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Party Politics Must Change With the Times- by Henry Obwocha

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Published on Saturday, 02 June 2007 07:11

Last Monday, all the Members of Parliament from the three Gusii districts of Kisii Central, Nyamira and Gucha held a meeting with about one thousand grassroots leaders from the districts and a team of civil servants led by the District Commissioners of the three districts. The meeting has been interpreted variously, with some arguing that we were rallying troops to move on to another party. Sections of the Press sensationally claimed that we were pushing for a deal with the ruling coalition, Narc. Nothing could be farther from the truth.

The meeting held at the Gusii Institute of Science and Technology was a great success. For the first time in the history of the community's politics, we all came together to discuss the development of our part of the country. We consulted successfully with our electorate and at the end of the day, most of us felt satisfied. A number of issues were addressed. We resolved to work with the district education boards in to develop a framework for helping improve education standards, work with the district agricultural committees to develop plans on how to improve tea, coffee, pyrethrum and dairy farming, and also agreed to have grassroots leaders work closely and support the provincial administration in combating the worrying rate of crime. We resolved that the district roads committees, on which all MPs sit, should be more vigilant on the repair of the road network in the three districts and assist the government monitor the construction of the Kisii-Chemosit road.

Leaders also agreed to take up the national challenge of Aids and help fight it through an all-out campaign to encourage voluntary testing and village-based networks. Very frank, open and hitherto unwitnessed seriousness was given the matter of Aids in the community. The cooperative movement in the Gusii region is dead - like it is in many parts of this country. During our meeting, grassroots leaders resolved to help a commission that has been instituted by the Ministry of Cooperatives to investigate the management of the giant Kisii Farmers Union and at least resolve the scandal involving the sale of the co-operative's Simbauti Farm. These initiatives are targeted at addressing the crisis in coffee farming in the three districts.

This meeting was non-partisan. Participants came from across the political divide. Civil servants also took part. This is the way public leadership and politics are going. Kenya has changed and Kenyans have become politically mature, demanding and fiercely analytical. They weigh every word we utter and every action we take. That is why we must, as leaders pay strict attention to the development and well being of our people. Time for empty rhetoric and cheap pushing and shoving is long gone.

Personal political differences are irrelevant. Politicking now is of no value both to the individuals who would like to do it and the ordinary wananchi. The only politics now is that of development. Politics without specific objectives targeted at helping our people develop is both irrelevant and a big waste of time. Our role in Parliament as an opposition party is to keep the Government of the day in check. This is not the same as being enemies of the Government. For any sensible democracy to function effectively, there must be a credible and focused opposition to the government of the day. The duty of that opposition, however, would not be 'to oppose everything and propose nothing. Rather, the opposition will rise to the challenge of engaging the government of the day constructively.

We met to propose, collectively as leaders, to the government - which was represented effectively by a host of officials - agenda for the development of the areas we represent in Parliament. For the umpteenth time, it is necessary to state that as a party, we shall remain independent and committed to the democratic practice of multipartyism. We will support all government policy that is intended for the good of all the people of Kenya. Anything that flies in the face of the common good of the larger Kenyan community will meet with fierce but constructive opposition from Ford People both on and off the floor of Parliament..

Mr Obwocha is the MP for West Mugirango and the Ford People Whip in Parliament.