Is another constitutional crisis in the offing?

Monday, 30 May 2011 00:05 BY THE EDITOR

 Kenya is quickly sliding into a constitutional crisis. The warning last week by the Committee for the Implementation of the Constitution that Finance Minister Uhuru Kenyatta would be acting contrary to the constitution if he goes ahead and presents his budget next month is just the latest indication of this.
Under the new constitution, Treasury has to have presented the budget for public scrutiny in April. It failed to do so leading to the current stalemate. The parliamentary committee on the budget and Treasury officials are expected to come up with a way forward.
The options available are not encouraging either for the continued implementation of the constitution or the continued operations of the governments.
If the budget is not presented by June, government might be forced to a halt and so too will the various commissions that are charged with the implementation of the constitution. The Waheshimiwas, and the civil service will also not draw their salaries unless Parliament votes for a supplementary allocation.
If — as it could well happen — someone went to court and demanded the dissolution of Parliament, fresh elections could not be held as for example, the Independent Electoral and Boundaries commission is yet to be established.
Its these kind of uncertainties and an unwillingness (inability) of the leaders to give direction that creates a sense that this country is sliding into anarchy and confusion.

Quote of the day: "The best government is a benevolent tyranny tempered by an occasional assassination," Voltaire, French Philosopher and writer who died on May 30,1778