Only the best MPs should make laws for Kenyans

What you need to know:

  • If it’s not terrorists, it is our very own people: teenagers raping and killing other children or elderly women being attacked for sums of money.
  • The point of a government is to do for its citizens what they cannot do for themselves. It’s a broad mandate that is supposed to include security, of course, infrastructure, taxes, and other mass-scale concerns.
  • The legislation that Parliament has enacted is the Elections Act of 2011, particularly Part IV.  Maybe we should start thinking about this as an option, before we all burn.

Last week was Jamhuri Day. December 12, 2014 marked 51 years of self-determination, but I wasn't sure what there was to celebrate.

I saw President Paul Kagame of Rwanda in his motorcade, heading for the celebrations at Nyayo Stadium. It was amazing. Not the convoy, no, but the fact that it took seven minutes for traffic to stop and allow his motorcade to move along.

When our own president is moving anywhere, traffic is going to be backed up for much longer than that. In fact, this happens when anyone is moving, really, be it a small-time governor, an MP, a visiting president from a less considerate country or people going to a KMTC graduation. You can also end up being stuck in traffic for 12 hours.

Here's a thought: perhaps graduations should be held on Sundays.

Here's another thought: we are definitely not where we should be as Kenya. We are very far from reaching our Millennium Development Goals. I'm not even sure we have a chance, what with Nairobi City County swimming in enough debt to last two terms of office and Konza City being a dream, then not, then being a dream again.

NOT DOING THEIR JOB

Security has been dying a slow, painful death in our country, although Mr Lenku's leaving might be seen more as a positive than a negative. One questions whether Mr Nkaissery (previously accused of hate speech), or whoever else replaces him, will be facing the same situation that Barack Obama did, having to spend time solving inherited problems, thus hampering strides in the right direction.

Kenyans are dealing with many things. If it’s not terrorists, it is our very own people: teenagers raping and killing other children or elderly women being attacked for sums of money. Who is supposed to save us from ourselves?

The point of a government is to do for its citizens what they cannot do for themselves. It’s a broad mandate that is supposed to include security, of course, infrastructure, taxes, and other mass-scale concerns.

People elect a government, and as such, hand over their right to literal self-rule by putting that rule under the direction of the elected.

The people we picked are not doing their job. These are the people debating the 2014 Security Laws (Amendment) Bill, the ones this Bill affects the least. Those who will be away on fancy holidays in fancy hotels during the holidays, protected by their personal bodyguards.

REMOVING MPS

Speaking of fancy hotels, tourism is at an all-time low this season. According to tourism professionals, more hotels will go bankrupt next year, with many facing a situation worse that they have experienced so far. Forty per cent occupancy at Christmastime simply won't cut it.

The backbone of our economy is fading slowly, as domestic tourism is not enough to support us on its own. As our security falters and fails, the country will too. Article 104 of the Constitution states that:

(1) The electorate under Articles 97 and 98 have the right to recall the member of Parliament representing their constituency before the end of the term of the relevant House of Parliament.

(2)  Parliament shall enact legislation to provide for the grounds on which a member may be recalled and the procedure to be followed.

This means that Kenyans should be able to remove their MPs if they feel they are incompetent. The legislation that Parliament has enacted is the Elections Act of 2011, particularly Part IV. Maybe we should start thinking about this as an option, before we all burn.

Happy Birthday, Kenya. We made it through another year. Someone must be praying really hard to help us survive, and live to perhaps die another day.

Merry Christmas.