• Legislative Summit was the best forum to come together and engage public
• Leaders' conflicying views on Huduma Namba misleading public
There is a dire need for reconciliation between the executive and legislature. With the advent of the handshake, it calls for more questions than answers why the President decided to give the occasion wide berth.
The Legislative Summit had an illustrious theme of accelerating devolution, assessing achievements and addressing gaps in policy and legislation. Since President Kenyatta is on course to deliver the Big Four agenda, the summit was the right avenue to press some fundamental issues which need coordinated intervention. It was the best arena for mobilisation of support from citizens of all walks to lend hands to these ambitious initiatives.
Furthermore, it was strategically staged as fine fodder for a robust economy through inter-parties’ consultations. But this is neither the beginning nor the end of the tag of war between these two giant arms of government. It has been fratricidal war with imminent counter-accusations and exchange of acidic words. Ranging from power tussle to acute financial competition, mistrust and misgivings have marred their operations since the inception of devolution. The aftermath of this has been deterioration of the economy, poor governance and representation and generally demoralised citizens.
It has also adversely derailed attempts of peaceful coexistence. Currently, the country is in turmoil; corruption is at its peak and the ’important but not urgent’ Huduma Namba registration is swallowing billions of shillings.
All these hovering around a divided society with the already wide gap between the rich and the poor stretching further. Unity is essential and the executive and legislature must explore means of mending fences for the betterment of the society.