Open letter to parliament and the people of Kenya

(From a “Wanjiku” who is very anxious to cast her vote.)

Greetings and Happy Jamhuri Day!

That was indeed a life-changing experience, as will be our next general election.

Dear Members of Parliament, let us stop procrastinating and get on with the task at hand: prepare and prepare well, knowing that the next and future general elections will be held in August. This decision was made by Kenyans more than a year ago. Please stop wasting our time and money discussing it. It doesn’t have to be perfect. In any case, four months will make very little qualitative difference.

You fear that some over-eighteens will be left out of the process. That’s alright. They will have another chance. Time is on their side. In any case, even if the general election is held in December, some over-eighteens will still be left out. Did you, by any chance, factor in those voters who will die between August and December?

You worry that the school system will be disrupted in the event of ‘post-election-violence.’ I propose that we consign that phrase to the archives and eliminate it from active use. Instead, let us impress on the noble people of Kenya the importance of calm and discipline; whatever the outcome of the elections. This country and the people of Kenya are infinitely more important than the political ambitions of one individual.

Incidentally, both teachers and students are in agreement that a school year which starts in September and ends in June like the infamous ‘financial cycle’ would be much more suited to all stakeholders than the current one. So then, if something must change, please do us all a favour and change the school year, NOT our constitution which we consider to be sacrosanct (and so should you).

© Katheu Mbithi December 2012.