Boundaries review vital

Some politicians will, in pursuit of self-interest or parochial goals, make even well-meaning initiatives look bad. Every 10 years, for instance, there is a constitutional requirement of a review of the boundaries of wards and constituencies. This enables the electoral agency to see if there is a need to alter boundaries and/or create new units of representation.

Ten years is a long time, during which the population will have grown, hence the need to make adjustments so that no portion of the community loses out. The two major parameters are the population and the geographical size.

It is, therefore, disappointing to hear that some leaders from the arid and semi-arid counties have started a campaign against the review, which they fear could lead to the merging of some of the devolved units or the reduction of the number of constituencies. However, this is ill-advised. What we should be talking about now is how to prepare for this vital national exercise so that when the time comes, sound decisions are made.

There have been ridiculous reactions to the proposal that constituencies that do not attain a certain threshold of the population be scrapped. Some politicians are encouraging their constituents to have more children, even offering financial incentives in a weird scheme to increase their numbers.

Done properly, though — which we have no reason to believe will not be the case — the boundaries review is a means through which to enhance representation. Where there is a justification for the scrapping of underpopulated units, it will be in the national interest to ease the bloated public wage bill. The arid and semi-arid counties will not be necessarily disadvantaged as the territorial spread is also a key consideration.

Politicians should ensure that the exercise is conducted fairly.