Congregation of Fools

I’m not sure how else to characterize the current Parliament.

No wonder we have such an escapist President…who would want to deal with such imbeciles?

Oh gosh, I guess I was about due for a rant.

Here we go…
So Parliament resumed yesterday.

And it didn’t take long for the tragedy that is Kenyan politics to manifest itself in all its glory.

Where do we start?

“Parliament got off to a stormy start that saw the Opposition pull out of the most important committee of the House at the end of a bitter dispute on Wednesday.”

Which means we have to spend the rest of the year listening to the Opposition whining about being left out of the decision-making process and threatening to shut down government business. The fact that virtually no government business has been conducted by Parliament since 2003, makes me wonder why the Opposition is acting like this was such a deal-breaker issue. Unless I’m missing something, the previous 11-9 configuration that they are now up in arms about did not fundamentally change their collective ability to do much more than draw a paycheck every month and hold political rallies. Can the Opposition even point to one instance when they pushed an agenda had a positive impact on Kenyans since 2003? Let’s see…we can have no meaningful parliamentary proceedings OR no meaningful parliamentary proceedings. Brilliant!

“The Government was also forced to drop Trade minister Dr Mukhisa Kituyi in favour of Public Service minister Moses Akaranga after a section of Ford-Kenya-allied MPs protested at what they saw as skewed nomination within the party. They complained that all the three MPs from the party — Local Government minister Musikari Kombo, Kituyi and Assistant minister Moses Wetangula hailed from Bungoma District.”

I have no words. OK maybe I do. Yaani it’s not even tribal, we are now at a district level? But that’s an easy target. Wasn’t the nomination list presented by Ford-Kenya itself? Why couldn’t this issue have been sorted out in the FIVE month recess that these guys have had?

“Planning minister Henry Obwocha of Ford-People said his party was entitled to its own slot on the committee. “Ford People is not dead. Some party members are still in the Opposition, like Magara,” said Obwocha.”

I am just fascinated with the way that the MPs acting as if party-politics in Kenya is based on ideology. That’s the only way that this brouhaha can be justified. Can anyone tell me what Ford-People stands for? Ford-Kenya? ODM?

While saying he would remain a Narc member until 2007, Raila added that the composition of committees must be decided by the various parliamentary groups.

And as Kaparo confirms “the political parties represented in Parliament as Narc, Kanu, Ford-People, Safina, Sisi Kwa Sisi and Ford Asili.” There is no LDP or Orange as far is Parliament is concerned. So I’m not really sure what Raila’s story is. He didn’t object to Kamotho’s name being offered as part of the opposition, but wants to question Ford-P’s role in the government side. You can’t have it both ways. The only people who should be having a beef are maybe Kanu and Ford-People guys. Then when Kaparo offered a compromise: “In the afternoon, Kaparo ruled that Kanu deserved an extra slot that had hitherto been surrendered to the Ford-P, as the latter had since been co-opted to the Government of National Unity. But both sides dug into their heels, forcing physical votes.”

So the opposition has resigned from the committee en masse. I fail to understand what point they are trying to make since paralyzing parliament is not exactly a vote-winning tactic. Negotiation does not equal weakness and going from some influence to zero influence is not a victory. All the ODM have done is show that they have the ability to make things difficult for the government. What a revelation!

Rant over.

AOB: Kaparo’s opening speech was pretty good, BUT forget the expensive renovations for people who hardly show up anyway. Give us the website, attendance records and the hansard online.