Do Not Be Unfair To Kethi Kilonzo

The ruling today that nullified Kethi Kilonzo’s registration as a voter thereby denying her the chance to run for the Makueni senatorial seat can only be best described as unfair: unfair, not only to that ambitious young Kenyan girl, but also to the people of Makueni. There is no doubt that Kethi Kilonzo is the most favorite to the Makueni people. Denying her the chance to run for the senatorial seat is to deny the Makueni people the chance to make their democratic choice.

I am not oblivious of the Kenyan supreme law that requires one to be a registered voter in order to contest for any electoral position. I am actually a very strict law-abiding citizen of Kenya, just as I am a rights and democracy loving Kenyan. I love democracy so much that as we approached the 2013 general elections, I could not help but detest the people who advocated for the elimination of Uhuru Kenyatta and William Ruto from the presidential race on basis of the fact that they had pending cases at the Hague. Now, the two did eventually run and true to it, the results showed that these two were the ones Kenyans wanted for the country’s top jobs.

Now here is a lady who is clearly the Makueni people’s choice but whose bid is at the verge of being thwarted. And the question begs to be asked; if the larger Kenyan community was given the chance to choose the leaders they wanted in the just concluded elections, why should the people of Makueni be denied the chance to elect Kethi Kilonzo if that is what they want?

Well, rules are important and must be upheld. But even Jesus said that you cannot leave your donkey to die in a pit just because it’s a Sabbath Day and it is written “Remember the Sabbath.” Which would be more honorable or say logically human; to abide by the rule and deny Kethi Kilonzo from running for the Makueni senatorial seat or bend this rule for the sake of the county’s population and let them elect the leader they want?