Forget Arab protesters; we're facing a bigger crisis

I have watched with amazement how Kenyans (yours truly among them!) are concentrating on Tunisia and Egypt, forgetting that our own country is as messed up, if not more. We are nearly halfway through the first year of the implementation of the new Constitution but we don't seem at all bothered that we have hardly done a thing.

We need to wake up. And I don't mean that we rush to the streets and start going at each other. To begin with, we are staring at a Constitutional crisis if Kibaki's messy nominations are not handled within the next 23 days. The position of the CJ must be filled by February 27, and all other new appointments done with by August 27. We are likely to be in another mess if we do not institute various reforms before the next 204 days. Some 34 new laws have to be passed before the 2012 elections, 16 of them to be enacted by August 27 2011. 12 of these laws relate to the setting up of the County Government structures, their relationship with the National Government and their financing. Other urgent laws are those relating to the Judiciary, National Security, the Electoral System and Representation, the Legislature (National Assembly and Senate) and Leadership and Integrity sections of the Constitution.

Our politicians must start putting Kenya first and realise that they are sitting on a time bomb. We must stop, as Kenyans, living in the now and know that this country faces a major crisis that may bring it to a halt. I pray that we don't destabilise the peace we are enjoying.

I choose to stop there because I need to reflect on my role in all this.