It is said that power corrupt and absolute power corrupts absolutely! Kenyan politicians seem to be corrupted with power so much that they can’t imagine a life away from the precincts of power.
The obsession is so real that even the trusted leaders are now dancing to be tune of endorsing lifetime leaders on Kenyans contrary to the provisions and dictates of the much praised and lauded 2010 Constitution.
The governors are currently hatching a plot to remove term limits so that they can remain at the helm of power for as long as they wish. One question that we must ask ourselves is, if these sitting governors can manage to change the constitution and do away with term limits; what will stop them from winning subsequent elections?
The answer is nothing! A leader who changes the constitution in order to vie for another round is never prepared to lose, otherwise, he would have left power without necessarily shifting the goal posts!
Our politicians are inspired by a doomed spirit of attaining and retaining power at all cost. What do the governors for instance, want to do with the extra terms that they can’t do within the two terms of 5 years each!
Already they are wittily creating and advancing a mischievous narrative that they have done a lot in transforming the state of counties and therefore require more time to accomplish their projects and deliver on the promises. This narrative is only aimed at blinding Kenyans that and confining their options to the incumbents alone.
Who told governors that they have done marvellous job in our counties? You can’t be a witness and judge at the same time. There is no denying that some governors have indeed done good work worth appreciation, but that has only to be determined by the electorates. In other words, this discussion ought to have been initiated by electorates and not leaders.
Kenya has no shortage of good leaders and that is why the drafters of the 2010 constitution, in appreciation of that fact, provided for a term limit in order to pave way for alternative leadership. Ironically, some of the drafters of the very constitution are among the governors advocating for the repeal of that section!
Wiper leader Kalonzo Musyoka has now taken the obsession to another level. He now supports the remove of presidential term limits! This is not only shocking but also worrying given that he is a lawyer and senior politician of reputable standards who ought to be among the last people to mutilate the provision of the constitution.
Why are our leaders targeting our constitution in all their utterances? Of what importance are the amendments to Kenyans? This questions may not have clear answers. But the fact remains that as a country we have assembled so many idle politicians who only think and dream of devising short-cut routes to ascend to power.
Our leaders have run short of ideas on how to curb corruption, how to grow our economy and how to reduce unemployment in the country. They avoid such discussions because they do not serve their interests! They only want to discuss the constitution and how to polarise for easy penetration into the shell of power.
Kenyans must resist to be arm-twisted by these unfounded proposals from politicians that are only aimed at setting a soft landing ground for them the expense of development.