[UAH] Next time the people protest against MPs, the Executive should step aside - Opinion - nation.co.ke

http://www.nation.co.ke/oped/Opinion/Next-time-people-protest-against-MPs-Executive-should-step-aside/-/440808/1871126/-/cx9twhz/-/index.html

As we were so infamously warned before the General Election by then American overseer for Africa Johnny Carson, choices have consequences.

We have learnt in the past three months that totalitarianism is not just the preserve of uniformed megalomaniacs, but can also come via our own queer variant of parliamentary dictatorship.

Yes, if we do not stop the greedy legislators who want to ride roughshod over the wishes of Kenyans in order to loot and plunder, we can say goodbye to democracy and allow a handful of thugs to turn the Treasury into their own piggy bank.

For trying to overturn the laws and the Constitution to enrich themselves, our MPs have rightfully earned the sobriquet 'MPigs'. That is a gross insult to the rotund creatures who, in truth, eat no more than their dietary requirements and actually do earn their keep.

Our MPigs, by contrast, want take food from the mouths of babes and sucklings and hoard it all for themselves.

They want to deny food to the already starving masses in our urban slums and the forgotten and neglected marginalised regions just so they can stuff more into their already bloated bellies.

They are doing all that under cover of laws they claim give them the right to raid the Treasury. They are claiming that the concept of legislative independence and separation of powers gives them the right to do whatever they want without the direction, supervision or oversight of any power or authority.

That perverse argument cannot be allowed to stand. If the Executive and the Judiciary stand impotent in the face of parliamentary tyranny, then the ultimate authority, the people themselves, must take whatever steps necessary.

If the people decide to act in defence of democracy, law and order, the neutered Executive and Judiciary must step aside and not employ the coercive forces of the police an courts to protect venal MPs.

Our Bill of Rights recognises the right to march, picket, assemble, sing, dance, sit-in, shout and generally express outrage or joy.

Before the 'Occupy Parliament' movement stages its next demonstration against the MPs, I would suggest that the organiser take the Inspector-General of Police David Kimaiyo through a primer on the Constitution.

He could also do with the some specific lessons that the advent of President Uhuru Kenyatta does not mean a rewind of the clock to the old dictatorship, despite retention of the common red shirts and bird symbols of the governing TNA and former 'Mama na Baba' ruling party, Kanu.

Meanwhile, I still think these MPs from both sides of the aisle united by greed could be made to shut up if their leaders laid down the law. President Kenyatta must go beyond meek and sterile admonitions to bluntly tell the Jubilee coalition MPs to abandon their pay demands.

Mr Raila Odinga could do the same with the Cord coalition MPs who have so shamelessly abandoned their primary calling to team up with the governing party legislators in the looting and plunder mission.

Some will repeat that an independent Legislature cannot bow to dictates by the President or any party leader. Hogwash! Parliament is independent as an institution, but legislators are still bound by the policy directions of their sponsoring parties.

MPs on the Jubilee ticket are contracted to help realise the government agenda: while those on the Cord ticket are supposed to provide an alternative.

The Majority and Minority Whips are not elected in their personal capacities, but as drivers of the respective party platforms.

President Kenyatta and his Opposition counterpart, Mr Odinga, must not be afraid of the MPs. They have the power from within their respective parties to de-whip those who refuse to toe the line. If they chose to act, they will be siding with the people.

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I don't quite understand the tiff between AFC leopards and the Kenya Premier League over the former's Zuku TV deal against the latter's broadcast contract with Supersport.

But I see that Supersport also beams the English premier League across most of Africa. Does that bar Manchester United, Chelsea, Arsenal etc getting their own dedicated TV channels? Tell that to the birds.