Opposition failing to offer alternative solutions to Kenya

Folly showed up at Uhuru Park this week dressed in school uniform and sucking on a lollipop in pretended solidarity with striking teachers.

Such was the deficit of common sense at the public rally that people who failed to be elected into public office were lecturing the government on how to run its affairs.

Instead of offering alternative solutions, one offered a pay-bill number to collect donations to pay teachers a living allowance even as the government tries to starve them back to work.

Another threatened to lead an occupation of Harambee Avenue, oblivious of the reality that the President hardly uses his office, preferring to work close to his sleeping quarters in State House.

E-LEARNING

Meanwhile, as the children of opposition supporters idle at home because of petulant striking teachers and the forced early end of the third term, those of right-thinking parents who support the government are studying through e-learning.

Using e-laptops secretly supplied to pro-government parents, the technology-savvy children are already ahead of any instruction a teacher can give, powering through syllabi like speed trains on the standard gauge railway.

Children of Jubilee people are learning and growing during the four-month holiday while those of Coalition for Reforms and Democracy (Cord) parents are running riot, eating lollipops and playing hopscotch.

Come examination time, the folly of opposing the government will become clear to all and sundry.

As soon as President Kenyatta heard of the mad-hat scheme to impeach him for refusing to give a penny more to teachers, he hopped onto an aircraft with strict instructions to be delivered to the US without turning back midway as happened early this year.

POOR GOVERNANCE
Opposition failure to provide alternative solutions to intractable problems is the biggest cause of poor governance in Kenya.

Since Jubilee took power in April 2013, the Opposition has done a horrendous job of running the government, despite having to manage very small numbers in Parliament.

Jubilee has its hands full managing its 212 members in the National Assembly against the Opposition’s 132. Where the ruling coalition has 39 senators, Cord has 28.

Even with its hands full with running government, Jubilee still reaches out to assist the Opposition to do its work.

Last year, the Opposition was demanding dialogue of everything, including withdrawing the KDF from Somalia just because terrorists were being emboldened by their lack of patriotism.

As soon as one of their own was appointed Cabinet Secretary in charge of security, they went mute.

INFANTILE BEHAVIOUR
They later tried infantile games to block the passage of security laws to fight terrorism, including publicly exposing themselves in the National Assembly, spilling water on the Speaker and storming out of the chamber, only the magnanimity of the government in presenting a weak case in court enabled them to save face.

The President has twice forgiven the Opposition when it was caught out.

For example, when police were piecing together evidence of how former Cord campaign manager Eliud Owalo was planning to destabilise the government through an African Spring-style revolt, the President was the larger man.

He also forgave the Opposition for the attack on Mpeketoni, Lamu, in which over 60 people died.

CAUSING PANIC
So bereft of ideas is Cord that it stole the government’s proposal to increase budgetary allocations to counties from 15 per cent of revenues constitutional minimum to 35 per -- by demanding 45 per cent rise.

Still, Cord has been trying to lecture and threaten the government about reforming the electoral system in the desperate hope that there will be a presidential run-off.

It has been causing panic over the expiry of the term of office for the current polls officials, a month after the 2017 election.

That election will, however, be short, swift and sure, and the winner is already known. It is a miracle that Kenya still develops.

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