The glee by some legislators across the political divide over the current political disarray in ODM is understandable. Many PNU legislators and sympathizers think that they have hit a brilliant insight. Convinced that the political fall-out between the PM and the Agriculture Minister is quite unmanageable they think it is time to arm twist ODM not only in the legislative agenda but also in spiting the PM by amending the constitution through unsavory deals to mandate the president to appoint the leader of the Government Business in the House.
Among those hopeful of exploiting this golden opportunity is the vice president Kalonzo Musyoka. He has in fact just stopped short of declaring himself the de facto Chairperson of the House Business Committee as well as the leader of Government Business in the House. This follows the omission of the name of the PM from the powerful House Business Committee (HBC).
The Vice President has taken this move to mean that the PM has begun to trim his (PM`s) political ambitions. This explains why the Vice President has lately been ranting that he still has a letter from President Kibaki appointing him (albeit without consultation as is stipulated in the National Accord and Reconciliation Act 2008) to that position. The Vice President must not be hasty in popping the champagne bottle. This is because this kind of reasoning has extremely wide margins of error.
To begin with, I am sure that the Vice President as well as his minders know that making such a move would be seen by many across the political divide as an irrefutable way of ensuring that government business is paralyzed by partisanship something parliament and the larger public presently abhors.
Secondly, since the National Accord and Reconciliation Act 2008 is part and parcel of the constitution, it requires that any amendment to any provision therein must meet a two thirds threshold. PNU knows very well that even with the support of the renegade ODM legislators, it cannot presently marshal this kind of support.
Thirdly, the vice president together with his ilk should realize that the PM may have just made a tactical retreat. ODM is indeed capable of pulling a fast one on the vice president. I will not be surprised if many of those legislators pursuing bipartisanship move a motion in parliament to amend the constitution to specifically mandate Parliament to elect the leader of Government Business. Such a motion is likely to receive overwhelming support from legislators across the political divide.
In the event that Kalonzo is to face a neutral ODM contestant like honorable Dr. Sally Kosgei or Joyce Laboso, Kalonzo`s chances of actualizing his lofty dream would be blown to smithereens. This is because of parliament’s increasing desire to see gender parity triumph coupled with the fact that his presidential ambitions have so far, rubbed many (including those in PNU) the wrong way. Many may want to use that opportunity to spite him. He will simply eat a humble pie.
In my considered opinion, instead of further paralyzing Government Business, the Legislators must embrace bipartisanship and allow the speaker of the national Assembly to continue to chair HBC as well as be the leader of Government Business in the House.
TOME FRANCIS,
BUMULA.
http://twitter.com/tomefrancis
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