Ruto tells Uhuru to dissolve the parliament

Today Deputy President Ruto joined a long list of politicians and intellectuals supporting Chief Justice’s appeal to the president to dissolve the Kenyan parliament. Ruto said that it’s time Kenya had a discussion about marginalized groups that include women, youth and people living with special needs.

Ruto has been a fierce critic of the CJ especially since he nullified the 2017 elections. He echoed President Uhuru’s ‘we will revisit’ phrase which many interpreted to mean that the executive would find ways to curb the powers of judiciary even though they are all independent arms of the government.

The Deputy President in recent times has been seen to look for support among the masses. With church services exceeding the days of worship in a week to donating sewing machines and motorbikes to youth groups, Ruto is in a mission to appeal to the ordinary Kenyan. His method seems to be working. For the past few weeks he has been pulling crowds that seem to rival his nemesis Raila Odinga.

The appeal to the masses might be the reason the Deputy President seems to be throwing weight to Maraga’s advice for dissolving of the parliament. Through social media platforms, it seems many Kenyans would love to see the parliament dissolved. Ruto like any other politician desperate for a win has become a doting father. Dishing sweets to hungry and grateful children.

Ruto joins a list of intellectuals who are calling for the dissolving of parliament. Among them is world economist David Ndii. Ndii in support of the third gender rule tweeted, “Several countries around the world have achieved gender political and economic equality. Virtually all countries bar a few theocracies have accepted the principle. We are in the latter category and we are going to achieve it, cavemen like you notwithstanding.”

It should remembered that Ndii and 4 other activists file a case in court challenging Constitutional amendments through BBI. Ndii explained the relationship between his petition and the third gender rule.
https://youtu.be/8F8I43urayw

Former presidential aspirant and Senior Counsel, Martha Karua has also been in support of dissolving the parliament. When former LSK President said that the president was not obligated to dissolve the parliament because Maraga had used the modal verb ‘shall’, Martha Karua tweeted “According to Black’s Law Dictionary, the term “shall” is defined as follows: … In common or ordinary parlance, and in its ordinary signification, the term “shall” is a word of command, and one which has always or which must be given a compulsory meaning: denoting obligation.” https://twitter.com/MarthaKarua/status/1308606909432442880?s=20

Prof Makau Mutua joined the SHALL debate by tweeting “Law schools in East Africa teach that the word “SHALL” means “MUST.” That’s why the framers of the 2010 Constitution of Kenya used “shall” with the express intent that it MUST always be construed to mean “must.” It doesn’t matter what “shall” means in other constitutions”

It will be interesting to see how things unfold in the coming days. President Uhuru Kenyatta is yet to commend on the matter.