Who will save us from an intolerant Executive if opposition is rudderless?

Raila Odinga with his former running mate, Kalonzo Musyoka before attending the LSK meeting at Leisure Lodge Resort, Mombasa, in this picture taken on 16 August 2013. PHOTO: Laban Walloga.

What you need to know:

  • What Mr Odinga and Mr Musyoka said in defence of free media and independent institutions sounded pathetic when their own troops in Parliament had lined up behind the Jubilee regime’s effort to silence all discordant voices.
  • One must wonder just how unprincipled important figures in Cord are if they can be turned with 30 pieces of silver.

Twice, over the past two months, what passes as the Official Opposition has called meetings of its key organs to deliberate on matters of national importance.

What has come out of the expositions from the Cord alliance headed by Mr Raila Odinga of ODM and Mr Kalonzo Musyoka of Wiper has just been confirmation that the opposition is both radarless and rudderless.

At a time when the Jubilee coalition is lurching from one crisis to another, the lack of a focused opposition to establish itself as a government-in-waiting is glaring.

After suffering the contentious electoral defeat in March, Cord presidential candidate Odinga and his unlikely running mate Musyoka would have been allowed time out to lick their wounds.

But they would hardly have been expected to go AWOL when the country is crying out for checks on a regime that seems determined to take the country backwards to the era of all-powerful leaders, who cannot be questioned.

After the Cord Parliamentary Group meeting on October 29, the opposition decried the “unlawful and unconstitutional invasion of the freedom of the media and the freedom of expression”.

This followed the government’s push to muzzle all voices of dissent and independent thought with legislation targeting the freedoms enjoyed by the media and civil society.

However, what Mr Odinga and Mr Musyoka said in defence of free media and independent institutions sounded pathetic when their own troops in Parliament had lined up behind the Jubilee regime’s effort to silence all discordant voices.

And, following the latest party meeting last week, Mr Odinga and Mr Musyoka spoke out against the governments ‘Nyumba Kumi’ security initiative.

They rightly pointed out that the move plotted as a response to the Westgate Mall terrorist attack was both retrogressive in the day of modern policing; and potentially dangerous as harbinger of a return of the police state and repressive internal security machinery.

However, the Cord leaders were at the  same time whining that the government was moving to dismember the opposition by buying out its MPs and other leaders.

While the methods may be questionable, one must wonder just how unprincipled important figures in Cord are if they can be turned with 30 pieces of silver. Perhaps many are seeing that lack of focus and direction in the opposition provides little to be loyal to.

No wonder, perhaps, that Mr Odinga and Mr Musyoka are more often described by the past — former Prime Minister and former Vice-President — than by the present, leaders of the opposition.  

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Last week, it was the turn of the Deputy Governor Uasin Gishu, Mr Daniel Chemno, to put on display just how challenged upstairs our leaders are. His Excellency stormed a hotel in Eldoret and rudely ejected visiting British Embassy officials.

Mr Chemno accused them of visiting Uasin Gishu without the say-so of the county government.

Mr Chemno obviously has very little knowledge on diplomatic protocol, and even less on the limits of executive fiat. One does not need a visa to enter Uasin Gishu or any other county.

The Constitution also guarantees freedom of speech, movement, assembly and association. Uasin Gishu is not exempt.

If the forum attended by the diplomats was plotting subversion, treason, or other crimes, the proper arms of government to intervene would not include garrulous, publicity-seeking politicians.

The British diplomats obviously would not have been on an ICC mission; but even if they were, running them out of town is most unwise.

Interfering with investigations is itself a crime under the ICC laws. Worse, it would suggest, in this case, that the accused are in charge of a regime that is actively out to sabotage the investigations.

There is no need to spell out the consequences.

Mr Chemno might have wanted to steal the thunder from Laikipia Governor Joshua Irungu, who had his own moment of infamy by threatening to cut links with Britain and the United States over the ICC cases.

The Governor obviously forgot that his county had no capacity to cut diplomatic relations with Britain or any other country.

Shortly afterwards, the Governor, tail between his legs, was heading cap-in-hand to London on a mission to woo investors!

[email protected]. Twitter: @MachariaGaitho