The threat by Azimio la Umoja One Kenya Coalition Party senators to paralyse parliamentary business if the minority leadership changes they proposed are not effected by Speaker Amason Kingi is a reflection of what ails the House and what should be fixed urgently.
The Azimio side wants Narok Senator Ledama Olekina to replace Isiolo’s Fatuma Dullo as Whip while Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna takes the role of the Deputy Leader of Minority.
Kilifi Senator Stewart Madzayo and his Kitui colleague Enoch Wambua are to retain their positions as Leader of the Minority and Deputy Leader of the Minority, respectively.
The senators have been boycotting plenary sittings for the past three weeks and maintained they will continue disrupting business in the House, which resumed sittings yesterday.
This push-and-pull is not helpful to the mwananchi as it denies them their right to representation through debate on key national issues that matter to them.
For instance, ordinary Kenyans bear the brunt of the skyrocketing cost of living and runaway inflation and would expect the senators to spend their time ensuring that the government addresses the issue.
Leaders, especially at the level of senators, should not always have arm-twisting or threats as the method of effecting governance. Procedures should be followed and genuine leadership changes approved and defective ones rejected.
It should never be a case of a back and forth, especially on an issue as straightforward as approval of changes made by a party.
There are better ways to go about this matter, which does not involve paralysing the business of Parliament. Kenya Kwanza holds the majority in the Senate with 24 senators against Azimio’s 22 while Busia Senator Okiya Omtatah is non-aligned.
This is a big number that cannot be ignored; hence, the matter should be resolved immediately. Senators should rise above petty political differences and serve the people.
