Opposition stand on Issues

Stand on Issues that matter to unseat Kibaki

Mine is not a pleased plea to the thawing opposition in Kenya we certainly don’t want to be a one party state again. The opposition parties in Our country will always stand no chance other than being manipulated over and over by the ruling party since most of these leaders in opposition do not stand for some specific issues concerning our country. What the opposition mp s are doing is simply counterintuitive of the citizenry. Most Kenyans are likely to see the opposition as a major encumbrance in their efforts to lift themselves out of the current poverty stricken life that they expected to change with the change of government in 2002, but 5 years down the road things are just the same or even worse. Instead, the mps went on to the August house only to be mindful of their own stomachs and as a result, many Kenyans who thronged the Uhuru park during the inauguration day of Mr. Kibaki went back to their homes with hope of atleast being able to put some food on the table for their families only to discover they are economically pent. If the Opposition cannot stand against the government who will for the sake of the disillusioned voiceless people. My concern of writing this article is to counter with one of the ODM Kenya Luminary the one Mr. William Ruto. In the past week or so we all have read what Mr. Ruto has been saying about the creation of slots for several Vice Presidents to share the power with the president if ODM Kenya takes the house on the hill come general elections scheduled for later in the year. I find the Mp from Eldoret North at fault when he says that. The economic situation in Kenya is not capable to amass the kind of money that will be used only to finance all those posts he is talking about leave alone the salaries and other allowances. Assuredly that money will be better placed in the CDF kitty to help in the development of the rural areas that are always marginalized . Back to the issues affecting our country, of all these ODM Kenya Luminaries no one has come up with major plans on how to overhaul our government, by giving a blueprint on how they will deal with the security situation in the country, infrastructure, the HIV/Aids pandemic, Corruption, Tribalism , Nepotism and many other issues that affect directly or indirectly the common Mwanainchi.No Opposition Mps leave alone government, ever talks of our National debt and strategies on how we can make even an attempted effort to repay that debt. The corruption cases in our courts are going for years without anything getting done about them and most of the people involved are the same people who want to lead our country. Kenyans are not about to cede their loved country to a few egocentric individuals yet. The push and pull going on within ODM is just in bad taste and it clearly depicts what our next government will be like when they take over as our leaders. The council of elders was a thing of the past in solving the issues in our traditional family setups. The ODM needs to squire the nomination of their candidate with the Kenyans as a result they will know how well placed they are in the country and work on the issues that affect the Kenyans most. They should use the opinions raised by the common Wanainchi to attack the Kibaki administration in their political campaigns and as a result they can easily ascend to the house on the hill. ODM needs a leader that is intransigent with corrupt , tribalists, nepotistic fellows who are making our country porous in many aspects. But bearing in mind that the culture of support me so we can eat when I get to the house, will never work.We need the ODM party that is propitious with the Kenyans and leaders that are in détente with each other and with the Kenyans at large. My only advise for now is to ODM to go through the nomination process of choosing their flag bearer from the grassroots, do away with Mr. Gumos council of elders team. And not to uphold the sentiments by Mr. Ruto of having two or four vice presidents if they form a new government come 2008. Because this action will be considered to be ad hoc by so many Kenyans which already sounds and looks like it. Since there will be  more wrangles within than  at present given the likelihood of duplication of duties. At this age and time I vehemently believe Kenya will do well with one President and one Vice president. A cabinet of less than 13 but not more than 15. The media should be let alone to do their job of educating, informing and entertaining the Kenyans. Since the media stands as one pillar of the checks and balances. The executive should do its job of enforcing the law , as the Judiciary does its work of interpreting the law and the legislature its part of creating the same . Then we can embark on a more workable solution of reforming our constitution and make Kenya a more livable country that embraces all of her citizens without regard to race, tribe, sex, national origin and sexual orientation.

By Edwin Ooko

political science student in Dallas Texas