arrogance in your veins?
what is it that we need to know, what is it that you know, something that constitutes your past or even the brief you got on the appointment, that we need to know as a country.
why do you want to preside over a travesty of truth and healing?
why are you mocking Kenyans? why are behaving like the true African dictators (as long their is a law which legitimises you, you are ok).
WHY?
Kibaki may not fire you, or a tribunal may not find you guilty, but you are dead in the water!
take a walk, don't kill the commission, don't pollute the healing spa of Kenyans!
and let me tell you, this is not a matter that can be dealt with by means of a legal argument. no it can only be dealt with through a moral argument.
and it is not because you come from a certain community, no. it is about your morality, your truthfulness.
who, i ask, is the man woman force government country office behind you that gives you so much arrogance in your veins?
what is it that we need to know, what is it that you know, something that constitutes your past or even the brief you got on the appointment, that we need to know as a country.
why do you want to preside over a travesty of truth and healing?
why are you mocking Kenyans? why are behaving like the true African dictators (as long their is a law which legitimises you, you are ok).
WHY?
Kibaki may not fire you, or a tribunal may not find you guilty, but you are dead in the water!
take a walk, don't kill the commission, don't pollute the healing spa of Kenyans!
Committed to the preservation of any positive gains of the human race especially those that relate to the socio-political arena and those that people have fought for.
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