This year we shall see a most interesting political scenario for all the non-partisan watchers when the civic, parliamentary and particularly presidential elections take place at the end. 

A lot of acting will be by the ruling party. The leaders will try to latch onto somebody to succeed a man who has always maintained that none of his dedicated lieutenants is capable of taking over. 

But the true farce and absurdity will come from the opposition leaders as they jostle with one another to find a joint presidential candidate. 

There is no prize for guessing whether or not the Opposition chiefs - Mr Mwai Kibaki of the Democratic Party of Kenya, Mr Michael Wamalwa of Ford-Kenya, Mrs Charity Ngilu of the National Party of Kenya (NPK) and Mr Simeon Nyachae of Ford-People - will agree on a formula to decide who should bell the cat. 

For, in this case, they all want to be given that singular opportunity. As in the first multi-party General Election (1992) and the second (1997), the anticipated miracle of such Opposition unity will not happen because of the hypocrisy that characterises the leaders. 

In that realisation, I have an easy formula I want to present to them (the four and any other who might join them). The easy way out is - since even late-night deliberations will not give them a solution - the most courageous should announce that he/she has stepped down in favour of one or other. Once three are left, the first to be named should step down in favour of one of the other two. Then, of course, the choice will be obvious. 

The second way out, which is unbiased, is to ballot where the four will pick from three "Noes" and one "Aye". Monsieur Peter Ndung'u King'ee (he prefers to consider himself as a "King") calls Pata PoteaThis easy formula requires that four secret ballots be made out. Three of them should be written NO, while one should be written YES. The 4 ballots should then be put in a basket and each of the 4 leaders, with their eyes completely blind-folded, should dip their hands one after the other and pick one ballot each and pronto, the opposition's joint presidential candidate emerges!

I. NDIRANGU 
Nairobi

I was surprised to learn that Opposition leaders like Mrs Beth Mugo and Mr Peter Munyao are scoffing at the unity between Kanu and the National development Party. for announcing that, they are now aiming to merge and come out with a new party for the betterment of unity, peace and future development for all Kenyan. 

In fact, I congratulate Mr Raila Odinga and President Moi on what they are doing. I would like to tell Mrs Mugo, Mr Munyao and all Opposition leaders that they are the ones to be scoffed at because the world has learned that they have nothing to offer Kenyans. They are filled with greed for leadership and that is why they can't unite. 

The Opposition may have great ideas but since it is divided Kenyans would rather support Kanu, which is united. 

Our Opposition leaders should learn a lesson from Zambia, where there was a good chance for the Opposition to win, but due to their greed, they lost. 

America is a strong country because it is a nation of unity where more than 53 federal states have agreed to be led by one president for the sake of unity. Today America is great nation controlling almost the whole world, thanks to unity among other things. And that is why Mr Moi is uniting leaders regardless of their parties or tribes. so that together they can have strong power to build this nation together united. 

I congratulate President Moi on uniting his party with the NDP. This is the way forward. because without unity you cannot achieve my goal and Moi he has learned this in time. For example, Somalia, Rwanda or Zaire since there is no unity the country now is like hell; where by people are doing whatever they want to do because of no unity. People are killing each other. Why? This is also what is happening here with our Kenyan opposition leaders. Nyachae moving on his way. Kibaki on his way. Ngilu on her way. Wamalwa on his way. You think you can make it alone without unity? No way! Since you can't build your own unity let us join Kanu and be counted one among the united member where power of unity does wonders. 

JOHN MUSYOKA, 
Mombasa.