Can we get our normal Kenyan life back?

Since the announcement of the presidential results in December, a number of Kenyans have sat uneasily about what the future holds for them. For a period of time things have got back to normal except for the recent remarks that ODM on this last week of February 2008 will stage protest rallies to make PNU side allow for the constitutional changes to take place reason it's the only language that the PNU side seems to understand. It seems that PNU side believes it that after a period of time, everything will get back to normal so all they need to do is just delay the political resolution by extending the talks. That strategy is not working in fact, by the president saying that all resolutions to be past by the Annan team must be within the constitution, the ODM team have declared public protest if no change is seen. This has rekindled the political animosity that Kenyans were quickly forgetting spark off a clash in one slum in Nairobi. The president and his team must realize that this is not the time to test the waters since the political crisis had reached the point where it was just steps from breaking into a full civil war. People have already demarcated their territories in neighborhoods like Kibera, Dandora and Mathare in Nairobi and in the North Rift Valley and Kisumu. Nakuru is the battle point which has cooled down since the Annan talks started. For the past three weeks there are definitely people who have made all the preparations that they can for the worst case scenario and are just waiting for a signal so statements being made by the president and ODM might just send the wrong message which is to declare war. It is sad for the political elite especially from the PNU side to stand in the way of democratic reforms that have been taking place since the early 1990s.

Kenyans have always wanted a change in the constitution and especially to reduce the powers of the president. It is expected, like in every other country, the party that gets the most seats in parliament gets to form the government. ODM have the most seats in the parliament so I do not think that what they are asking for is too much to give- an executive prime minister. If that's what will end the political stalemate, then split the executive powers. Let one be the head of state and commander in chief to handle all international matters and the other be head of government to handle all local issues. This system has worked elsewhere even just across in Tanzania. From that point they can institute the other political reforms and if there is still a dispute then the president can call for fresh elections. There are a lot of issues that they must sort out in such an arrangement so they better get moving fast the main reason…. Kenyans are unable to plan and focus for the future. Living in suspense is not the best of things. Some of us are currently need to make decisions on if to look for a job, go back to school or invest in a new business venture and we cannot just decide on the best path to take because of uncertainty. Kenyans are holding on to their stocks at the NSE, companies that had focused on making major investments are now holding back their money and all this is affecting the economy especially money supply. What does this mean; those who would have been employed are now not been employed, the volume of business has greatly reduced and is now focused on essential and urgent activities. Worse still, there are sectors which have completely collapsed leading to the loss of jobs like in the tourism industry. Former employees do not know their fate. Should they look for other jobs, go back to school or invest in other lines of business? Those are hard questions especially if you have major financial commitments to make like school fees and loan/mortgage repayments. We need the resolution to the problem so that we can start to plan for the future.

It is also hard to start the social healing process if Kenyans are always been reminded of the political crisis that brought about the social problems in the first place. How will displaced people go back to their former homes when the talks seem to be crumbling? How can investors start investing if they are not sure of when and if they will get their returns? Some of us had finally settled and started to draw up plans for the year. Since am in the hospitality industry, I have spent time writing articles to reassure tourists/volunteers on Kenya's safety and advising those seeking to cancel not to cancel. In fact just this week I wrote a lengthy email to a prospective volunteer/tourist who had attached images and numerous articles suggesting that Kenya was still at war. I reassured them that all was well only to hear the statements of the president and ODM. Do this two know the impact of their statements? Or do they only care about themselves and their stomachs? Trust a politician for this and I think am fed up of the games that especially the government side thinks it is playing with people's lives and futures. There are already enough people dead, misplaced and with uncertain future. Stop the games and resolve the constitutional crisis.

magu nguru
Twawezakenya.com