Political zoning will be Kenya’s downfall

What you need to know:

  • Devolution that was meant to correct this anomaly has also turned out to be controversial, with questionable spending habits by the people entrusted county governments.
  • What is worse is the fact that since a region is a deemed to be the reserve of a certain party, one cannot even try vying using another party’s ticket.
  • The presidency is a national office with powers to lead all Kenyans. Leaders must start using the power of persuasion on their way to the presidency, and even after assuming office.

The marking of zones as political home turfs by certain leaders, parties or ethnic groupings is Kenya’s worst failing. The latest such display of tomfoolery was the recent heckling of the President and governor in Migori County.

As if that was not enough, those complaining about it are from a certain region. Isn’t the President for us all? Shouldn’t everyone be ashamed of the unfortunate occurrence?

That the national leadership is arrived at through a political process in a country where one region belongs to one party and the other belongs to another makes the presidency a mere national office, while its occupants are not.

It is common to hear phrases like ODM zones, TNA zones, URP zones or Kanu zones in a country that has a new Constitution with an admirable Bill of Rights that incorporates freedoms of choice and association.

This is a growing political cancer that must be excised early.
The whole process begins way before a general election. Presidential candidates, whose campaign strategies are short-term, begin campaigning at the last minute, which means they have to target “vote-rich zones”. These are usually home turfs and tribal zones.

Such candidates will hold repeat rallies in these areas and not even try to seek votes elsewhere. As a result, some areas will barely know about them.

REWARDING CRONIES

In the event that they make it to State House, the areas they never visited during their campaigns will rarely ‘recognise’ them as their leaders.

To rub salt to the wounds, Kenyan presidents begin by rewarding cronies from the regions where they harvested votes through appointments to public jobs and to development projects.

The feeling of isolation is made worse by this “selective presidency” and those left out believe the president is ‘theirs’ not ‘ours’. They reach a point of not even expecting any positive gestures from such a leader.

Devolution that was meant to correct this anomaly has also turned out to be controversial, with questionable spending habits by the people entrusted county governments.

The mere fact that one belongs to a particular political party has been the bane of some regions where six-piece voting choruses are sung during national elections. Such areas end up with leaders who are wrapped up in party colours, but whose real beliefs are different.

What is worse is the fact that since a region is a deemed to be the reserve of a certain party, one cannot even try vying using another party’s ticket.

Those who seek nomination through the ‘correct’ party will do anything to clinch the ticket, after which they stop campaigning since they have already won.

If it happens that the six-suit set comes from the opposition, then the president has a hard time trying to convince people in such regions to recognise him as Head of State.

The presidency is a national office with powers to lead all Kenyans. Leaders must start using the power of persuasion on their way to the presidency, and even after assuming office.

Even if it means starting campaigns early, candidates must take the time to popularise themselves in every part of the country.
 Mr Okoth, a trained journalist, works with a local bank.