Reality Check for Hon. Raila Odinga

Some Kenyan politicians are either suffering from dementia or are having a full blown Alzheimer’s. One Raila Odinga is now promising to go around the country to campaign for a change of some part of a two year old constitution that is not even fully operational yet?

This is not only insane but also stupidity and a display of the highest level of ignorance. Just because you did not win the election does not mean that the Constitution is bad. M4M (March 4th Movement) as well is an outfit of the bitter losers. My friend Okiya Omtatah and his group campaigned for this Constitution and the same applies for Raila Odinga.

We have had three elections that Raila has participated in and has never accepted defeat in any of them. There is a saying that goes like this......If you are the one complaining year in year out and no one else does, then the problem lies squarely on you. He therefore needs to look at himself in the mirror. It is high time that Raila thinks deep and reflects on what he does.

You actually participated in putting the IEBC team in place. And in case you have forgotten, you did go around the country campaigning for the new Constitution. If I am not wrong, your (not) friend Kalonzo Musyoka was baptized Watermelon by none other than you. You called people names. People like DP Hon. Ruto to you then knew no better. You were the smart one.

Just because you did not score in this election does not call for change of referees. Just because you did not score does not mean that your goal was somehow smaller in size. You and your team did participate in the making of rules. Just because you did not win does not mean that the game was bad. No, you are just a bad player. To you Kenyan Courts are bad, Registration of Voters was bad, IEBC is bad, and now Constitution is bad. Let us just say anything anti-Raila is bad for Kenya.

Let me teach you one or two lessons (not so) Hon. Raila Odinga. Changing of the new Constitution from presidential system of governance to parliamentary system will not serve you or Kenyans a favor as you try to put. Let me remind you that ‪Jubilee has almost a two thirds majority in Parliament and your coalition ‪‎CORD has only a third.

If we were to have a parliamentary system, Uhuru Kenyatta would still be the president by the virtue of number of Members of Parliament his party has.  

Parliamentary system is a system where the Leader of a party with majority Members of Parliament assumes the Presidency. In fact Hon. William Samoei Ruto would be favored in this system since Rift Valley has the biggest number of Constituencies. This would give him a head start in the Race for the highest number of MPs.

Let us for once assume that each region will have a presidential candidate.  
What will prevent a candidate from Rift valley from being president every election year? What makes you think that people in Coast or Western or Kisii will vote for your party? What will prevent a leader from those regions from forming a political party just to spoil your broth?

I want to remind you that same Tyranny of numbers that you are so scared of will still apply whether in the presidential or in the parliamentary system. For instance, what will prevent leaders with vote numbers from forming a party and have as many viable aspirants run for Parliament?

Must be it always about one Raila Odinga and his ever-hungry hyenas? It seems like it wouldnt be long before these people turn on one their own and swallow them alive. Has anyone looked at the parliamentary system they are talking of? Does Okiya Omtatah Know what electoral system practiced here in United States functions? Their math or in the words of President Clinton during the 2012 Democratic National Convention, The Arithmetic does not work for them either way.

My dear friend Odinga, it is high time you had an honest conversation with yourself. Time for politicking is over. It is time to let Kenyans build their country. I know you are rich and dont care much really whether your politicking is a destruction from what really matters to folks out there. I know you want a quick way to power and it seems you do not care whether blood is shed or not.

We hear nowadays of ‪‎an Arab Spring-like Revolution. What is good about it? Have you seen how people are dying daily in Egypt? Have you seen how those countries are falling apart? What is in it for peasant farmer? What is in it for a fisherman? What is in it for teachers? What is in it for us?

Here are some facts about the parliamentary system Raila is campaigning for.

The executive is accountable to the legislature. The executive loses power when it loses the confidence of the legislature. With the kind of MPs we have, Kenyans will be going to elections yearly. During war and other emergencies, the Parliamentary government is relatively less effective and successful especially given how Kenya is affected daily by insecurity in Somalia and other neighboring countries. Our country will be reduced to its knees - just because Raila wants/hopes to capture presidency, poor you.

Must I remind him that Kenya actually has a hybrid system of government?  

Does he know that President can be impeached/removed by the Legislature (Senate) through a two-thirds majority vote? Does he know that most senior positions in government are filled only with the approval from the Legislature?

As a student of Political Science, I was thought that both systems have merits and demerits. While public opinion has a better chance of influencing the governments policies and decisions in the parliamentary system, the presidential system is more successful in providing political stability.

I hope beyond hope that one day you, Raila, opens your eyes and starts living in reality. Just like the Late Hon George Saitoti said, Kenya is bigger than an individual.

By Joel K Bwambok. Joel is a Legal Studies and International Relations graduate of the University of Missouri - Kansas City. | jkbwambok@yahoo.com
 

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