Nominations to parliament (LegCo) started under colonialism, with the governor nominating certain individuals to ensure the balance of power rested with the colonial government and not the settlers.
Over the years, nominations have become a tool to reward relatives, cronies, and those moneyed enough to buy the slots. It has outlived its usefulness.
If all nominated MCAs and MNAs are removed, as well as the scrapping of Senate; it will not just save the taxpayer more billions, it will also help clean our country’s politics, so that only those who can do politics get into politics.
The National Assembly can allocate money to counties. There’s absolutely no reason for the Senate to exist in Kenya.
And there’s no reason at all for nominations. Even PWDs shouldn’t be nominated. Tim Wanyonyi is on a wheelchair yet he’s serving his third term as elected MP.
And that entire group of women nominees need to go. Just because you slept with a party honcho shouldn’t be the reason Kenyans get burdened by your tastes for the next five years!
Just because you are best friends with the spouse or child of a party honcho shouldn’t be the reason you get onboarded on public till.
Just because you are a relative or childhood friend of a party honcho shouldn’t be the reason you lord it over taxpayers.
So, any attempt to reduce the number of politicians in Kenya is welcome.
With over 410 MPs, Kenya’s bicameral parliament is bloated. It is no wonder you can’t debate for even 5 mins before your time is up. Exposition of public policy requires good time, but that’s not tenable here.
Go to Nairobi County Assembly and see the nominees there. People who should be running boutiques downtown or selling tomatoes in Kware market are your waheshimiwa, joined by party honcho’s bimbos.
It is no wonder youths couldn’t relate with the current established politics.