On Finance Bill, MPs voted against their employers

The streets protests have brought to the fore the role of an employer and the duties of an employee.

Article 1 of the Constitution states that all sovereign power belongs to the people of Kenya and shall be exercised only in accordance with the Supreme law. It further states that the people may exercise their power either directly or through their democratically elected representatives.

If people exercise their sovereign power through their democratically elected leaders, then it means that the people are the employers and the leaders the employees.

When an employee becomes incorrigible and decides to take orders from a different person other than the employer, then summary dismissal is served.

In Kenyan politics, elected leaders offer their allegiance to the President at the expense of their constituents when dealing with key issues.

The year 2024 will be etched in history as the period when the people, especially the youth popularly known as Gen Z, stood up and refused to be shackled by the enslaving yoke of their rulers.

The people have refused to shoulder the burden of political brinkmanship and from leaders who run roughshod over the electorate and everything to please a ‘Master’ other than the electorate.

As the people struggle to meet the cost of living, expensive medical care, electricity bills, school fees, some of their representatives were passing a punitive tax law in the National Assembly.

To some of the MPs, the people and the electorate- their employer- were inconsequential. Their resolve to push through a very unpopular law was unstoppable. This despite of the fact that their employer had instructed them to vote No.

The people’s challenge to the Finance Bill 2024 through street protests is driven with the confidence that sovereign authority belongs to them. It is given to leader to exercise only in the best interest of the people. It is never to be abused.

MPs are the representatives of all of the constituents in their electorate. Members of Parliament are expected to actively interact with their constituents to get to know constituents’ views and problems. They must also help constituents communicate their needs to the Government, and promote their policies to the community.

The function of MPs includes representation, enacting and debating proposed new legislation, scrutinizing the actions of the Government and state departments as members of House committees .

Article 94 of the Constitution states that the legislative authority of the Republic is derived from the people and, at the national level, is vested in Parliament.

Parliament manifests the diversity of the nation, represents the will of the people, and exercises their sovereignty. In addition, the National Assembly deliberates on and resolves issues of concern to the people. However, MPs have fallen short of this constitutional provision.

The storming of Parliament by the protestors was a clear manifestation that MPs disregarded the wishes of the electorate and instead decided to rubber stamp the decisions of the Executive.

The raid on Parliament was unprecedented occurrence in Kenya’s history. A more serious dent to the revered image of the legislative house came in the form of deaths of protestors. When the parliament historians will be updating their documents, they will definitely spare some space for the raid on the August House. The raid would have been prevented had the lawmakers listened to their electorate—their ultimate employers.

Once the dust settles, the MPs should do a soul searching on their roles especially in representation and listening to what the electorate desires.

Never again should the ‘Honourable’ members use an underground tunnel and ambulances to ensure their safety for passing laws opposed by their employers. Or ran away from the people.

The writer is the chair, Political Journalists Association of Kenya