Something does not quite add up in Cord’s quest for a referendum
What you need to know:
- To start with, no electoral commission anywhere on this continent is ever fair to the loser. Always, there is the cry of electoral fraud, however scanty the evidence. But that is politics made in Africa.
- Perhaps it’s time the public were told by Cord what exactly to expect from the referendum. After all, collecting one million, or even five million, signatures will be the easiest hurdle for Cord to surmount.
Before July 7, the buzz-phrase in our political discourse was “national dialogue”. Everyone took sides on the issue, with those supporting it, saying it was the best idea since Noah’s time, while those opposed poured vitriol on it without saying exactly why.
Soon afterwards, Kenyans became enamoured with the buzz-word, “referendum”, while their counterparts believed it was a gigantic plot by the opposition to take over “their” government. In either case, they most likely had no idea what they were arguing about, though they would have gladly taken up cudgels against one another to make their point.
One thing is common, though, with those concepts: They were both conceived and popularised by the Cord Alliance. And, in my view, they are both cleverly-designed distractions, which have made our politics at once lively and befuddling.
Up to this day, I have not understood why Cord demanded a national dialogue in whatever format. Nevertheless, most of the issues the party articulated made plenty of sense. Today, I do not understand why Cord wants a referendum, but I’ll hazard a few guesses.
Our country’s economy is unhealthy, and our Western “development partners” seem to be intent on sending it to the ICU with their travel advisories. Our national security apparatus is in a shambles and ostensibly unable to cope with sporadic, deadly terrorist attacks and ethnic or inter-clan clashes.
HALF-WAY MEASURE
Secondly, 50 years after Independence, a huge majority of Kenyans are still living in absolute poverty, which has been defined by the United Nations as “severe deprivation of basic human needs, including food, safe drinking water, sanitation facilities, health, shelter, and education”.
These are some of the fundamental issues raised by Cord on why they want a referendum. Others, like the disbandment of the IEBC, or the anchoring into the Constitution a clause that 40 per cent of all revenue be allocated to counties, or even ethnicity in the hiring for public jobs, are, in my thinking, too frivolous for a referendum.
To start with, no electoral commission anywhere on this continent is ever fair to the loser. Always, there is the cry of electoral fraud, however scanty the evidence. But that is politics made in Africa.
What baffles me, and maybe thousands of others uninitiated in the intricacies of Kenyan politics, is the end-game of this referendum thing.
Is it supposed to be a vote of no-confidence in the Jubilee Government with the ultimate aim of dislodging it before its term is over, or is it supposed to be a half-way measure so that Cord can gain momentum that will catapult it to State House, come 2017?
If it is the latter, then it is completely legitimate, though rather crude. But in that case, why not postpone the referendum until 2017 when the proper elections are scheduled? That would be the best moment to ask voters whether they want another five years of Jubilee leadership.
CLEVER DISTRACTION
Secondly, perhaps like many other Kenyans, I would like to know the format in which the referendum questions will be framed. Will it be a yes/no format in which Kenyans will be asked whether they agree or disagree with the way Jubilee is handling security issues, for instance? If the answer is overwhelmingly no, then what?
Perhaps it’s time the public were told by Cord what exactly to expect from the referendum. After all, collecting one million, or even five million, signatures will be the easiest hurdle for Cord to surmount.
Perhaps they should be allowed to jump over all the others and get their referendum. Then what next? Is a referendum going to provide solutions to any of these problems?
I have already hinted at my take on this whole issue of dialogue and referendum. It is a cleverly orchestrated distraction from the business of running the country and the Jubilee leadership is being sucked in by this naked ruse.
When their attention is elsewhere, there is no way they can perform with full concentration, which then makes it a self-fulfilling prophecy.
But there is another important question that must be addressed: There are three years left between now and the next election. Cord leaders seem to have started campaigning in earnest.
Is Kenya really going to survive a three-year campaign fever intact?
