• Thirdway Alliance’s Ekuro Aukot leader, who is leading the Punguza Mizigo campaign, proposes to amend the 2010 Constitution under the popular initiative as envisioned in Article 257.
• However, the only referendum push that has a shot at passing all these obstacles, is one in the works by the Building Bridges Initiative
Anytime a politician or political group does anything or makes any move, you must first assume whatever that is, it is first and foremost in self-interest.
Thus, when a major party such as Jubilee or ODM does anything, you must assume —and rightly so — that what is being proposed or done is first in the interest of its leader, then party and country in that order. Rarely d0 we have the country’s interest as first priority.
Thirdway Alliance’s Ekuru Aukot leader, who is leading the Punguza Mizigo campaign, proposes to amend the 2010 Constitution under the popular initiative as envisioned in Article 257.
Let’s give Aukot and the proponents of Punguza Mizigo the benefit of doubt as to their motivations in pushing this referendum effort. The effort is, however, riddled with so many flaws, one cannot but suspect there is got to be something else cooking here other than what meets the eye.
One, if you peruse Punguza Mizigo’s website, you’ll see 16 reasons listed as to why the party is pushing this referendum. Each one of these “reasons” is, in fact, a proposal to undo or change existing law as provided in the Constitution. Knowing how difficult it was revamping our Constitution the last time, this list is wishful thinking at best. It is akin to trying to pluck meat from a live lion’s claws. Good luck with that.
The end envisioned here may be ideal, but it is doomed to fail given the only means to get there are full of inescapable and unavoidable traps and mines.
Two, having 16 reasons that are sure to doom the efforts for this campaign is one thing, but doubling this to 32 reasons as the proposed Bill does, is doubly making sure it goes nowhere.
In other words, there is enough poison in this Bill to kill it in a thousand ways, one wonders what the strategy and end purpose here is. It is like embarking on a road trip knowing you only have gas to take you halfway, where there is no possibility of a refill. Why would you do that?
The only thing that would make sense is an experiment to find out who among your friends and family can come to your rescue. More precisely, who among your so-called friends would even bother at all.
It is clear what the proponents of this campaign envisioned in putting fort and executing this strategy, is to woo MCAs to vote for the Bill out of at least the requisite 24 counties. For example, there is a proposal to increase county funding from the current 15 per cent to at least 35 per cent and another scrapping the office of Deputy Governor and having his or her responsibilities carried out by a CEC.
These two proposals and others in the Bill clearly are intended to woo MCAs in at least 24 counties to approve the bill, which is feasible.
CAMPAIGN
It is clear what the proponents of this campaign envisioned in putting fort and executing this strategy, is to woo MCAs to vote for the Bill out of at least the requisite 24 counties. For example, there is a proposal to increase county funding from the current 15 per cent to at least 35 per cent and another scrapping the office of Deputy Governor and having his or her responsibilities carried out by a CEC.
However, even assuming the Bill passes the county level test, that is getting your car to the point you’re completely out of gas and would have to get help to get to your destination because the next phase in the process is a yes or no vote in Parliament. This is where the Bill is likely to die because there are many provisions in the bill that are enough poison to kill it, given they fly against MPs mostly selfish interests.
Once killed in Parliament, that’s the end of the Punguza Mizigo effort as not even a referendum will revive it afterwards.
The only referendum push that has a shot at passing all these obstacles, is one in the works by the Building Bridges Initiative, which is guided by an A-list team with experience and tools necessary to make it happen.