MPs must now decide what type of legacy they want to leave behind

Parliament resumes on Tueday after a shortened ‘winter’ break. The men and women who take their seats on Tuesday might turn out as honourable legislators refreshed and keen to give undivided attention to loads of unfinished business towards the reform agenda and full enactment of the new Constitution.

Or they might just turn out to be greedy, quarrelsome, myopic and sabre-rattling demagogues ready and willing to kill the new Constitution and abort the realisation of a new peaceful and prosperous Kenya.

It is the individual choice of each MP to decide whether he or she wants to be remembered only for allowing parochial and selfish politics to destroy this country; or to build a legacy in being part of a group that gave birth to a great new beginning.

From what we are seeing at the poisonous political soapbox, things don’t look too good.

Our so-called leaders have abandoned their electors and discarded basic decency and common sense to do nothing but fight battles for or on behalf of Raila Odinga, William Ruto, Kalonzo Musyoka, Uhuru Kenyatta and the entire sorry bunch of power-hungry ethnic kingpins atop the political totem pole.

Our MPs must realise that their constituents, the people of Kenya, are bigger and far more important than a handful of bloated egos who think that the sun revolves around their personal quests for power and wealth.

Kenya and its people surely should not be held hostage to power-plays by a small bunch of contenders for high office who are ready and willing to bring the entire country down as they fight over the spoils.

Parliament has critical tasks ahead of it in the coming weeks and months. In the run-up to the 2012 elections, Parliament has the power to make or break this country.

By Parliament, I don’t mean just some stone and concrete edifice, but each of the 222 MPs entrusted by Kenyans with the onerous task, in this House specifically, of delivering Kenya from the blood and rubble of the disputed 2007 presidential elections.

The legislators were rightly applauded when they shepherded passage of the new Constitution that could be President Kibaki’s greatest legacy as he prepares to exit the stage.

Unfortunately, they seem determined to undo all the good work. They have regressed into the same old political quarrels based simply on the next elections.

It is the MPs we elected to sit in the august House who must show us they way. They must demonstrate that they place the interests of their constituents above the interests of Messrs Odinga, Ruto, Musyoka, Kenyatta or any other individuals.

If MPs do not see that critical legislative business must not be held hostage to the childish, but deadly, fights of a few individuals, then, we, the people, must put it to them that they are serving out their final term and will never be re-elected.

In any case, if they bring this country down, they will bring it down on their own heads and there might be no seat from councillor to the presidency worth fighting for.

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I have been reading with great interest Prof Peter Anyang’ Nyongo’s account of being treated for prostate cancer.

The minister for Medical Services talked frankly and openly, rare for any Kenyan political leader, about being diagnosed last year with the condition that afflicts so many Kenyan men.

His article came with the revelation, for me, that at 50 I have a 50 per cent chance of getting prostate cancer; with higher odds of 60 per cent at the age 60; 70 per cent at 70; 80 per cent at 80 and so on.

Being struck with the condition has given Prof Nyong’o time to reflect on the shortcomings of medical services in Kenya.

I wish him well as he receives treatment in the US at one of the most advanced prostate cancer centres in the world.

Treatment must cost the bomb and is way out of the reach of ordinary Kenyans.

That is why we need Prof Nyong’o home and healthy to continue work for the universal health insurance project that is still under threat from the corporate buccaneers in the medical and insurance business.

mgaitho@ke.nationmedia.com