I WISH THE COALITION WOULD CRUMBLE/THE COALITION HAS SURPASSED EXPECTATION

It has been a year since the grand coalition was formed. A lot of debate has gone on as Kenyans commemorated the first anniversary of what we were hoodwinked was to usher us from the abyss of darkness and onto the sunlit uplands of prosperity and peace. The devil, it seems has been with this government by invitation, every step of the way. Kenyans are not disappointed, the lacklustre performance was expected. Kenyans are tired of frustration.

Of all the articles that I read on this topic, the one that drew my most attention was Pete Ondeng's 'Coalition has not failed; it has just had hunger added to its plate'. The author is a man who can simply be described as dogmatic. He blinds himself to the reality, just like those in government. The only reason we have a government is to make things better. When such an author posits that it was not the responsibility of the government to provide food and even almost calls it idiotic to expect the president and PM to do so, he ignore that very basic purpose of government. This is one government that has not only betrayed the independence dream but also the hopes of people.

To maintain security, it kills. To ensure food security, it steals the public's maize. To reduce debt, it borrows from the public only for the money to end up in the pockets of officials. A government that knows no etiquette, not sorry and certainly not 'excuse me'. It cannot respect the constitution that it is supposed to protect. But then, how do we expect this government to respect the constitution if it was formed through an act equivalent to defiling the constitution? The constitution should have been a document to guide, it has ended up being simply a document. The last series of amendments and the more to come have in fact been guiding the constitution to the wishes of the elected. The result has been to leave Kenyans with a constitution that cares for everything but the vital. If the president were to, for some reason, leave office, who would take over? Constitutionally the Vice President; but how acceptable is it vis-à-vis the reality on the ground now that we have a P.M? How, also, would we hold an election without an electoral commission to talk of? But then we shall have a commission 'soon'; will the commission of novices be expected to run a referendum and then an election that is free and fair. Unless free and fair exists only in the politicians mind, then we cannot expect to have free and fair elections. It took Kivuitu about 10 years to run an election called fair. Now the MPs want us to believe that these novices can achieve that in 10 fortnights. Against hope, I expected this government to fail; now, judging by the cooperation they afford each other in institutionalizing these crimes, I hope against expectation that this government will fail.

We need some one to blame, somebody to be accountable to the people. As it is now, the failure of one is because 'our partners do not treat us equally'. Where they can speak in one voice, Dr. Mutua will promptly avail himself to state the governments position encrypted in denial. A year after this government was formed to give Kenya the best, it has come the closest some of us can relate to the description of the horrors of colonialism. Formed to stop murder, it has been convicted by all except itself of murder. Having promised to give food, it has let a third of the population slide into starvation. Promising to provide free universal education, it has increased school fees. Promising transparency, it has stolen in daylight. IDPs had only one day of hope. Young men from GEMA never know when the police bullet will go through their spine. Where traders were promised security to work for 24hrs a day, they can't work securely at 1pm. Where it was supposed to breed unity and harmony, it has given ministers that will tell their tribes they are under threat from others. This government really was a coming together of three major parties that had photocopied each others manifesto. I would have expected these to reinforce each other, it seems they did and in their true colours. If this is what government is, I don't need one. We do not demand perfection, but we do not want those who seek imperfection and actively work towards doomsday. This government has not just failed to respect my rights, it has abused them beyond imagination.