By Justus Atuti
The mention of adopt a polling station sends shivers amongst the Jubilee mandrines with CS Matiangi leading the pack. Matiangi is breathing fire and has strongly instructed the police to deal with the plan with all the force available. This is unfortunate, misnformed and arrogance of the highest degree from CS Matiangi, and it will be very unfortunate if the Police Commissioner goes ahead to implement the same.
Kenya is a sovereign state and the constitution is vested on the people’s values. Our Constitution is the supreme laws of our land and it’s powers are derived directly from the people. T
he constitution spells the way Kenyans have decided to be led and put it down on paper. The constitution allows Kenyans to delegate their powers, or exercise it directly as they wish.Chapter one of rhe constitution spells out the sovereignty of the people of kenya. Article 1 (1) states thus “ALL the power belongs to the people ……” .1 (2) “The people MAY exercise their sovereign power directly…”
The 2007 and the 2013 general elections taught Kenyans not to trust the institutions upon which they had delegated their power, to render a free, fair, credible and verifiable election. Rigging in both elections rendered the purpose of power delegation useless. And for purposes of transparency and accountability and for purposes of a free and fair election, Kenyans have chosen to exercise their powers directly (Article 1 (2), by safeguarding their votes at the polling station. This is very costitutional because, as per the opening remarks of the constitution, power belongs to the people. And the people and free to exercise their supreme power in whichever form they want.
Instead of Matiangi and those opposed to this noble idea of calling this move unconstitutional, they should instead be asking the people protecting our votes at the polling station to act with decorum, instead of threatening them, intimidating them and criminalizing them. These are Kenyans exercising their constitutional rights vesting on their own constitution.
The role of the police is to provide peace and security at polling stations during this noble exercise, not to tell Kenyans or lecture them on how to exercise their constitutional powers. The role of the CS, who is by extension a Jubilee follower and campaigner, is not to tell Kenyans on how to exercise their constitutional powers. It is to ask the police commissioner to maintain peace, while encouraging IEBC to exercise transparency and accountability.
It is unfortunate and illegal and misplaced for anyone to try to prevent a Kenyan exercising their constitutional powers and for this, I am assuring them that Kenyans will resist and will not a ccept to be intimidated or pushed by any power that there may be.
Rigging, cheating or any tricks must get out of the mind of any kenyan, whoever they are at this time. It will be resisted by all forces. No amount of tear gas or bullet will stop Kenyans from demanding for a transparent, accountable and verifiable election. For these are the components of peace without which Kenya will burn.
My brothers and sisters, ignore the desperation of matiangi. Ignore his arrogance and his chest thumbing. It will not add any value to anyone. Please let’s protect our votes against the serial thieves under matiangi. It is our right.
ADOPT A POLLING STATION MUST GO ON…..
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