Implement Constitution, the rest will fall in place

There are significant events of a national nature that happen and, within a short while, we forget about them and move on.

Five years ago last Thursday, on August 27, we promulgated our own home-made Constitution under which we are now operating.

During the last five years, we have been going through the challenge of implementing this Constitution.

We have experienced its gains particularly in the devolved system of government and a lean government that is not composed of politicians.

REMAIN FOCUSED

We still face huge political challenges in the form of governors looking for more money and an opposition that hopes to save Kenya through the Okoa Kenya initiative among others.

These are, in my mind, not insurmountable. If we indeed came up with the Constitution — and many of us have forgotten the struggles that led to it — we are well able to sort out our affairs if we remain honest and focused on making this a better nation in which everyone operates by the rule of law.

There are certain things that have happened since the promulgation that should teach us that we are on the right path. Take the last presidential elections for instance.

In the past, the swearing-in of the elected president would be organised in a hurry to make sure whoever has any reservations would be fighting against a sitting president.

This time round the Constitution requires that time be allowed so that whoever has doubts can challenge the results in the Supreme Court.

We would better agree that by and large we have a good Constitution which, when fully implemented, will help this country move to a higher level. Just imagine if Chapter Six was properly implemented to the letter.

The problem we have is that in national matters, selfish political considerations more often than not outweigh the more substantial issues that have to do with the good of Kenyans.

Is it a wonder that it took so long to make our current Constitution? Let us keep quiet and remember the people who suffered and even died in the course of this process.

To a large extent the Constitution making process became a field for different political groups to flex their muscles with very little consideration of the larger gains for Kenyans.

Up to this day we still see opposition politicians pointing accusing fingers at others in government with regard to their commitment to implementing the Constitution.

Some of them have been in government before. How well did they score in this matter? If our leaders were honest, we would get somewhere.

Fr Wamugunda is dean of students, University of Nairobi; [email protected]