IEBC should rethink scrapping of small constituencies
What you need to know:
On the face of it, the boundaries review sounds like a straight forward exercise guided by numerical formulae. That is not true.
The current boundaries have historical realities which we can only ignore at our own peril. The theory of unintended outcomes will kick in.
Any changes to the status quo must be the outcome of thorough public participation and not a new map drawn by bureaucrats in Nairobi.
The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) has indicated its intention to review the constituency boundaries after the results of the 2019 National Population Census. The fate of 27 constituencies hangs in the balance. Tentatively, the casualties include Lamu East, Lamu West, Mvita, Mwatate, Wundanyi, Voi, Bura, Galole, Ndaragwa, Tetu, Murkurweini, Othaya, Kangema, and Mathioya, Samburu East, Marakwet East, Keiyo North, Mogotio, Vihiga, Budalang’i, Isiolo South, Kilome, Laisamis, North Horr, Saku, and Mbeere North.
DOWNGRADED
Ever since the announcement by IEBC in August last year, MPs, especially those from the affected areas, have been vocal about the issue and have threatened to shoot down any legislation to effect these changes. Some have threatened to go to court to block the changes. Although their anger could be mistaken as an act of self-preservation, there is quite some sense in rethinking the whole exercise.
On the face of it, the boundaries review sounds like a straight forward exercise guided by numerical formulae. That is not true. The current boundaries have historical realities which we can only ignore at our own peril. The theory of unintended outcomes will kick in. For example, scrapping or merging Lamu East and Lamu West, the only two constituencies in Lamu County, will call into question the viability of Lamu as a one constituency county. Consequently, government administrative structures could be whittled down or downgraded to align to the new reality. Half of the CDF kitty will disappear. This will aggravate marginalisation and poverty in an area which doesn’t have a shortage of the two.
In the northern frontier, the constituency boundaries are based on certain ethnic or clan identities which has worked well for peace and development over the years. Any attempt to alter this balance will lead to unfair political playing field against the smaller clans or sub-tribes. The outcome of this would be the resurgence of ethnic tensions and border skirmishes with the attendant loss of life and property.
In Mt Kenya region, constituencies could face the axe supposedly because their population is below the required threshold of 133,000. That is a half-truth. Due to proximity to Nairobi there is “weekday migration” to the city from Nyeri and Murang’a but these residents maintain a home and have economic interests especially in coffee, tea, dairy and horticulture, in their rural areas. The traffic jams witnessed on the roads leading to this region over the weekends tells it all. Of even great importance is that MPs have been catalytic in mobilising their people including their Nairobi diaspora, along certain economic opportunities, the best example being the thriving dairy industry in Mukurwe-ini. Any disenfranchisement of representation will only serve to degrade the gains made in reviving the local economies of these areas.
INTEGRATION
Further it cannot be safely assumed, for example, that the people of Mukurwe-ini and Othaya will just forget their four-decade old identity as separate constituencies and warm-up to each other overnight. Social integration could take years at a great cost to development and cohesion.
The case of the North Rift constituencies is unique. Sparsely populated, they are some of the most marginalised areas in Kenya and face a myriad of problems including poor road network, low school enrolment, insecurity among others. While a Nairobi MPs can tour his or her constituency in a matter of hours, it will take days to travel around a constituency like Samburu East, Marakwet East, Keiyo North. The legislators from these areas worker harder and longer to achieve even the smallest gains in the development. And there isn’t much support on the ground either as the best teachers, doctors, veterinarians and community workers are not willing to work in these hardship areas. Under-representation will just exacerbate the current challenges.
Constituencies are an important economic, social and cultural identifier of the people. Any changes to the status quo must be the outcome of thorough public participation and not a new map drawn by bureaucrats in Nairobi.
The writer is a Development Consultant [email protected]
