It's good President Uhuru and NASA leader Raila Odinga agreed to talk so we can address issues putting Kenyans at loggerheads.
When we adopted the 2010 Constitution, all agreed there were a few issues that needed fixing. Nobody has changed that view. The NCCK protested that certain critical amendments are necessary to create a more inclusive society and lay the ground for a more comprehensive review.
NCCK believes the Executive should be expanded to accommodate a Prime Minister elected from the party that won the General Election, or having the most numbers in Parliament.
We are not accommodating the Opposition in that structure; we are providing an expanded Executive that is more inclusive within the winning coalition or party. We have a Prime Minister and get a few leaders whose communities’ now feel included, to enhance government legitimacy and represent diversity.
To dignify the Opposition, we propose the position of official Opposition leader and deputy. They should be funded from the Exchequer because they fulfil a constitutional role of checking government.
This is a minimal constitutional requirement to ensure Kenya is governed more convincingly, reducing tension and conflict.
Numerous areas need a retouch within the Constitution. If you don't create a conducive environment where people sheathe their daggers because you've enshrined genuine inclusivity, you may fight over peripheral issues and miss the fundamentals.
Amending the Constitution should be a bipartisan exercise; it cannot secure vested interests. Everyone must come together, regardless of party, gender, race or status.
Kenya is in an era of conversation and no one can genuinely can stand in the way of constitutional reform. We have heard media statements from people saying Kenyans should focus on Maendeleo. But remember in 2007 when Kenya almost burnt to ashes, GDP was seven per cent. Despite a robust economy, Kenyans killed one another.
Constitutional reforms, development and services are not two political alternatives. They are responsibilities all Kenyans must address sincerely. They are different sides of a coin. We should not use one at the expense of the other. Reform structures must be inclusive, not used for political mileage. After reforms, we can discuss the development and many other things.
The writer is general secretary of the National Council of Churches of Kenya.