Only dialogue will sort out IEBC mess and save country from total anarchy

We still have a mountain to climb to grow our economy and mould our various ethnicities into a cohesive whole in the extended aftermath of the post-poll mayhem of 2007.

Regarding our pre-2017 poll preparation, we have dug ourselves into a hole. We have got to climb out of it so that we can begin to climb our mountain of fostering economic growth and national cohesion.

But we have a problem. They say at Westminster that if you find yourself in a hole stop digging. But in our hole, we are still digging.

The opposition Coalition for Reforms and Democracy (Cord) has grievances against the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) which, it feels, is going to run the next General Election, and especially the presidential poll, in favour of the governing Jubilee Alliance.

Therefore, three weeks ago it embarked on a campaign of public pressure, expressed in weekly demonstrations, to physically eject the IEBC top brass from office.

Before suspending the campaign on Wednesday ostensibly in favour of dialogue, Cord had disregarded what the constitution says about disbandment of IEBC, the role of Parliament in such eventuality and its own letter to the President seeking dialogue. Cord dug in for mass action to achieve its aim.

Jubilee similarly dug in for a long fight, maintaining Cord channels its grievances through Parliament and follow the Constitution.

President Kenyatta, while saying Jubilee is ready for dialogue, insisted this must be done through Parliament.

The truth is that government is loath to listen to the views, let alone prescriptions, of Cord, and much less act on them.

In fact, Jubilee regards Cord, and especially its Raila Odinga-led Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) affiliate, as sore poll losers intent on bulldozing their way into government or bringing it down through street action.

STREET ACTION

The government is not keen to dialogue with Cord, which it accuses of subverting the Constitution.

Mr Odinga & Co, on the other hand, appear persuaded that by taking the IEBC debate out of Parliament and onto the streets, they will tilt the battlefield in their favour.

Pitting people power against State power is Mr Odinga’s preferred political battleground. So, it would appear, each side planned to tough it out, with supporters seemingly psyched, for the long haul.

The truth, however, is that both sides are dead wrong. Cord cannot respect that part of the constitution that allows it to picket and disrespect that which provides for how it would dissolve the IEBC.

Secondly, Cord cannot demand dialogue whilst holding a gun to the head of Jubilee via street action and demonising institutions of governance in order to delegitimise the government.

Government, for its part, must not close the door to dialogue because the nation which it leads has been polarised and poisoned over IEBC. To this it can turn neither deaf ear nor blind eye.

Put another way, the significant Cord constituency is drifting farther away from its equally large Jubilee counterpart.

But neither side, and especially government, can afford, in the interests of national security, to let this chasm grow any larger.

I say only dialogue can bridge this chasm and the way forward, I suggest, is for the relevant committees of Parliament to lead the way out of the impasse.

The committees comprise Cord and Jubilee members and each side, taking instructions from its principals, should, in good faith, table recommendations on ending the stalemate through negotiations.

I say Parliament because, even if we choose the Inter Parties Parliamentary Group (IPPG) way of 1997, whatever is agreed will only be given legal status by Parliament.

NEGOTIATION

There are no two ways about this. Secondly, no matter our differences, we must settle them within the respective institutions we have created and in which we must have and show faith.

The supreme one is the constitution of which Parliament is its creation.

Lastly, something about negotiation. Cord and Jubilee will only negotiate when they are ready for honest discussion and a spirit of give-and-take.

One negotiates when one is ready to cede ground; see the good on the other side and take it on board; and appreciate one is a hindrance and make amends midstream for the national good.

MPs distinguish themselves in crises by showing wisdom and vision, leadership and courage.

Our crisis is how to get out of a deep poll hole to climb a steep economy mountain. MPs must lead the way.

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