DONT AMEND THE LAW

Amending the law so early a bad precedent
By Eric Sindabi
The move by the government and parliament to amend the constitution so as to change elections date from August to December is not welcome because it will serve a bad precedent. The fact that the new constitution is not yet fully implemented the government and parliament should desist from the attempts to amend it. The new law reflects the desires of Kenyans and it took us so many years to achieve the new law.
Those who were against the passing of the law were ashamed, first in 2005 when Kenyans voted against a mutilated constitution that did not accommodate their wishes. The same happened in the last referendum when Kenyans overwhelmingly voted for a new constitution.
My take is that if we so early amend the constitution, it will serve as a bad precedent. It will give room for politicians with fishy motives to mutilate the law to suit their interests. The government should work towards implementing the new constitution to serve Kenyans but not making plans to change it. It is like mutilation the case of 2005, when politicians opposed to giving Kenyans a new constitution went a head to mutilate a people’s view of a new constitution. What the government is trying to do is exactly the same case of 2005.

The speaker of the national assembly Mr. Kenneth Marende recently allowed the minister for Justice Mr.Mutula Kilonzo to table the bill that seeks to amend the constitution to change the elections date clause. According to the government, the move is important so as to allow space for the preparation of elections. It is however to the public’s view that the move is suspect and leaves much behind to be desired. The public believes that the cabinet wishes to buy time to continue enjoying privileges adorned to its members. It is no wonder the move is entirely being supported by cabinet members while back benchers are opposed to the move.
By changing the constitution, the cabinet, parliament and judiciary will be contradicting what Kenyans voted for in the last referendum. The constitution must remain as it is until it is fully implemented. The amendment if allowed will open ground for further un constitutional and ill advised interferences with the new law that Kenyans tirelessly fought for. Kenyans should come out and strongly oppose the move to mutilate the constitution. We should not allow a few individuals with fishy motives to scatter constitutional reforms that are vital to changing our lives for better.