Kenya is in the electioneering year and Kenyans have already taken sides. It is the period where all of a sudden and according to politicians Kenyans are divided. It is a time most Kenyans will begin to suffer from selective perception and/or selective amnesia. It is the period politicians would like us to look at everything from a tribal angle. This is the time the elected members of the county or parliament start calling you and returning your calls because they need your vote. This is the time politicians are promising the electorate heaven. It is time a few roads will be done to hoodwink the electorate. The tragedy is the electorate will clap for the politicians for a few freebies as if it is not their right to have basics. The electorate in Kenya is the type that will thank the ATM for disbursing money from their own account.
Some Kenyans will abuse those that are not supporting their candidate. It is the time to know those not very nice personal things about anyone going for any elective post. Social media will be full of not very nice memes of opponents. It is time for propaganda for that is what sells in Kenya. Friends will turn foe just because they support different candidates. Others will buy a few youngmen some liquor to shout at their opponents in political meetings. What the electorate does not know is that their candidates are not enemies and will dine together any day. The tragedy is the electorate will fight for politicians who will use and dump them as soon as they get what they wanted.
The tragedy in this nation is that the electorate doesn’t care to understand their candidates’ manifesto. If you ask any Kenyan today what AZIMIO, KENYA KWANZA, OKA, or any party stands for, few can answer this question. Most just follow blindly without asking fundamental questions of how any of the elected leaders will change the lives of Kenyans. Politicians will use party waves in their areas to ascend to power without any vision for the electorate. Some Kenyans will not even vote and don’t care about who wins the elections at all levels. They fail to understand not voting in itself is voting.
The other tragedy in this nation is Kenyans will keep complaining about how politics is dirty. Others will complain of how pathetic politicians and the electorate are. When a professional runs for a post, they never support them but instead discourage them with “professional arguments”. What do Kenyans really want?
The tragedy is Kenyans are perpetual complainers year in, year out and do very little to change the bad governance they lament about every day. Kenyans will complain and lament day in day out, but do nothing and hope someone other than themselves will do something. Kenyans take your position and ask politicians hard questions before you start taking sides.
What are the things that you have seen Kenyans do in electioneering periods? Do you think politicians care about you the electorate? Leave a comment.
Dr. Mary Mugo
Strategy, Governance and Management Consultant
Website:www.marymugo.com
1 A question like what time will you take to end corruption
2 how and what technique will you use to end poverty in Kenya
And many more otherwise propaganda we don’t want
Thank you for your comment.
And yet we the electorate corrupt the corrupt,that’s the tragedy
Nay I just make a small comment I remain corrected but can some tell us what is politics, is it conceptual societal division of our own does politics broaden our relationship indifferences in our neighbourhood causing broader boundaries, simply I don’t believe we really have politics in Kenya but a way of engaging the needy to approve dynasties to nake a living unknowingly from them. Kenyans lack wisdom and simple knowledge of selflessness .
You have a point.Most leaders lack integrity and are simply looking for a job not to serve people