Residual colonial hang-ups and the Kenyan Parliament

Just read about proposals meant to radically change Parliamentary traditions in Kenya. It does seem bizzare that some of these practices have been followed nearly 43 years after independence. Apparently it was against parliamentary rules for women MPs to carry their handbags into the chambers. And even as mainstream English dropped the mouthful 'thous' and 'thys', our MPs sang them out like lullabies! Incredible. No wonder we were taught as late as the 1980s when I was in primary school about the white men who 'discovered' the source of River Nile and those who discovered Mt. Kenya! Anyway, I don't quite agree with the Speaker chairing the House Business Committee though. For once the often tactless Norman Nyagah has a point. Wrestling Parliament from the control of the Executive is a good move yet deciding for it how it runs itself may be a step too far. But even as we applaud the changes, for the Speaker to call these changes a 'thorough job for the 21st centrury' is a bit rich- certainly not when you have MPs still stuck in 20th century.

Latter day sainthood preposterous

It would have been laughable were it not so serious that former president Daniel Moi and his political scion Biwott are now preaching peace. They are supposedly wondering why brothers are killing brothers. Kenya is on a meltdown with regard to crime, a notable failure of the Kibaki regime. It is incredible that the administration is so ready to trump up its economic achievements while doing nothing to make those achievements secure. But it would equally be important to locate this upsurge in crime and ethnic tensions within its proper historical context. Ethnic jingoism was the hallmark of the Moi regime. If Jomo Kenyatta planted the seeds of tribalism in Kenya, Moi watered the sprouting plants. To therefore stand up in Church and claim sainthood regarding ethnic tensions and crime is at best preposterous. Moi and Biwott must first take ownership of the problem. Only then can we believe they are genuine.