One day, the animals agreed with the lion that they would each day send one of them to be eaten so they may also have time to reproduce.
On the day that a little rabbit was to be eaten, he went and told the lion that there were six of them but another lion ate the rest. The angry lion demanded he be shown where the other lion was.
The rabbit took him to a well and asked the lion to peep inside. On seeing his reflection the lion decided to attack the other lion and this is how he jumped into the well and drowned.
In September last year, following a challenge on the presidential election results, Kenyans were treated to a lot of drama at the Supreme Court. The opposition had gone to court to challenge the result with some of the wildest claims that have ever arisen from an election petition.
Many Kenyans watched what appeared like a Hollywood courtroom drama where even the judges could not be convinced that the election was not proper. Immediately after the judgment, the opposition said they disagreed with the ruling but would respect it.
Immediately, Kenyans moved on with their lives and a new government came into place and has already started working towards meeting its pledges. Kenyans are focused on how the new government will facilitate them to meet all their aspirations.
However, last week, Kenyans were treated to another spectacle by the opposition with fresh claims of how the election was rigged last year. These claims were based on a supposed report by an IEBC ‘whistleblower’ who claimed to have had knowledge of how the election was rigged.
Curiously, these claims came just days after the retirement of IEBC chairman Wafula Chebukati and two other commissioners Moya Bolu and Abdi Guliye who finalised their six year-term. The claims also came after revelations of how there was a plot to kidnap and harm Chebukati in an attempt to subvert the will of the people.
It is instructive to note that the Supreme Court adequately dealt with the issues that the opposition is seeking to address. The claims are just similar to those that the Supreme Court judges termed hot air and a wild goose chase.
One can also be tempted to think that the opposition is seeking to derail the ongoing tribunal process that is handling the conduct of four commissioners who almost threw the country into a panic ahead of the announcement of the results.
The role of the opposition in a democratic country like Kenya cannot be emphasised enough. The opposition has a critical role of offering oversight and holding the government of the day accountable.
This can, however, not be possible if the opposition focuses on sideshows and fails to play its role within the set structures of the Constitution. It is not possible to help Kenyans see how the government is performing or not performing by seeking to revive what one can only describe as ghosts.
The opposition side could do Kenyans a great service if it sat down and offered objective criticism of the government’s agenda. This is the reason why the opposition has key positions within Parliament to ensure that this happens.
By now, the opposition should have given the country an objective critique of the draft budget policy statement that was published last week. It can help shape the country’s next budget to ensure that it meets the aspirations of Kenyans.
Since the President proposed changes to the Constitution, other than blanket statements on why the amendments should not be done, the opposition has not shown Kenyans what the alternative would look like.
The opposition must think of itself as an alternative government and therefore should play an important role in influencing policy. The opposition should not just make noise but should use their minority to challenge the government side into progressive thinking.
Kenya needs an opposition that will have a say in ensuring that Kenyans get improved healthcare, better roads, clean water, ready markets and the highest standards of education among other development issues.
