In every constitutional democracy, the supremacy of the people is greater than any government or institution. The people retain the power to address their government or other institutions directly, regardless of the fact that they have elected a National Assembly. This they can do by petition, picketing or demonstrating. In extreme cases, they can result to civil disobedience. So fundamental is this supremacy that in the United States of America, the constitution provides that it is a constitutional right for the people to own and bear arms, for the constitutionally sanctioned reason that in the event of a dictatorship, they can lawfully resort to their supremacy and form a militia against the tyrannical government. The Kenyan Constitution 2010 for the first time asserted the supremacy of the people over government, institutions and even the Constitution itself. So what happened at Uhuru Park yesterday is in line with our constitution, The opposition, exercising the constitutionally right of the people to demonstrate against the government, brought together like minded Kenyans to send a message directly to the government about their dissatisfaction with it. The government in power respected their right to do so and the police licensed the rally and provided security for it. Similar meeting are planned all over the country. If they are all well attended, then the message will be clear to the government that the people are not happy, and that regardless of how many legislators it controls, the people remain supreme and could result to civil disobedience against it. And no right thinking government would want to challenge the supremacy of the people over it by quoting parliamentary majorities and constitutional provisions.That the reason president uhuru embraced national dialogue which was called for by cord yesterday.
By Strive Masiyiwa A few weeks ago I went to the doctor. I will tell you what he said about my health at the end, but first read this: Twenty years ago, I arranged to meet a well-known British international businessman who invested a lot in Africa at the time. We agreed to meet for dinner at a leading hotel in London. After a good meeting, we started to walk out of the restaurant when he suddenly collapsed in the lobby. There was total pandemonium as they rushed to get medical assistance. Being London, an ambulance arrived in minutes. I jumped in the back with him as paramedics wrestled to keep him alive. He had had a heart attack and had to have triple bypass heart surgery. Sadly he died a few weeks later. He hadn't been sick and his sudden death surprised everyone. And yet as I reflected on it, and later discussed it with a doctor friend who knew him, I realized he was very laid back about his health despite having a hectic business life. Even during our dinner...
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