Must We Return Kalonzo To Parliament?

The immediate former vice president Kalonzo Musyoka is likely to make a comeback in parliament if the latest political manoeuvring by Cord to prevail upon an elected member of parliament to resign in his favour succeeds. In this regard, does anyone else feel that there is something terribly askew with this unprecedented political gymnastic to sneak the former VP back into the August House or am I the only one ill-at-ease and queasy about the whole ploy?

A few questions are a constant bother to the mind and beg answering from this whole charade. For starters, what miraculous political feat is the former VP going to attain in parliament that no one else from the ranks of his Wiper party or the Cord coalition has the prerequisite competence and skills to achieve? On the flip side, what is it that is likely to go terribly awry in parliament in the absence of one Kalonzo Musyoka, to herald the latest political machination and blackmail?

Part of the plot includes prevailing upon a legitimately elected member of parliament, presumably from Kalonzo Musyokas’ backyard and preferably from his stronghold, to ‘willingly’ step aside thus creating room for a bye-election in which the VP is expected to contest. Another pregnant question that begs answering is this; has anyone bothered to feign some sort of concern to inquire from these constituents what their own thoughts, if not permission, are about the whole scheme or does it imply that the wishes of the electorate are no longer a matter of concern?

It vexes the mind a great deal when a voter braves the sizzling heat from the scorching sun and long snaking queues to participate in the process of electing a candidate they deem qualified enough to be given the mandate of articulating the issues of a constituency, only to have that democratic endeavor and choice rescinded at the behest of parochial party and individual interests; and not just rescinded but having to face the injustice of imposition of another individual the party deems fit to be in parliament. At this rate, was there really any need of conducting elections or even passing the new constitution which in no way provides a safe landing for a presidential candidate and his running mate?

Does it also mean that there exists in Kenya a certain clique of individuals who must be in parliament or what? And if this is the case, then why can’t we find a ‘safe landing’ for the likes of Martha Karua, Peter Kenneth, Musalia Mudavadi and their running mates? My take is that there are several able bodied men and women, both within and without the precincts of parliament capable of taking and playing any leadership roles in Kenya. What Cord is planning to undertake reeks of pure impunity and a blatant disregard of the common man.

In conclusion, we must tread carefully and with a lot of sobriety lest we find ourselves as a nation resolutely stuck in the miasma of political stagnation.