Kwamhetsi Makokha

6 August 2010

opinion

Over 2.6 million Kenyans voted for the Red team in opposing the New Constitution. Another 5 million Kenyans, who usually vote without fail and would have supported Red, abstained because of Government intimidation, bribery and foreign interference.

Without these factors, turnout in Kenyan elections often exceeds 100 per cent.

The Green team, which was pushing for the New Constitution, must ask itself hard questions about why dead voters, who have participated in previous contests, were nowhere to be seen this time around. They were there in the 2002 elections, made a showing in the 2005 referendum and again in 2007.

Because the Kenyans who did not vote and those that opposed the New Constitution make up 60 per cent of the registered voters, their negative ballots or abstention is a cry for an alternative leadership from what the Coalition Government offers.

It is in fact a vote of confidence in the leadership of Higher Education minister William Ruto and his colleagues, whose reputation as truth tellers is now beyond challenge.

In speaking truth to power, Mr Ruto and the Red team have raised the red flag on abortion-on-demand, same-sex marriages, peasants losing their land for failing to pay taxes on it, the complexion of the Kenyan nation being changed because of all the foreign scamps automatically acquiring citizenship and the country being ruled under foreign laws.

In implementing the new constitution, the Government must strive to prove the Red team wrong by disallowing these things or reclaiming grabbed public land or even victimising perpetrators of corruption.

These are destabilising elements in the new constitutional order on which consensus must be reached before the country can move forward.

Since the Green team conceded that abortion was contentious, it should immediately embark on the registration of all conceptions and deploy sufficient security for their protection from abortionists until necessary amendments are passed.

Those that voted against the New Constitution or abstained are united in their opposition to abortion under any and all circumstances. As such, the Government must commit itself to protect the interests of this majority.

Further, unequivocal assurances must be given that people aspiring to same-sex marriages will be deported in order to protect the traditional Kenyan family.

Since everybody agrees that Kadhi's courts are a great vexation to the Christian majority who did not vote in the referendum, the Government should demonstrate its sensitivity to them by suspending the application of the constitution on this matter until there is unanimity whenever it occurs.

Since the New Constitution aims to deliver equity, the current counties should be divided into equal units geographically and according to population while grouping together only people of the same ethnicity.

The truth the Red team has spoken so eloquently about harmful international treaties, such as the one requiring some citizens to be shipped off to The Hague.

In the spirit of give-and-take, the Green team should immediately draft amendments to the constitution to include the non-voting majority in the country's journey into the future.

As a matter of fact, there is no need to take these issues to a referendum in the future.

Through horse-trading in Parliament and among the leaders of the Green and Red teams, Kenya can dispatch with these issues without having to refer to the people in a manner that could yield even lower levels of participation.

The political consequence of the referendum vote is that the Grand Coalition Government cannot continue to be constituted as it is.

Having proven himself by mobilising over 2.6 million votes without using his ministerial position in Government, Mr Ruto deserves a bigger job than the one he is currently holding.

President Kibaki and Prime Minister Odinga are under moral obligation to include Mr Ruto in a future Government as Second Vice-President or Co-Prime Minister to avoid alienating the solid vote bloc he commands.

Former President Daniel arap Moi, who provided tactical support for the Red team, has proven that he is still in the world of the living and deserves a place at the political table. Arrangements must be made to accommodate him in some senior advisory capacity.

Failure to meet the Red team half-way on these issues could further divide the country, provoking its leadership to start sending greetings to members of the Green team.

The Red team could as well challenge the President and Prime Minister to step down and call fresh elections that would give Kenyans a legitimate leadership.

The next thing you know, the Red Party of Kenya would be born, running for election with the backing of the Christian leadership, the landed gentry and the pro-life lobby -- with support from friends abroad. The future would be Red from there on.