‘More than 4,000 councillors will have to look for new roles when the new constitution is fully effected in 2010’ ran the opening line of ‘The Daily Nation’s’ front page story under the headline ‘Councillor seats to be scrapped by new laws’.

Quite why the surprise, The Forum fails to understand, as the introduction of the new constitution was always bound to result in the demise of the councillor’s role. Not, however, that the politicians and ‘The Daily Nation’ (who in the spirit of the new openness they campaigned for refused to take ‘No’ campaign advertising during the referendum) said so during the referendum debate.

‘Ironically’, continued ‘The Daily Nation’, ‘during the campaigns for the adoption of the new laws, President Mwai Kibaki and Prime Minister Raila Odinga had assured councillors that their posts would not be scrapped’. So they did, and so too did ‘The Daily Nation’, reassuring readers that the story of out-of-work councillors arose from ‘No’ campaign skulduggery.

There will be more of this to come when Kenyans find that they will be subject to international laws, and agreements not agreed to in parliament. Abortion will be on demand, and the promise of the right to good housing, clean water, electricity, milk and honey will prove to be an illusion based on a deception.

The Forum thinks that the new constitution is a force for good but that the false expectations raised during the referendum campaign to ensure a ‘Yes’ vote was a mistake that will eventually lead to disillusionment. For this, not just the politicians but ‘The Daily Nation’ are largely to blame.