Two weeks ago, MPs likened House Speaker Kenneth Marende to King Solomon. They said he is wise, he is bold and used so many other flattering attributes to describe him.
Last week, all this had changed and he was being likened to some uncultured supporter of the Prime Minister. When the MPs threw tirades at the Speaker, one stood from the crowd.
Finance Minister Uhuru Kenyatta was visibly furious after Marende delivered his ruling. When reality dawned he repeatedly banged the table as he addressed journalists. These are not new antics from the Gatundu South MP who is also the Deputy Prime Minister. What was shocking was he tended not to understand the foundation upon which his office was built.
Uhuru asked whether Raila needs to determine everything for anything to take place in this country. Uhuru asserted the President has enough clout to run the Government alone. Eldoret North MP William Ruto and Education Minister Sam Ongeri flanked Uhuru.
The last time Uhuru and Ruto shared a platform with pent up emotions was when Uhuru was conceding defeat to Kibaki in 2002. Kanu
was not only reborn but the National Accord was trashed at this sitting. While Ruto and Ongeri crafted the accord that created the Grand Coalition Government, they were rubbishing the element of power sharing.
They exhibited to the nation that all the time they spent in Serena was about their egos and interests, nothing about the country. What brings this cabal of leaders together is simply egotistic interests. If they understood Serena talks and the National Accord was about Kenyans and not what they called the 210 MPs the Speaker should have addressed, they would be more reconciliatory and seek a way forward.
And because of these savage interests, the President has the temerity of insinuating he led the country to getting a new Constitution . It is not in doubt his support for the document was invaluable, however, he should remember the overwhelming support the Constitution got at the plebiscite was because the coalition stood firm in its support. It should also be remembered he failed to whip his henchmen to fully support it hence the tag watermelon stuck on his lieutenants like some bad smell.
This is not the time for the President to thump his chest. It is time for him to show guidance. It is immoral his foot soldiers and sympathisers can insult the other side of the coalition and he does nothing. This could easily be read or misread to mean he has sent them to do his dirty work.
The President, ideally, should stand above the cheering squad. He should show direction. He needs to be collected and exhibit composure. If he fails to do that, he could be mistaken as being just another member of the crowd.
At the same time, Uhuru needs to know an aspiring presidential candidate should not bang tables and act as if he has gone bonkers in front of cameras. He should not behave like the riotous group that are some MPs.
Electoral system Why do some MPs always betray their intelligence in public? There is section of so-called leaders that is sending the nation into nausea every time they appear on TV. When Dr Kofi Annan was mediating on our post-election violence he said we have hard lessons to learn.
His sentiments were echoed by retired South African Judge Johann Kriegler that if something is not done to our electoral system what happened in 2008 would be child’s play in 2012. It is common sense that politics of the day dictate how the 2012 General Election will be conducted. So why are they taking issue with the Prime Minister for repeating these sentiments?
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