By Oscar Obonyo
Amid the political filth flying around and hardening of partisan positions in Parliament, a voice of reason is taking root in the august House.
The legislators pushing for a middle ground are persuaded by the need to break the ping-pong between rival parties ODM and PNU, and drive the national agenda in Parliament.
Ardent debaters, Narc-Kenya leader Martha Karua and Ikolomani MP Bonny Khalwale have emerged as the lead faces of this middle-ground team.
The Gichugu MP has repeatedly reminded colleagues not to view emerging issues of debate as a personal loyalty contest for President Kibaki or Prime Minister Raila Odinga.
"This is not about the two principals. It is not a power game between them; it is about our country, and is about reforms," she said last week, during the debate on judicial nominations.
Together with others, Karua and Khalwale have created a buffer zone between the rival combatants. They have been the moderating factor in heated House debates that are increasingly taking a partisan dimension.
Others include Assistant Ministers, Peter Kenneth, Kabando wa Kabando, Cecil Mbarire, Asman Kamama, Wavinya Ndeti, and Garsen MP Danson Mungatana, who leads the inter-parties parliamentary caucus for reforms.
Others are departmental House committee chairmen, Abdikadir Muhammed, Ababu Namwamba, Chris Okemo and Adan Keynan.
National institution
Colleagues also describe legislators David Eseli (Kimilili), Gitobu Imanyara (Imenti Central) and Manson Nyamweya (South Migirango) as independent-minded and free from political party and regional enslavement.
Claiming that MPs are not loyal and accountable to the people because most may be beneficiaries of a stolen election, human rights lawyer Harun Ndubi warns of the deadly consequences of ethnic polarisation as witnessed in the 1997 and 2007 General Election years. He regrets that many MPs do not see Parliament as a national institution and instead promote ethnic, personal and parochial interests. Besides the few MPs believed to be politically sober, he views Speaker Kenneth Marende as the other progressive voice.
"The Speaker should cajole everybody to move to the centre to build instead of tearing the country apart," says Ndubi. Indeed, owing to the heavily vested political and tribal interests, Marende holds the key to Kenyans' aspirations. Even as Parliament gears up to discuss the reports by the Legal and Justice Affairs and Finance committees this week, many bank on his leadership.
"The country is polarised along party and tribal lines and there is enough negative energy being expended out there. Some, however few, must spare their energies and stand up for what is right," says Namwamba.
The Budalang'i MP, who chairs the Legal and Justice Affairs Committee, regrets that most politicians are engrossed in demonstrating their loyalty to the two principals.
"Even where everybody succumbs to the whims of tribal and regional interests, and more so at this time when everybody is losing their head for politics' sake, somebody must stand up for Kenya," he adds.
Conceding that members of his committee initially waded through a host of complexities, owing to party loyalties, Finance Committee Chairman Okemo, is happy to report that members have now agreed to forge ahead.
Be objective
"Our committee has succeeded in striking a reconciliatory tone, a fact that has enabled us to work in a bi-partisan manner. There is no doubt the report from our retreat in Naivasha will be balanced," assured Okemo.
Narc-Kenya leaders have also stood out firmly to steer the review process. Opinion is, however, divided as to whether Karua and Mungatana are persuaded by political interests with an eye on next year's elections.
But Narc-Kenya CEO Tabu Daniels denies the duo's stands are driven by political opportunism. He maintains the two are guided by the party's principles, which stresses on respect for the rule of law.
"The party's top leadership is made of lawyers, who are naturally keen on ensuring justice and due process. As a party we believe the country is bigger than any of us," he says.
Okemo told The Standard On Sunday: "We want to be as objective as possible. I want to assure Kenyans and my parliamentary colleagues in particular, that we shall do this country proud."
Neutral, says Namwamba, is not the word to describe him and others pushing for real change. "I am consistent about what I stand for. If you do not stand for something, then you risk falling for anything," he adds.
Source: The Standard | Online Edition
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