Don’t ethnicise law debate

It is encouraging that the proposed new constitution is being subjected to such vigorous dissection.

The 30-day window provided for public input will hopefully help to iron out any kinks, remove unnecessary sections better catered for under the statute law, and get rid of repetitions and contradictions so that a better document is finally taken to the referendum.

The period of public debate should, even more crucially, help to deal with any pending contentious issues so that the version finally presented to the public is one that has prior endorsement by a larger Kenyan society, and is more or less guaranteed an overwhelming “Yes” vote.

This is why debate is healthy, but we cannot fail to point out where public discourse takes a trend that undermines rather than supports the process.

One such dangerous trend we are witnessing is the emergence of ethnic groupings to campaign for or against specific provisions.

The constitution is not being written to satisfy parochial and shortsighted interests, but for a better Kenya as a whole.

There are matters in the draft, such as proposals on the Executive, that raise justifiable concern, but they are Kenyan issues, not ethnic issues.

Central province and other groupings ethnicising the debate are undermining the entire constitution-making, and doing their own cause a great disservice.