THE PM IS NOT ANYBODY`S POLITICAL HOSTAGE.

I must confess that it is extremely difficult for me to comprehend the prodigious measure of infatuation some politicians have with the Prime Minister. Smarting under the humiliating referendum defeat a faction of the hitherto naysayers has now found a cooling effect in leveling their gratuitous gibes at the PM. For the umpteenth time, they have indicted him of cruelly flaunting his power, while treating those who delivered the premiership to him as peons.

With such sentiments, I now believe that theirs is a classic example of legislators who believe that by using their old and most favored method of blackmail, they can hold the PM as a political hostage in order for them to remain relevant in this very fast -shifting political landscape. Unbeknown to them, such intemperance is only helping to project the PM as the best among the pack. With promptitude born of political astuteness, he has called for reconciliation and national cohesion in the post referendum period while some legislators are still busy spoiling for a brawl.

To begin with, it is naive of these legislators to imagine that the PM can ride roughshod over ODMs Parliamentary Group (PG) resolutions. Raila`s opinions are not necessarily identical with those of the PG, even though he is its party leader. Like any other party member, the best the PM can do is to appeal to the PG to re-evaluate its decisions. It is therefore utter disrespect of the PM as well as the party's PG for some legislators to insinuate that the PG is nothing more than the PMs errand boys.

Secondly, directing such flak at the PM clearly lends credence to the fact that their sustained opposition to the proposed constitution was just but surreptitiousness for the continuation of their efforts at undermining him.

Thirdly, notwithstanding my opposition to their exclusion from cabinet and CIOC, I dare say that these legislators must rest their case on the breast of honesty. They must not take advantage of the prevailing calls for reconciliation and national cohesion to start demanding for immediate amendments to the just ratified constitution. Like the American statesman Benjamin Franklin, I dare say that “if every legislator, in returning to his constituents, was to report the objections he has to the ratified constitution, and endeavor to gain partisans in support of the so called “contentious clauses”, they will definitely and completely prevent its being generally received, and thereby lose all the salutary effects and great advantages resulting from this constitution.”

Besides, if they so hanker to be included in the CIOC (as they expressly indicated in their Arboretum Luncheon), it is incumbent upon them to desist from their career of treachery and genuinely support the country's overriding desire for the implementation of the ratified constitution. They must be ready to allow the gradual thawing of relations in their parties as well as in the government or honorably ship out. It only takes a politician who is completely unable to confront his or her own conscience to remain in a party or a government whose policies he or she vehemently abhors.

TOME FRANCIS,
BUMULA,
http://twitter.com/tomefrancis