Is the Kenyan Democracy on Trial?

In the past few days, there have been repetitive debates on whether the Kenya Kwanza government is tearing the democracy we have enjoyed since 2002 apart. The Finance Bill 2023 is one of the emotive issues that the opposition has been using to espouse that the current regime is overrunning over other arms of government to take us back to the dictatorship we enjoyed pre-Kibaki era.

What have been their allegations? The opposition insinuates that the recent remarks by the C-in-C that he is looking out for MPs who will vote against the bill as dictatorial threats. They also claim that those remarks were a way of the current government trying to manipulate the legislature, which is a tenet of dictatorship.

However, were the recent remarks by the President a telltale sign that our democracy is on trial? From a political perspective, yes. From an economic perspective, no. Politically, this should not be watered down and should be taken as a starting point for us, as Kenyans, to ensure that we expand our democratic space. Ensuring that the three arms of the government are working independently should be the first item on the tray for Kenyans going forward. This requires a collective effort amongst all of us. It should be a concern to us that the President has the audacity of “threatening” the legislators to pass a controversial bill, albeit it means the best for Kenyans economic-wise. However, Kenyans, with their negligence and laxity in tow, may not be willing to take part in this crucial effort.

Nevertheless, the current Finance Bill 2023 has some quite helpful bits for the economy of Kenya. Being a country that is wallowing in debts, the measures highlighted in the bill to prevent further borrowing may be quite helpful if the bill is passed, though through the collective agreement of legislators and the Kenyans. Otherwise, the move by the President to force the bill down our throats is undemocratic and uncalled for. To ensure that our democracy remains intact, it will be essential for the executive to allow for the removal of clauses that Kenyans feel are punitive. However, if the President continues with the same trend, our democracy is and indeed remains on trial!