Let us all walk together

By holding a peaceful referendum, and with the ‘No’ side conceding defeat without prodding, Kenya can now afford to ostracise the ghosts of the 2008 post-election violence.

But there is more on the table than that.

While a new Constitution will create renewed optimism for the business community, it will now be upon Kenyans to embrace and strengthen the new institutions by putting the best talent forward to lead them.

The Interim Independent Electoral Commission did us proud.

By embracing modern technology, IIEC conducted a poll that was not only transparent but free from the hiccups experienced at the national tallying centre in our last national elections.

This will have a positive impact on the markets since it has basically defused any tension and uncertainty.

On Thursday, the Kenya shilling reacted positively to the news closing on a two-month high.

But the outcome of this referendum should not be used as the whistle to start the 2012 campaigns by those gunning for the presidency and the county governor positions.

While that may be the agenda of the political elite, the business community and investors should now focus on building businesses that will thrive within the emerging counties and support the development of these regions.

More than that, Kenyans need time to go back and start national healing exercise and look for ways to embrace the 2 million plus voters who rejected the new Constitution.

A lot needs to be explained on the changes heralded by the new political and social order and within the Second Republic.

While there have been attempts to sieve facts from fiction, and truth from outright distortions, this is not enough and the government and the media platforms should continue to educate the citizens on how the new Constitution will affect their lives. That is what we as a newspaper will do.

For the last 20 years Kenyans have fought hard to see a new political order in place.

While the regime of former president Moi consistently blocked those attempts, we have now put into place a document that has been discussed, and accepted by the majority.

We accept it since it puts back Kenya on the road to economic prosperity.

For the business community, this is a triumph.

The financial regulations, the transparency and the fiscal management of resources gives them a guarantee that the old shylocks of sleaze will be slayed easily and that strong foundations on which business thrives will be put in place.

These are structures that we have all clamoured for.

Our biggest challenge now is how to carry out that change and how to give effect to the spirit of the new constitution.

It is a walk that we must walk together as a nation.