Coming polls offer chance to rise of issue-based small parties

Time is drawing nigh for candidates to make the tough choice of their election bus.

As our parties are basically devoid of political ideology, choosing a party has become complex.

The recent amendment to the election laws that purposes to bar party hopping is the main reason why candidates should carefully consider which party to join, or whether to contest as independent candidates.

The amendment sought to cure the culture of party hopping, but it merely strengthened the power of party leaders who will now be able to command almost absolute loyalty to themselves rather than to the electorate.

If we think that this current parliament has been a joke, wait till the next one, if this law is not amended, or if we do not elect a sufficient number of independent candidates.

It is instructive that all party leaders supported this change.

But why there was no challenge or even debate by parliamentarians boggles the mind.

There is also the consequence of unlimited corruption and patronage that this will bring with party leaders already assuring candidates of jobs in government if they lose nominations.

If we thought we had seen the height of corruption in this regime, rest assured that the coffers will be empty by 2022!

All the party leaders are now busy creating party election boards and assuring candidates that the nominations will be free, fair and independent.

FAVOURITISM
If you believe that then you must be living on Mars.

Some have even called on the IEBC to conduct their party nominations, but if you think that that means a fair contest, then you must not have been around for the last two elections.

Simply put, with this law, party nominations will be a slaughter-house especially in those areas where one party strongly dominates.

They will be reminiscent of the 1988 elections, for those old enough to remember that far back.

Make no mistake, if a candidate seeking nomination is also a big donor to the party or the presidential election kitty, they will get the nomination, come hell or high water.

If a candidate has proven indispensable as an aide, lawyer, or strongman in “defending” the leader, they will get the nomination they seek.

To paraphrase some of the infamous words from the Anglo-Leasing scandal, the “pillars” of the party leader cannot be left out.

So those who think they deserve a real chance need decide soon whether they are ready to be kicked out at the nomination stage and hope for a government appointment if their party wins, or whether they are better off dealing with the electorate directly.

Thus, for example, if Charles Keter decides he wants to run for Governor of Kericho, does anyone believe the Jubilee ticket will not be his for the taking?

Is there anyone willing to bet against Evans Kidero snapping up the ODM ticket for Nairobi given his role as a donor to ODM?

ISSUE ORIENTED

If Mwangi Kiunjuri gets the “blessings” he seeks from Uhuru Kenyatta, do you think he would miss the Jubilee ticket?

Is it not guaranteed that Kiraitu Murungi will get the Jubilee ticket for Meru governor, despite the credentials, reasonableness and maturity of Kilemi Mweria?

Does Peter Kenneth really believe that he will get a fair chance at the Jubilee ticket when he is already being touted as a possible heir as leader of the Gikuyu if he becomes the Nairobi governor and thus a headache to the ambitions of William Ruto?

It is worse for Jubilee supporters now that it has become a single party, rejecting the coalition model that allows for diversity in unity.

At least Nasa gives aspirants some choices in Nasa-dominated areas, as Hassan Omar demonstrated in 2013.

Any rational person with any dignity would relish the chance to serve with their conscience rather than at the behest of the party leader.

But as we saw during the Kanu era, our politicians are a different species with an uncanny ability to be unmatched sycophants.

But there could be a silver lining: maybe this will see the rise of small parties, especially if they position themselves as issue-based and create structures that promote debate, openness and discipline without sycophancy.

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