6 October 2008
editorial
Nairobi — The Tenth Parliament reconvenes on Tuesday afternoon after a three-month recess, and it is expected that its members will have placed their palms on the pulse of the country and understood what Kenyans expect of them.
This is necessary because the sentiments of a number of MPs, expressed publicly since the recess began, indicate that some of them are bent on conveniently forgetting what does not benefit them directly.
Talk of the 2012 General Election, as well as human and property rights, are sound themes that should not divide, but unite us even more.
However, the manner in which such messages have been delivered by our MPs has largely ignored issues that deeply matter to the majority of Kenyans.
It is for this reason that we remind the MPs to get down to work, not only with speed, but with a lot more dedication. They should now urgently legislate on matters that immediately resonate with the people.
For example, hundreds of Kenyans were violently uprooted from their homes in January following the contested presidential election results. They are yet to be resettled.
It would be naïve of our MPs to blame politics solely for the mayhem. It was caused by deeply-rooted grievances, most of which were pointed out by the National Dialogue and Reconciliation team that brokered the solution to the violence.
The team, headed by former UN Secretary General Kofi Annan drafted the Grand Coalition and power-sharing agreement between the Party of National Unity and the Orange Democratic Movement.
That President Kibaki and Prime Minister Raila Odinga signed the pact on February 29 does not mean that this was the ultimate solution to our problems.
The Annan-led team also proposed a number of Bills, including review of the constitution and other measures under Agenda 4, that Parliament should effect to enhance cross-ethnic harmony. On this front, the political class seems to have gone to slumber.
This session must put the constitution review at the top of the agenda, and also amend parliamentary Standing Orders to allow for speedy legislation.
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