MPs AND LAWYERS SOILING OUR NATIONAL FABRIC.

Dear Sir/Madam, We have witnessed a trend where all the plum jobs in the newly created reform commissions taken by lawyers. What is more mortifying still is that even after these cronyism based appointments there hasn`t been any headway in mid-wifing the essential reforms. The reform processes more than ever before remain clogged. Yet we have continued to appreciate their spotless record of failure! But it is their condescending attitude towards non lawyers that is discomforting. To them the only profession worth mentioning is law. They have increasingly behaved as if knowledge begins and ends with them. But is this true? To answer this, allow me to share with you an incident from the US. Four weeks ago it was reported in the leading newspapers in the United States of America that six senators on the judiciary committee do not have law degrees yet even seasoned lawyers were surprised at the relative ease and success with which the senators achieved in their task. Asked how they managed to effectively execute the mandate, they simply responded that it was through extensive reading. This case goes to prove beyond any reasonable doubt that one does not have to go to a law school to interpret legal matters. Now picture this: On Tuesday 11th September 2009 one renown lawyer- legislator adopted a discourteous attitude and with a peremptory tone told off an MP who had stood on a point of information whilst he was making a contribution on the floor of the house regarding the illegality of the re-appointment of retired justice Ringera and his two deputies. The lawyer legislator opined that the MP in question was unschooled in legal matters and that he was therefore unfit to inform him on any legal issue. Ironically, the lawyer MP then proceeded to harp on falsehoods discernible even to any blockhead. As expected, the speaker himself (the ruling aside), a lawyer of repute, took this scathing remark as frolicsome, had a hearty laughter and allowed the lawyer MP to rumble on. This was not only impolitic but also boorish and uncouth effrontery on fellow parliamentarians. These two contrasting incidents serve to highlight the extent our lawyers MPs and their learned friends are willing to go in killing both the spirit of reforms and legislation in this country. Unfortunately, our non- lawyer MPs like the rest of Kenyans have had to put up with such condescending attitude from the obstreperous lawyers for quite a long time. It must be clear to these lawyer MPs and their learned friends that in this age of information technology, one can easily acquaint himself with the necessary legalese. In fact, Knowledge, whether in jurisprudence or not, is from womb to tomb. Any Tom, Dick and Harry can clearly see through their cacophony. Never at any time will a lawyer admit of his/ her limitation, yet the greatest philosopher of all times, Socrates, once said, “I am the wisest man alive, for I know one thing, and that is I know nothing.” Instead, our “know all” lawyer legislators and their learned friends will always embellish lies to safeguard their selfish interests. As Aristotle succinctly reminds all and sundry, “False words are not only evil in themselves, but they infect the soul with evil.” In Kenya, the citizenry are forced to watch with abated breaths as the nation increasingly becomes a victim to the lure of these fallen seraphim. TOME FRANCIS, BUMULA.