LET US SHUN THESE

In less than nine months, we will be at the polls; the first under the new constitution. The political atmosphere is in heightened activity as political parties and potential candidates strive to woo the electorate. The entire country is in a campaign mood as various presidential candidates traverse all over the country to galvanize the numbers that will be invaluable come the polls. Long- time political marriages are ending acrimoniously as politicians jump ship, new alliances are being formed and new political parties launched. The polls promise to be enthralling and equally hotly-contested.

Elections are supposed to usher in new blood into the country’s leadership; fresh ideas, renewed energy and a better political class that should take the country a step ahead. But wait a minute; this does not happen in Kenya, a country where too much politicking by the political class has greatly hampered the transformation of a state.

Despite the heightened political activities in the run- up to the general elections, Kenya, as a country has never really achieved what we have always dreamt of. Eradication of poverty, ignorance and communicable diseases, has remained a mirage to a majority of Kenyans. These are the very dreams that the founding fathers of this great nation envisaged at independence. Sycophancy and tribal and ethnic based politics have proved to be our main undoing.

As a country, integrity counts for nothing as compared to the ethnic and tribal factor. The qualities of a quality leader are relegated to the backseat whenever we go to the polls. Our politicians are notorious for reverting back to the tribal and ethnic cocoons, whenever they are caught in scandals, malpractices or even wish to be elected to different elective posts. Whenever a politician is caught in the murky waters of corruption, abuse of office and misappropriation of funds among other malpractices, the tribal cocoon seems to be the best defense mechanism. The cornered politician, backed by political sycophants from his tribe sets out to propagate the misguided ideology of a community that is being fought politically, albeit for no reasons. Kenyans who seem to have been locked up in these tribal and ethnic outfits soon join in the chorus.

The same sad scenario dictates whoever gets chosen for the different elective posts.  We have ethnic and tribal power-brokers who somehow take advantage of the high ignorance levels by a section of the Kenyan voter. They will endorse a politician upon whom the community will rally behind. Any other politician, who is perceived to be against it, is branded unfit and lacking in competence to lead the people. Tribal and ethnic based politics at its best. This is despite the fact that he or she might be the best to lead the people into the Promised Land; free from poverty and ignorance among many other ills that have bedeviled the development of our country. You can be denied the vote for the simple reason that you come from a particular tribe or community.

Sycophancy among the political class has also proved to hinder the realization of the development that we as a country, has for long dreamt of. Politicians will always stand by one of their own, through thick and thick; in return of the much needed votes. Politicians will always get the numbers to even thwart off censure motions in the house. Integrity and the greater good of the nation have taken a back seat. Narrow political interests have taken the lead at the expense of developing this country.

Euphoria surrounding preferred candidates, especially in the presidential race has sadly helped to re-elect leaders who all manner of malpractices and corruption cases in their hands. They will coalesce and join in the bandwagon of the preferred candidate and get their way back to the house. Sadly the Kenyan voters ignore the qualities of able leaders and elect the very people who have for years plundered the public coffers. New blood sparingly gets elected whereas the same old politicians get re-elected. They ride on the euphoria factor that has proved to shape our politics. This has been the same since National Rainbow Coalition, NARC, swept into power in the 2002 polls.

As a country, we will only get to the desired land when we will let go of tribal and ethnic politics, sycophancy and euphoria amongst the political landscape. We have paid dearly for voting along these; misappropriation of public funds, scandals and corruption has hit us hard in return. It is the high time that we broke free from these poor and misguided tribal and ethnic cocoons, and elect leaders purely on merit. The coming polls; the first under the new law should mark this change in the voting patterns of this country.